Mobile tower signal vs Wifi signal: What is the difference?

The towers connected by mobile carriers are not specific to some persons and it can be used by all the customers of that mobile service provider within that range. Wifi will never have common towers but they will have optical fibre cables laid and the wifi equipment will be set up in the houses or office premises of the customer. This will be useful to the people within a short-range only and they are protected by passwords. They are location-based.
The radiations coming from mobile towers are dangerous than that from wi-fi equipment. The speed of wifi will be the same for all the people who are using that.
The mobile data is available based on the plan you purchase. But wifi has no limit for the amount of data.
The mobile data is slow and generally useful for a single user. Wifi is generally faster and you can do all activities including downloading of big files etc.
The battery consumption will be more on your mobile when you use the mobile data but it will be less when using wifi internet instead of mobile data.

There exists some difference between the two systems and the following points will clarify the difference between these two installations-
1) Wifi signals are based upon WPA or WEP encrypting algorithm where as the Mobile Signals are employ A5 or MD5 type encryption Algorithm.
2) Wifi mentions IP address and MAC address for the identification of the devices and their locations but the mobile tower uses HLR and VLR being installed on BTS to identify the devices and locations.
3) Wifi signals are from the local network having low range radio transmitter but the Mobile tower is an international network using high frequency radio waves.
4) Wifi connectivity is supposed to be governed by IEEE but the Mobile towers are governed by telecom bodies such as in India, we have TRAI regulations.
5) Wifi signals uses TDMA but the Mobile towers use the combination of TDMA and FDMC.
6) Wifi signal uses super high frequency in the range of 3 - 30 GhZ and can communicate with a static set of transmitters receivers allowing higher bandwidths at a shorter range where as Mobile data use high frequency in the range of 300 - 350 MHZ for the effective communication.

Basically the signals of both cell phone towers and WiFi signals are low ionizing Radio
Frequency signals.
They are thus different from stronger ionizing radiations like X rays, Gamma rays and Ultra Violet rays.

High level RF s can heat up the body. But cell phone towers and WiFi use low levels of energy). We are exposed to cell phone tower radiation at ground level only. As the energy decreases over distance it is of very low energy and the signals are transmitted intermittently and not constantly..
Similarly a Wi Fi router signal is also less energy and the distance between the device and body is also more(unlike mobile handset) Hence they are not that harmful. Even many studies conducted also show that the signals are not at harmful levels.
Cell phone tower signals reach long distance and thus better connectivity outside .But Wi-Fi is primarily a short-range local wireless networking WiFi signals are affected by interference and hence suited for single or multi connectivity in a short area.

Wi-Fi signal is a local area network (LAN)
Mobile Tower Signal is cellphone service providers signals i.e. 2G, 3G, 4G network local area, or in roaming area signals.

Mobile towers and Wi-Fi equipments are going through a lot of improvement and development day by day and the technology is continuously evolving to greater heights. Presently they are a focus area in contemporary business as the customers have already increased using these services and there is a large scope for increased customer base in the future. The detailed answers to the queries asked is as below -

a) What is the difference in Mobile tower signal vs WiFi signal? -
For making the mobile data available in every place the mobile towers are used to first receive the mobile data by its own antennae in it and then transmit it with the transmitters mounted on it. There are associated electrical and electronic circuits in it for that purpose. The mobile towers are generally mounted on raised structures like buildings or hillocks in a town or city. Depending upon the working capacity of these towers they will be able to provide the data within some range which is known a cell in technical terms. That is why they are called cell towers also. So, a network of these cells adjacent to each other would be able to give a good coverage in the area by erecting more mobile towers for more coverage in terms of the area.
On the other hand a Wi-Fi is a device used for accessing the mobile data within a limited area like we are using in our houses or offices. These devices are known as routers and provide good wireless signal within the specified area. These are password protected so that your neighbour cannot use your data.

b) Is the signal dangerous of both or any? -
The mobile tower emits Radio Frequency and if one stands very near to it then it could warm up the individual body with those radiation. But generally towers will be erected on raised structures and their radiation level at the ground level where we are standing is almost nil and there are so far no known studies which confirm their bad effect on health.

Generally the signal energy levels in Wi-Fi devices, Mobile phones and Bluetooth are kept at lower sides to avoid any undesired effect on human beings but there are many studies which suggest that people living in Wi-Fi/ Mobile/ Bluetooth environment for a long time can get some disorders like oxidative stress, sperm/testicular damage, neuropsychiatric effects including EEG changes, apoptosis, cellular DNA damage, endocrine changes, and calcium overload. That is why its continuous use is discouraged. It is also advisable to use earphones and keep the device away. There are many precautions which can be taken to avoid the harmful effects of these radiations. More research and studies are on the way and depending on those results new regulations would be prescribed.

c) What give better network or connectivity? -
Both have different purposes. Tower is for a bigger area that is the cell to which it has to cater. It is primary thing and it should give a good signal otherwise the connectivity in the whole area would be poor. Wi-Fi is for a small campus and it has to boost the signal and provide it effectively in the area to the user or users for a seamless experience of mobile data. If the tower is giving poor signal then Wi-Fi would also be of limited use. They are interrelated.

d) What is the range of each i.e. Mobile tower signal vs WiFi signal? -
The range of tower signal would depend on its power and design but the normal towers in our towns and cities are generally able to give signal up to a distance of 1.5 Km to 2 Km after which another tower needs to be placed.
On the other hand the Wi-Fi routers that we use in our houses or office complexes are able to give a signal up to 30-40 meters in indoor conditions and about 80-90 meters in outdoor situation.

e) What is the technology used in Mobile tower signal and WiFi signal?
There are combinations of technological features in these installations and right from the earlier Radio telephony to present day 4G/ 5G technologies everything is embedded in them in much modified form for better signal delivery and low noise to signal ratio. The concept of dividing the city in cells and feeding them with towers is already a technological breakthrough. Then there are some frequency spectrums used for different types of services. I am afraid that it is itself a big subject and we can only mention these main constituents here.

Mobile towers are a common sight now and can deliver a signal up to a quite good distance in kilometres depending upon their design and power considerations. In our country we have towers to carry on the signal for a distance of only 1-2 km after which the other tower would take over. So towers are basically to provide signals on a large area. There are some international safety regulations regarding the level of RF energy that can be transmitted by these towers keeping the health of human beings in considerations. So, those things are taken in consideration while erecting these towers and to that extent these are not harmful to the human dwellings.

On the other hand Wi-Fi equipments are meant for a short range signal transmission for enabling the mobile devices to use the mobile data effectively. But their range is restricted to about 40 to 80 metres only. They are very suitable for a big building or a housing complex. As regards to the Wi-Fi equipments, they are also designed as per the standard safety regulations followed by the countries who are using these technologies. Even in mobile phones also if we see the attached literature in their manual all the precautions taken and incorporated in these devices are meticulously mentioned in the certificates enclosed with the manuals. So to that extent they are also not harmful. But the problem is we are using them very near to our ears and that also for a long time. So, under that situation there must be some adverse effects on our health which we might not observe in short time. It is advisable to use the mobile devices, Wi-Fi equipments and other such equipments for limited time and that also by using earphone chords and keeping oneself say a little from that.