WiMax

What is WiMax?
 WiMax is a radio technology that promises to
deliver two-way Internet access at speeds of
up to 75 Mbps at long range.
 WiMax, short for Worldwide Interoperability
for Microwave Access, is the latest of the
wireless "last mile" broadband technologies.
 Typically it can provide coverage for around
35 miles
 Laying wires is especially difficult in hilly areas.
 Instead of that erecting a big antenna on a hill and
installing antennas directed at it on customer’s
roof’s in much easier than digging and stringing
cables.
 Many people in the industry realized that having a
broadband wireless standard was the key element
missing, so IEEE was asked to form a committee to
draw up the standard.
 The next available number in the 802 numbering
space was 802.16, so the standard got this number.
 Overall vision for 802.16 is that carriers (e.g.,
ISP) would set up base stations connected to a
public network.
 Each base station would support hundreds of
fixed subscriber stations. Fixed means that
subscriber stations do not move.
 Plans to expand the standard to include mobile
stations is in the working.
 Base stations will use the 802.16 protocols to
dynamically allocate uplink/downlink bandwidth to
subscriber stations based on their demand.
 802.16 has been developed for several frequency bands
(various licensed frequencies in 10-66 GHz, also licensed
and unlicensed frequencies in 2-11 GHz).
Some Technical Specs on
WiMax
 The radio technology is based on OFDM.

 802.16 standards incorporate use of adaptive

antenna arrays, which can be used to create
dynamic beams in desired directions.

 Standards offer option for a mesh mode

network topology.
802.11 Vs 802.16
 The environments in which 802.11 and 802.16
operate are similar, but they differ in major
ways.
 802.16 is designed to be wireless but stationary
while 802.11 deals with mobility.
 802.16 is a large range system, covering many
km and making use of licensed and unlicensed
spectrum.
 802.11 is a short range system, typically
hundreds of meters that uses unlicensed
spectrum to provide access to the network.