Wi-Fi and WiMAX comparison

There is a wireless technology called Wi-Fi, there is a wireless technology called WiMAX ...

Wi-Fi wireless coverage is only 300 feet, about 92 meters; WiMAX coverage can reach 6 miles, about 9.6 km ...

Seemingly more advanced wireless technology standards WiMAX why not as hot as Wi-Fi?

In 2005, WiMAX infrastructure spending is expected to rise from $15 million trillion in 2004 to $115 million trillion, a staggering increase. At present, some of the domestic network access resources are relatively scarce telecommunications operators, also very optimistic about WiMAX, if all goes well, 2006 WiMAX will be a upsurge in China.

Although WiMAX is not as popular as Wi-Fi today, it shows a strong growth momentum, and everything seems to be waiting for the new standard--802.16e of WiMAX to be formally promulgated.

802.16x comparable to 3G

1996 IEEE established a special working group to develop Wireless metropolitan area network (Wireless man) standard 802.16, and in December 2001 officially released 802.16 standards, after the continuous enrichment of the standard, has launched 802.16A, 802.16c, 802.16d, etc. In particular, the establishment of a 802.16E standard task force supporting mobile features and the establishment of WiMAX forum have once again pushed 802.16 to the forefront of wireless technology. (Computer science)

802.16 initially standardize the wireless access system's air interface physical layer and the MAC layer, but because it works in the 10ghz-66ghz band, so its diffraction capacity of the barrier is very poor, so greatly limiting its application. By July 2004, IEEE had launched 802.16D, which consolidated and revised IEEE 802.16 and IEEE 802.16A, becoming a relatively mature and practical standard version, so that 802.16 could truly be applied on a large scale.

802.16E is considered by many to be the only wireless technology to rival 3G. It can support both fixed wireless access, mobile wireless access, broadband access, such as a maximum bandwidth of 70Mbps under certain conditions, an increase of coverage to thousands of meters, access to IP networks, Internet, data, VoIP and video services. However, it is regrettable that the standard has not yet been officially released, the industry is widely expected to be released in 2005, to promote WiMAX in 2006 to be large-scale application.

WiMAX to touch Wi-Fi

For WiMAX and Wi-Fi relationship, the two do not belong to the same category, Wi-Fi is a Wireless LAN standard IEEE 802.11X-related interoperability organization, and WiMAX is the wireless metropolitan Area Network of the standard IEEE 802.16x-related interoperability organizations, Both are oriented to different application types.

But for now, Wi-Fi than WiMAX applications more popular, this is because Wi-Fi standards are more mature, and for everyone to look forward to the WiMAX 802.16e technical standards have not been formally approved. Telecom operators find a perfect wireless access mode, Wi-Fi is in this time gap, in addition, because Wi-Fi Alliance has a large number of well-known companies involved, also played a great role in promoting. However, WiMAX just can learn from the experience of Wi-Fi, in the field of wireless metropolitan area Network access.

WiMAX time to wait

At present, "The last kilometer" has been the problem of restricting Internet providers, WiMAX based on 802.16d/e standard can be used as a DSL, Cabel wireless supplementary way to solve the high cost of broadband access. For example, the lack of basic network coverage in remote areas, the cost of wired access to broadband is quite high, and in large and medium cities communication optical/cable cross Road problem is more and more serious, many cities prohibit aerial cable and broken road laying, in this case WiMAX advantage is very prominent.

The decisive force for the 802.16 series Standard or WiMAX large-scale application is the telecommunication operator, but at present the majority of operators to WiMAX in the wait-and-see, seems to be carefully waiting for the maturity and perfection of the standard, waiting for the rich and price of products to reduce.

Perhaps, the issuance of 3G licences will not only promote the spread of wireless wide area network access technology, but will also promote the wide application of WiMAX technology based on 802.16d/e standards, because not all telecom operators can get 3G license, then WiMAX can be able to work.