WIMAX

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for

Microwave Access) is a technology that
focuses on providing data over long distances
in a wireless mode, very similar to the cellular
mobile concept. WiMAX is capable of offering
speeds up to 2 Mbps, which is approximately
25 times faster than the regular dial-up
connection and unlike a dial-up, a WiMAX
connection is switched on from the moment
you start your pc
 WIMAX

• WIMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access ):

– Protocol of communication network without wire, based
on the standard IEEE 802.16
– Allows communications over long distances than WiFi,
and a greater bandwidth. Cover approximately 40km.
• Field of application:
– Better price points for both home and business
customers.
– WIMAX allow competitors joint access to any subscriber
in areas without preexisting physical cable or telephone
networks
– would allow gamers access to ad hoc local networks of
other players with the same gear- without any internet
access.
 IEEE Standards View of Wireless Network
Technologies
WWAN
802.20 (proposed)

WiMAX MAN
New standard for 70 Mbps
Fixed broadband ~50 Km
Wireless. Trying to do
for MAN what Wi-Fi 802.16a/e
did for LAN.

Wi-Fi® WLAN
Includes 802.11a/b/g. 11-54 Mbps
Products must be ~100m
Approved for 802.11a/b/g
Interoperability by the
Wi-Fi Alliance.
PAN
~1.5 Mbps
<10 m
802.15.1 (Bluetooth)
WIMAX
 Introduction

• Goal of WIMAX:
Provide high-speed Internet access to home and
business subscribers, without wires.

• Frequency range:
10-66 GHz and sub 11 GHz

• Supports:
– Legacy voice systems
– Voice over IP
– TCP/IP
– Applications with different QoS requirements.
 Introduction

• During a communication, all the information

coming from a SS go to the BS and are
retransmit to the right SS.

• Base stations (BS) can handle thousands of

subscriber stations (SS).

• Two type of link are defined:

– The downlink: From the BS to the SS.
– The uplink: From the SS to the BS.
 Introduction

Infrastructure of WIMAX

• A WIMAX tower: similar in concept to a cell-phone

tower. A single WIMAX tower can provide coverage
to a very large area (~8,000 km).

• A WIMAX receiver : The receiver and antenna could

be a small box or PCMCIA card, or could be built into
a laptop.
 Introduction

A WIMAX tower An example of WIMAX receiver

: PCMCIA card
 WiMAX System Parts
• WiMAX tower
– Similar in concept to a cell-phone tower
• Can provide coverage to a very large area -- as big
as 3,000 square miles
• A WiMAX receiver
– The receiver and antenna could be a small
box or PCMCIA card, or they could be built
into a laptop the way WiFi access is today
 WiMAX System Parts
• A tower station can connect directly to the
Internet using a high-bandwidth, wired
connection
• It can also connect to another WiMAX
tower using a line-of-sight, microwave link.
– Often referred to as a backhaul
– Allows WiMAX to provide coverage to remote
rural areas.
 Two forms of wireless service
• Non-line-of-sight
– A small antenna on your computer connects
to the tower
– 2 GHz to 11 GHz frequency range
– Limited to a 4-to-6 mile radius
 Two forms of wireless service
• Line-of-sight service
– A fixed dish antenna points straight at the
WiMAX tower from a rooftop or pole.
– 66 GHz frequency range
– Higher frequencies, there is less interference
and lots more bandwidth
– 30-mile radius
 Specifications
• Range
– 30-mile radius from base station
• Speed
– 70 megabits per second
• Line-of-sight not needed between user
and base station
• In practical terms, WiMAX would operate
similar to WiFi but at higher speeds, over
greater distances and for a greater
number of users.
 WiFi hotspot replacement
• Cities might pay to have WiMAX base
stations set up in key areas for business
and commerce and then allow people to
use them for free.
– Similar to free WiFi hotspots, but wider range
• Some companies might set up WiMAX
transmitters and then make people pay for
access.
– Similar to paid WiFi hotspots, but wider range
 Evolution of Wireless Standards
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a nonprofit international association formed to
certify interoperability of WLAN products based on IEEE 802.11
specification. http://www.wi-fi.org

The WiMAX Forum is a non-profit corporation with a goal of

promoting deployment of broadband wireless access networks.
Forum member companies support the industry-wide acceptance
of the IEEE 802.16 standard. http://www.wimaxforum.org
 WiMax VS. WiFi
WiMAX should be able to handle up to
70Mbps
The biggest difference isn't speed!!
WiFi's range is about 100 feet (30 m)
WiMAX range is about 30 miles (50 km) with
wireless access
WiMAX(10-66 GHz frequency)
WiFi(5GHz frequency maximum)
Comparison between
Wi-Fi & WiMAX
(IEEE 802.11 & IEEE 802.16a)
 Scalability
802.11 802.16a
•Wide (20MHz) frequency•1.5 MHz to 20 MHz width
channels channels. Channel
bandwidths can be chosen by
operator
•MAC designed to support
10’s of users •MAC designed to support
thousands of users.

802.16a is designed for subscriber density

 Relative Performance
Channel Maximum
Bandwidth Data Rate

802.11 20 MHz 54 Mbps

Selectable channel
bandwidths 70 Mbps*
802.16a between 1.25 and
20 MHz

* Assuming a 14 MHz channel

802.16a is designed for metropolitan performance

 Disadvantages of WiMAX
 Line-of-sight (LOS) is required for long distance (5-30
mile) connections
 Certain conditions —terrain, weather and large
buildings—can act to reduce the maximum range
 Other wireless electronics can interfere with the WiMAX
connection & cause a reduction in data throughput
 licensed airwave frequencies are limited availability.
Unlicensed airwaves are free but all can use them—
difficult to control service quality as other users of the
same band could cause interference
 Advantages of WiMAX
 Full support for WMAN service
 Improved user connectivity
 Longer Ranges
 High Throughput
 Higher Quality of Service (QoS)
 Ensures Interoperability
 Line of sight not required
 802.16e version allows for Mobility
 Easy Installation
 lower cost CPE
 Wimax in Pakistan
Two wimax provider in pakistan

Mobilink infinity

Wateen telecom
Wireless architecture: point-
to-point and point-to-
multipoint
 Point-to-Point(P2P)
Point to point is used where there are two points
of interest: one sender and one receiver. This is
also a scenario for backhaul or the transport from
the data source (data center, co-lo facility, fiber
POP, Central Office, etc) to the subscriber or for
a point for distribution using point to multipoint
architecture. Backhaul radios comprise an
industry of their own within the wireless industry.
WIMAX ANTENNEA
 WIMAX ANTENNEA

WiMAX antennas, just like the

antennas for car radio, cell phone,
FM radio, or TV, are designed to
optimize performance for a given
application.
Omni Directional Antenna
 Omni Directional Antenna
• An omni-directional antenna broadcasts
360 degrees from the base station
• Omni directional antennas are used for
point-to-multipoint configurations. The
main drawback to an omni directional
antenna is that its energy is greatly
diffused in broad-casting 360 degrees
Sector Antennas
 Sector Antennas

• Sector antennas are focused on smaller

sectors

• A sector antenna, by focusing the beam in

a more focused area, offers greater range
and throughput with less energy.
Panel Antennas
 Panel Antennas
• Panel antennas are most often used for
point-to-point applications
• Panel antennas are usually a flat panel of
about one foot square. They can also be a
configuration where potentially the WiMAX
radio is contained in the square antenna
enclosure.
 CONCLUSION

WiMAX is defined as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave

Access by the WiMAX Forum, formed in April 2001 to promote
conformance and interoperability of the standard IEEE 802.16.
The Forum describes WiMAX as "a standards-based
technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless
broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL'.
With WiMAX, WiFi-like data rates are easily supported, but the
issue of interference is lessened. WiMAX operates on both
licensed and non-licensed frequencies, providing a regulated
environment.