WIMAX

IEEE 802.16 standard, which ensures compatibility and interoperability between broadband wireless access equipment
Broadband access is too expensive and WiFi coverage is very sparse. The need for constantly high speed Internet has lead to development of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX or IEEE 802.16)

WIMAX system

A WiMAX tower, similar in concept to a cellphone tower - A single WiMAX tower can provide coverage to a very large area as big as 3,000 square miles (~8,000 square km)
A WiMAX receiver - The receiver and antenna could be a small box or Personal Computer card, or they could be built into a laptop the way WiFi access is today

WIMAX system
WIMAX TOWER WIMAX RECEIVER

WIMAX system

WIMAX frequencies

Non-Line-Of-Sight

A Service where a small antenna on your computer connects to the tower. In this mode, WiMAX uses a lower frequency range 2 GHz to 11 GHz (similar to WiFi) A Service where a fixed dish antenna points straight at the WiMAX tower from a rooftop or pole. Line-ofsight transmissions use higher frequencies, with ranges 66 GHz

Line-Of-Sight

Reference Model

MAC layer

Efficient usage of the spectrum MAC layer is further subdivided into three layers

Service Specific Convergence Sub-layer (MAC CS) Common part sublayer (CPS) Privacy sub-layer

MAC Convergence Sub-layer

CS Layer

Receives data from higher layers Classifies data as ATM cell or packet Forwards frames to CPS layer

ATM Convergence Sub-layer:

Used for ATM networks and services

Used for packet services like Ethernet, Point to Point protocol (PPP), IPv4, IPv6, and virtual local area network (VLAN)

Packet Convergence Sub-layer:

MAC Common Part Sub-layer

MAC CPS is the core of the standard. It deals with

Connection management Bandwidth allocation mechanism Uplink scheduling Bandwidth request Grant Connection control

MAC Privacy Sub-layer

Provides secure communication

Data encrypted with cipher clock chaining mode of DES

Prevents theft of service SSs authenticated by BS using key management protocol

MAC Addressing

Uses uplink and downlink maps to ensure collision free access SS has 48-bit 802.3 MAC address

BS has 48-bit base station ID

Use TDMA to share the uplink

Connection ID (CID)

Not a MAC address Uses Time Division Multiplexing 16 bit that is assigned by the BS Used in MAC PDU Connection Oriented Service

MAC PDU

BS MAC and SS MAC are exchanging messages, and these messages are known as Protocol Data Units Each MAC frame consists of the three components

A MAC header, which contains frame control information A variable length frame body, which contains information specific to the frame type A frame check sequence (FCS), which contains an IEEE 32-bit cyclic redundancy code (CRC)

Types of MAC Header

There are two types of MAC header:

Generic MAC header

Generic MAC header Bandwidth Request header

Used to transfer almost all the standard MAC Management messages MAC PDUs may hold either

Bandwidth Request Header is sent alone, without a payload

MAC management messages MAC Service Data Unit(MSDU)

Types of MAC Header

IEEE 802.16 Features

WiMAX vs. Wi-Fi

Scalability QoS Range Coverage

IEEE 802.11 vs. IEEE 802.16

Scalability

802.11

Channel bandwidth for 20MHz is fixed MAC designed to support 10s of users

802.16

Channel b/w is flexible from 1.5 MHz to 20 MHz. Frequency re-use Channel bandwidths can be chosen by operator (e.g. for sectorization) MAC designed to support thousands of users

IEEE 802.11 vs. IEEE 802.16 Quality Of Service (QoS)

802.11

No QoS support today (802.11e working to standardize ) Contention-based MAC (CSMA/CA) => no guaranteed QoS

802.16

QoS designed in for voice/video Supports differentiated service levels e.g. T1 for business customers; best effort for residential. Centrally-enforced QoS

IEEE 802.11 vs. IEEE 802.16

Range

802.11

Optimized for users within a 100 meter radius Add access points or high gain antenna for greater coverage Designed to handle indoor multi-path delay spread of 0.8 seconds

802.16

Optimized for typical cell size of 7-10km Up to 50 Km range No hidden node problem Designed to tolerate greater multi-path delay spread (signal reflections) up to 10.0 seconds

IEEE 802.11 vs. IEEE 802.16

Coverage

802.11

Optimized for indoor performance No mesh topology support within ratified standards

802.16

Optimized for outdoor NLOS performance (trees, buildings, users spead out over distance) Standard supports mesh network topology Standard supports advanced antenna techniques

802.16 Network Entry

Scanning

Ranging

Scan for BS downlink channel Synchronize with BS Specifies channel parameters Set PHY parameters correctly Establish the primary management channel (for negotiation, authentication, and key management) Result in establishment of secondary management connection (for transfer of standard based management messages such as DHCP, TFTP )

Registration

Establishment of transport connection

802.16 Network Entry

MN
Channel Selection Downlink synchronization
Link Detected
DL_MAP (Downlink map)

BS
The DL_MAP and UL_MAP messages contain the burst allocation decided by the BS . The DCD and UCD messages contain burst profiles. They are periodically generated by the BS. The standard defines the maximum interval between two messages to 10 seconds.

DCD (Downlink Channel Descriptor)

UCD (Uplink Channel Descriptor)

Uplink synchronization
UL_MAP (Uplink map)

Initial ranging

Ranging request Ranging response

Registration request

Registration
Link UP

Registration response

Normal operation

Types of Connections

When a SS is joining the network three CIDs are assigned to it and each one has different QoS requirements used by different management levels

Basic Management connections Primary Management connections Secondary Management connections

Types of Connections

Basic connection is used to transfer brief, time-critical MAC and radio link control (RLC) messages. Primary Management connection is used to transfer longer, more delay tolerant messages such as registration requests and PKM messages- messages as those that are used for authentication and connection setup Secondary Management connection is used to transfer standards-based management messages such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP), and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)