Wimax uses IEEE 802.

16 standard and provides the last mile of (MAN)

Metropolitan Area high speed internet access, so it is often called
802.16, as compared to 802.11

WiMax was created by the WiMax Forum, which was formed in June
2001 to promote the adoption of WiMax compatible products and
services.

Although WiMax deployments are similar to a WiFi network, it has a few

advantages over WiFi.

1. WiMax has the capability of covering wider areas than WiFi. While
WiFi is a Wireless LAN networking technology, it can only reach a few
hundred meters in the open air, WiMax is designed to be a MAN
wireless internet access technology, it can cover an area of some 50
miles in diameter.
2. WiMax provides a higher speed wireless internet access. Wimax can
be running at a speed up to 70M, three times as fast as 3G networks.
3. WiMax provides the last mile of internet access; it can connect WiFi
hotspots to the Internet. And provide a wireless alternative to cables and
DSL.
4. WiMax provides multi-media and telecommunications services, it is
securer and can be upgraded.

Now while WiMax are becoming popular in EU countries and the North
America, Asia, is also introducing WiMax technology as well. The goal
for the long term evolution of WiMAX is to achieve 100 Mbit/s mobile and
1 Gbit/s fixed-nomadic bandwidth and can be expected to be one of the
most widely used wireless internet access technologies in the future.
Of the different wireless technologies, when should I use WLANs, Wi-Fi and
WiMax? Also, what are the primary differences between Wi-Fi and WLAN?
Wi-Fi products are used to build WLANs, while WiMAX products are used to
build WMANs.

A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is a group of devices linked

together by wireless within a relatively small space like a single office building
or home. Three WLAN technologies were included in the original 802.11
standard: Infrared, Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS), and Direct
Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS). 802.11b focused exclusively on DSSS;
802.11a/g/n also used Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).

Wi-Fi is a certification applied to 802.11a/b/g/n products tested by the Wi-Fi

Alliance, an industry consortium that promotes interoperability in
heterogeneous WLANs. For example, all 802.11g products implement standard
OFDM and DSSS, but only Wi-Fi certified products have proven that they
correctly support a mandatory subset of features and options.

To create a WLAN, enterprises, small businesses, and home owners can

purchase Wi-Fi certified Access Points (APs) and clients (laptops, phones,
printers). Clients must be no more than a few hundred feet from the closest AP.
Larger buildings can be covered by installing multiple APs that are connected to
each other. Most WLANs are deployed indoors, but WLANs can also cover
parking lots or courtyards or other local outdoor areas.

Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMANs) use wireless "last mile"

technologies to connect subscriber stations (customer premise equipment) to
base stations (carrier network infrastructure), providing a wireless alternative to
wireline Internet access technologies like DSL, cable, or fiber.

802.16 standards define several WMAN technologies that operate at various

frequencies, distances, and speeds to deliver Broadband Wireless Access
(BWA). The original 802.16 focused on Fixed BWA, using point to point
wireless uplinks to connect subscriber networks to carrier networks and the
Internet. More recently, the 802.16e amendment defined Mobile BWA to serve
subscriber stations that are not fixed in place, like laptops used in cars and
trains.

WiMax is a certification applied to 802.16 products tested by the WiMAX

Forum. Carriers build and operate WMANs by purchasing licensed spectrum
and then deploying WiMAX base stations throughout a city, region, or other
designated coverage area. To use the WMAN, subscribers must purchase
wireless services from a carrier. For example, Sprint recently launched a
commercial WiMAX service called XOHM in Baltimore. Consumers in and
around Baltimore that want to use XOHM must purchase a compatible WiMAX
device and pay Sprint for air time.

Here are some key differences between WLANs and WMANs, supported by
Wi-Fi and WiMAX products:

• It's possible to use WMAN technology indoors, but 802.16 protocols are
optimized for outdoor operation. It's possible to use WLAN technology
outside, but 802.11 protocols were primarily designed for indoor
networks.

• Larger WLANs can be constructed using many densely-spaced Wi-Fi

APs, but to blanket miles of territory with wireless, you really want to
create a WMAN technology. On the other hand, using WiMAX products
for communication between PCs inside the same building would be
pricey and impractical -- that's precisely what WLAN technologies were
created for.

• Most office and home WLANs are composed of Wi-Fi products

operating in unlicensed spectrum -- channels freely available for use by
anyone. WiMAX products most often operate in spectrum licensed to
wireless carriers who use them to deliver commercial BWA services.

For nuts-and-bolts differences, check out Michael Finneran's excellent paper on

WiMax versus Wi-Fi.

The bottom line is that WLANs and WMANs are complementary network
architectures, supported by standard technologies that were designed for very
different environments and purposes. This is why your next laptop may well
include both Wi-Fi and Mobile WiMAX adapters. Use the Wi-Fi adapter to
connect to your office or home WLAN free-of-charge, but use the WiMAX
adapter when you're on the go to reach the Internet through a carrier's WMAN.

What is the difference between Wi-Fi and Wi-max?

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

WiMax is designed for building a network infrastructure when the environment
or distance is not favorable to a wired network. Also, WiMax is a cheaper and
quicker alternative than having to lay wire. Third world countries will greatly
benefit from deploying WiMax networks. WiMax can handle virtually all the
same protocols Wifi can including VOIP. African countries are now going to
start deploying WiMax networks instead of cell phone networks. Disaster zones
can also utilize WiMax giving them the ability to distribute crisis information
quickly and cheaply.

In fact WiFi (technically standard 802.11) and WiMAX (802.16) don't

compete for broadband users or applications today. That's partly because
WiFi is widely deployed and WiMAX is still largely an unfulfilled
promise and partly because the two protocols were designed for very
different situations. However, if WiMAX is eventually widely deployed,
there will be competition between them as last mile technologies.

Some people describe the difference between WiFi and WiMAX as

analogous to the difference between a cordless phone and a mobile
phone. Wifi, like a cordless phone, is primarily used to provide a
connection within a limited area like a home or an office. WiMAX is
used (or planned to be used) to provide broadband connectivity from
some central location to most locations inside or outside within its service
radius as well as to people passing through in cars. Just like mobile phone
service, there are likely to be WiMAX dead spots within buildings.

From a techie POV, the analogy is apt at another level: WiFi, like
cordless phones, operates in unlicensed spectrum (in fact cordless phones
and WiFi can interfere with each other in the pitiful swatch of spectrum
that's been allocated to them). There are some implementations of
WiMAX for unlicensed spectrum but most WiMAX development has
been done on radios which operate on frequencies whose use requires a
license.

Some more subversive types (they're subversive so I can't link to them)

say that WiMAX is what you get when bellheads (not a nice term) try to
reinvent WiFi the way they'd like it to be. It's true that WiMAX is much
more a command and control protocol than WiFi. Oversimplified, in a
WiFi environment every device within reach of an access point shouts for
attention whenever it's got something to transmit. In that chaos, some
signals tromp on other signals; the more powerful devices and those
closer to the access point tend to get more than their share of airtime like
the obnoxious kid who always has his hand up in the front of the class. In
WiMAX devices contend for initial attention but then are assigned times
when they may ask to speak. The protocol allows the operator more
control over the quality of service provided—bellheads like control.

But it's not clear that more control means better service than contentious
chaos (I'm talking about technology but the same may apply to economies
or bodies politic). The Internet and its routing algorithms are chaotic; the
routers just throw away packets if they get to busy to handle them.
Bellheads (and even smart people like Bob Metcalfe) were sure that
design or lack thereof wouldn't scale. They were wrong.

Same people said that voice would never work over the Internet—there's
no guarantee of quality, you see. They were wrong although it's taken
awhile to prove it. Now HD voice is available on the Internet but NOT on
the traditional phone network (although it could be).

Lovers of an orderly environment and those who like to keep order were
absolutely sure that WiFi couldn't work once it became popular. Not only
is it chaotic; it also operates in the uncontrolled environment of
unlicensed frequencies along with cordless phones, bluetooth headsets,
walkie-talkies and the occasional leaky microwave oven. But somehow
it's become near indispensable even in places where a city block full of
access points contend for the scarce frequencies.

Net: I'm not convinced that WiMAX won't suffer from its own
orderliness. Did you ever fume leaving an event when an amateur cop (or
a professional one) managed traffic into an endless snarl? Fact is cars at
low speed usually merge better without help than otherwise. Turns out
that control comes at the expense of wasted capacity. The reason that the
Internet or WiFi radios can work is that the computing power necessary
to deal with chaos from the edge of the network is far cheaper and less
subject to disruption or misallocation than the computing power (and
communication) for central command and control.

WiMAX may be too well-controlled for its own good. Moreover, if it is

used only in regulated spectrum where most frequencies are idle most of
the time AND licenses for the frequencies have to be purchased, it will be
even less efficient than if it could contend for unlicensed spectrum.

By the way, WiFi CAN operate at distances as great as WiMAX but there
are two reasons why it doesn't. One reason is that radios operating in the
unlicensed frequencies are not allowed to be as powerful as those
 operated with licenses; less power means less distance. These regulations
are based on the dated assumption that devices can't regulate themselves
—but the assumption MAY be correct over great enough distances. The
second reason why WiFi access points don't serve as wide an area as
WiMAX access points are planned to do is the engineering belief that the
problem of everybody shouting at once, even if it's surmountable in a
classroom, would be catastrophic in

What are the differences and similarities between Wi-Fi and WiMAX?

Wi-Fi and WiMAX were developed for different markets and different
applications.
The technologies can complement each other with WiMAX to the building and
Wi-Fi in the building. WiMAX can also be used to replace or supplement
copper or cable. Developing countries stand to benefit from WiMAX's lower
infrastructure cost.

Main WiMAX Applications

1)Dedicated point-to-point fixed service using outdoor antennas to deliver rates
of up to 100 Mbps. Many such networks have been deployed based on the
original 802.16 Standard using frequencies between 10 - 66 GHz. These
systems require line-of-sight (LOS) and are typically used for corporate data
networks networks or backhaul of cellular traffic;
2)Point-to-multi-point service provided by networks based on the 802.16a 2003
or the 802.16d 2004 Standards using frequencies between 2 - 11 GHz in non-
line-of-sight applications. This service can used to deliver wireless DSL at
speeds comparable to fixed DSL (or cable) i.e. 512 Kbps to 2-3 Mbps. The key
to this application is the availability of inexpensive non-line-of-sight (NLOS)
customer premises equipment (CPE) that can be self-installed;
3)Mobile/nomadic applications using the 802.16e mobile WiMAX Standard at
frequencies below 6 GHz. This application is in direct competition with the data
services provided by the 2G/3G cellular network operators. Consumers want
broadband Internet connectivity. The WiMAX network is optimized for IP
connectivity and should be able to provide a better service at a lower cost.
WiMAX networks can deliver good VOIP quality and if this service becomes
popular it will threaten the core voice business of cellular network operators.

Main Characteristics of Wi-Fi

1)Wi-Fi is designed as a wireless extension to local area networks (LAN) for
indoor use with a range up to 100m;
2)Wi-Fi was developed as consumer product. There may be interference due to
widespread deployment of Wi-Fi but the limited range of the Wi-Fi equipment
alleviates this problem;
3)Wi-Fi operates exclusively in the Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) bands
(2.4 GHZ and 5.8 GHZ) and in almost all countries a license is not required.
One reason for the success of Wi-Fi was the use initially of 2.4 GHz band
worldwide with later standards adding the 5.8 GHz band.

Main Characteristics of WiMAX

1)WiMAX was originally designed to provide fixed BWA in metropolitan area
networks (MAN) with a range of up to 50 km. Extensions of the WiMAX
standard now provide for mobile applications with a range of up to 6 km;
2)WiMAX was developed as a commercial product for use by network
operators. In the licensed bands there will be few operators and the interference
environment can be controlled;
3)WiMAX can operate over a wide range of frequencies including both licensed
and unlicensed bands. Due to its longer range, it makes more sense for most
applications to operate in licensed bands;

Of the different wireless technologies, when should I use WLANs, Wi-Fi and
WiMax? Also, what are the primary differences between Wi-Fi and WLAN?
Wi-Fi products are used to build WLANs, while WiMAX products are used to
build WMANs.

A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is a group of devices linked

together by wireless within a relatively small space like a single office building
or home. Three WLAN technologies were included in the original 802.11
standard: Infrared, Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS), and Direct
Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS). 802.11b focused exclusively on DSSS;
802.11a/g/n also used Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM

The differences are pretty wide, both in terms of technology and target
market.
WiFi is basically wireless LAN technology. It's built for small-
scale local networking, and works around the 802.11 protocol
standards.

WiMax is a wireless MAN (Metro Area Network) technology

designed to supplant or supplement copper and fiber for last-
mile applications (i.e. providing that last service link between
the ISP/telco's switches and your house). It's built for far larger
applications, and works around the 802.16 protocol standards.

Whereas WiFi typically covers a few hundred feet (more if you

believe the hyperbolic "optimal" claims of 802.11n marketers,
but I wouldn't), WiMax is designed to work over distances
measured in miles (claims of 30 have been bandied around, but
4 is a more realistic number). Range differs between line-of-
sight WiMax transmitters and non-line-of-sight transmitters
(which operate more like WiFi transmitters).

Unlike WiFi transceivers, WiMax units are typically equipped

with the ability to judge when they are nearing capacity, and
shift users to another nearby WiMax unit, theoretically avoiding
overloads and speed reductions (until you hit the system's max
load, I presume). WiMax can also accommodate both mobile
and fixed users.

"Think of a WiMax network as an ISP with out wires, with the

signal providing your internet access to your business/ home.
Wifi will be used within in your LAN for the near future."

Wikipedia's bottom-line comparison is similar, but a bit more

pithy. Basically, if you think of WiMax like a cellphone (mobile,
long-range, does not rely on a central location), the WiFi is
more like a cordless phone (mobile, short range, relies on a
central station.
Wi-Fi 802.11 veritiy is limited in range to about 240 feet (out doors) WiMax
is upto 70 miles (corn fields)
The biggest difference between WiFi and WiMax is the
distance. WiFi can only broadcast (and receive from units
relativity close to the unit). This means it is perfect for a home
unit, but when a city wants to install a network it needs
hundreds or thousands of "repeaters", these units are very
small and fairly cheap and tend to be placed on existing street
lights. Using the existing infrastructure and power supply this
is an easy and quick install.

WiMax on the other hand requires much fewer units because of

its greater distance, but the units are much more expernive
and required a much larger foot print than a light pole.
Currently these units in cities are being installed on existing
cellular towers, since they already have the data handling
abilities needed.

When it place WiMax will most likely be paying customers that

do not have access to the "last mile" for high speed data, such
as cable or DSL, or do not want to use these services.
Currently Chicago is installing both systems a free and low cost
WIFI network and a commercial WiMax network, both
companies AT&T for wifi and Sprint for WiMax do not see these
as competition, because they believe they are two separate
markets.

Scope.
At one level we say they’re different because WiFi is IEEE
802.11 and WiMAX is IEEE 802.16. They’re different parts of the
IEEE networking standards (IEEE 802.anything is a local or
metropolitan-level anything).
At a physical level, WiFi and WiMAX both use OFDM (orthogonal
frequency division multiplexing) to encode data, and they are
both wireless data networking standards but the similarities
end there:

• WiFi takes place in unlicensed spectrum, is low-power, and

is designed for ad-hoc and local area networking. WiFi
"cells" are small, limited to a building or a campus, given
enough access points.
• WiMAX is a service provider technology and will use
licensed spectrum. IEEE 802.16 itself describes fixed
point-to-point connections, but 802.16e introduces
mobility features for telecom use, including such
standards as hand-offs and roaming. WiMAX "cells" can be
very large and are designed for wide coverage.
• WiMAX describes an entire access network, including radio
network resources, access gateways, authentication
servers, and the logical interfaces between each.
• WiMAX has robust MAC-layer security (including mutual
authentication). Security in WiFi has always been a game
of catch-up.
• Speedwise, WiFi has theoretical maximum speeds of 11
mbps (802.11b), 54 mbps (802.11g) or more (802.11n).
WiMAX has a theoretical maximum of 70-something mbps
(assuming good radio conditions, wide channel bandwidth,
and no upstream). WiFi speeds attenuate as distance
increases in meters; WiMAX in kilometers.

A lot of descriptions take a shortcut approach and say that

WiMAX is WiFi at greater distances, and that’s probably true
enough for as much as most people care, but under the hood
there is a world