Introduction

Working of WIMAX
IEEE 802.16 standard
802.16 Architecture
Features of WIMAX
Advantages of WIMAX over WIFI
FUTURE OF WIMAX
There are three possible ways to access internet.
Broadband access
Uses DSL or cable modem at home and T1 or
T3 line at office
WIFI
Uses WIFI routers at home and hotspots on
the road
Dial Up Connection
Broadband access is too expensive and WiFi
coverage is very sparse.

The new technology promises

High speed of broadband service
Wireless rather than wired access
Broad Coverage
WIMAX stands for Worldwide
Interoperability for Microwave Access

WiMAX refers to broadband wireless networks

that are based on the IEEE 802.16 standard,
which ensures compatibility and
interoperability between broadband wireless
access equipment

WiMAX, which will have a range of up to 31

miles, is primarily aimed at making broadband
network access widely available without the
expense of stringing wires (as in cable-access
broadband) or the distance limitations of
Digital Subscriber Line.
A WiMAX tower, similar in concept to a cell-
phone 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 Memory card, or they could be built
into a laptop the way WiFi access is today
Non-Line of sight
Uses a lower frequency range.

Line of sight
Uses a higher frequency range.
WiMAX Mini-PCI Reference Design Intel’s first WIMAX chip
Range- 30 miles from base station
Speed- 70 Megabits per second
Frequency bands- 2 to 11 and 10 to 66(licensed
and unlicensed bands respectively)
Defines both MAC and PHY layer and allows
multiple PHY layer specifications
IEEE 802.16 Protocol Architecture has 4 layers:
Convergence, MAC, Transmission and physical,
which can be mapped to two OSI lowest layers:
physical and data link.
Scalability

Quality of Service

Range

Coverage
Primary purpose of QoS feature is to define
transmission ordering and scheduling on the air
interface

These features often need to work in conjunction

with mechanisms beyond the air interface in
order to provide end to end QoS or to police the
behaviour or SS.
It provides flexible and dynamic QoS .
Speed
Faster than broadband service
Wireless
Not having to lay cables reduces cost
Easier to extend to suburban and rural areas
Broad Coverage
Much wider coverage than WiFi hotspots
Allow service providers to deliver high
throughput broadband based services like VoIP,
high-speed Internet and Video
Facilitate equipment compatibility
Reduce the capital expenditures required for
network expansion
Provide improved performance and extended
range
Range of technology and service level choices
from both fixed and wireless broadband
operators
DSL-like services at DSL prices but with
portability
Rapidly declining fixed broadband prices
No more DSL “installation” fees from incumbent
Scalability
Relative Performance
Quality of Service
Range
Coverage
Security
 802.11 802.16a
•
Wide (20MHz) frequency •
Channel bandwidths can be
channels chosen by operator (e.g. for
sectorization)
•
1.5 MHz to 20 MHz width
channels. MAC designed for
scalability. independent of
channel bandwidth
•
MAC designed to support 10’s
of users
•
MAC designed to support
thousands of users.
 Channel Maximum Maximum
Bandwidth Data Rate bps/Hz

802.11 20 MHz 54 Mbps 2.7 bps/Hz

802.16a 1.5 – 20 MHz 100 Mbps 5.0 bps/Hz

 802.11 802.16a

•
Standard cannot currently Designed to support Voice and
guarantee latency for Voice, Video Video from ground up

•
Standard does not allow for
differentiated levels of service on a
per-user basis
•
Supports differentiated service
levels: e.g. T1 for business
customers; best effort for
residential.
 802.11 802.16a
•
Optimized for ~100 meters •
Optimized for up to 50 Km

•
No “near-far” compensation •
Designed to handle many users
spread out over kilometers

•
Designed to handle indoor multi-
path delay spread of 0.8μ seconds
•
Optimization centers around
PHY and MAC layer for 100m
range
•
Designed to tolerate greater
multi-path delay spread (signal
reflections) up to 10.0μ seconds
•
PHY and MAC designed with
multi-mile range in mind
 802.11 802.16a

•
Optimized for indoor •
Optimized for outdoor NLOS
performance performance

•
Standard supports mesh network
•
No mesh topology support within topology
ratified standards
•
Standard supports advanced
antenna techniques
 802.11 802.16a

•
Existing standard is WPA + •
Existing standard is PKM – EAP
WEP

•
Encryption codes are used
WiMax will be deployed in three
stages
In the first phase WiMaX technology (based on
IEEE 802.16-2004) provides fixed wireless
connections
In the second phase WiMaX will be available
as a cheap and self-installing Subscriber
Terminal (ST), linked to PC and to antenna
The third phase enables portability, thus
WiMAX (based on IEEE 802.16e) will be
integrated into commercial laptops
Will WIMAX replace 3G?
Along with the forthcoming standardization, WiMAX has the
potential to substitute 3G and become a promising 4G

WiMAX has its distinct identity as either a stand-alone

solution for incumbent and competitive fixed network
operators or as complementary radio access solution for
established 2G and 3G cellular network operators

Fixed-line operators, on the one hand, may consider WiMAX

as a viable alternative to add mobility to the service
portfolio, leveraging their huge subscriber base, in
particular in countries where 3G licensing is delayed or not
affordable