You have probably heard of this service before as it has been deployed by various internet service providers in the UK for a few years, though you may not know how it works. Well, we’ll tackle that in this article together with some facts about the said wireless technology.
What is WiMAX?
WiMAX is short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. It operates much like Wi-Fi, but WiMAX allows for a wider range, higher speeds, and more users. The technology is looked upon as a possible solution to providing service to remote areas that don’t have cables and other infrastructure installed yet.
How does WiMAX work?
WiMAX needs two things to provide service. First is a transmitting tower (similar to a cell site), that is connected directly to the internet using a standard wired connection. A WiMAX tower can also get its connection from another tower in its line of sight, hence its application in providing service to rural and other remote areas. The tower can provide service to an area as large as 8,000 square kilometres. Second is a receiver. This can be an antenna installed outside a home, a router, or a built-in card in your computer. WiMAX doesn’t need a direct line of sight to its receivers to provide service, though its range does diminish for non-line of sight users. This isn’t much of a setback though, as non-line of sight service still covers 65 square kilometres.
While non-line of sight receivers do get service, line of sight antennas are still strongly suggested to get the best WiMAX service and to benefit from its maximum range and bandwidth.
WiMAX vs. Wi-Fi
WiMAX is often compared to Wi-Fi because they operate on similar systems and both provide wireless access to the internet. As mentioned above, WiMAX provides a faster connection (70mbps) than Wi-Fi (54mbps). WiMAX distributes shared bandwidth, so businesses and hundreds of homes can enjoy high speed internet. Range is WiMAX’s more notable difference to Wi-Fi, as the latter can only cover an area of about 30 square metres.
Anyway, WiMAX does present a lot of benefits, especially for communities, campuses, and businesses as it can provide large areas with high speed internet.