WiFi vs. WiMax

WiFi and WiMax are competing wireless broadband technologies that are considered useful for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). What are the pros and cons?

It's no secret that wireless Internet access is growing at a furious pace in urban and suburban America, not to mention the rest of the world. Not only are residences and businesses steadily shifting towards wireless networks for ease of access and cost savings, however free wireless hotspots are popping up all over as commercial venues like cafes, hotels and even restaurants realize that wireless Internet access is becoming a fundamental customer requirement. To tell the truth, it is nearly requisite that service-oriented businesses have wireless available for their clients if they are going to compete.

The basic standard for this research is WiFi

The basic standard for this research is WiFi. WiFi is primarily used to create a Local Area Network, which allows users within the network to connect wirelessly. The commonest use is primarily in Internet connectivity, now WiFi is as well used for closed-circuit business networking and for connecting consumer electronics, just as TVs and DVD players. WiFi makes connecting to the Internet within a home or business cheap and easy, and it as well allows commercial and service venues to provide wireless access to clients and the greater public, within a relatively small service area. But during WiFi research has proved largely successful in providing cheap wireless Internet service within close proximity to the WiFi access point, a new research, WiMax, could expand the potential of wireless penetration and connection quality. Because of the similarity in name, it is easy to assume that WiMax is simply a more refined and more powerful form of WiFi, and one that will render WiFi irrelevant in the nearly future. This is in some cases true – WiMax does provide wireless reception over significantly greater distances, and at higher broadband levels. Yet the technology behind WiMax is significantly different from WiFi, as then as more costly, and most analysts agree that WiFi will continue to be the standard shortly. WiFi was created in Norway in 1991, and was originally designed for commercial cash register systems. Today, its provides wireless broadband access to any user with wireless connectivity technology, or wireless adapter cards, within a small range. Typically, a WiFi signal has a maximum range of 150 feet indoors and 300 feet in the open air. WiMax serves several functions in wireless connectivity, however it was largely created to provide "last-mile" broadband connection to homes and businesses. Instead of using fixed lines like cable or telephone line to bring Internet access into a building, WiMax uses transmitters, like cell-phone towers, to carry its signal. WiMax technology does not require line-of-sight to the user, so several subscribers can connect to a tower, even if it is blocked by trees or other buildings. This makes WiMax particularly useful and cost-effective for rural homes and other locations set in a geography that would make laying a traditional hardwire difficult and expensive. WiMax has a much greater range than WiFi, even though interpretations of this range vary. During engineers have stated that WiMax could have a range of up to 30 miles, field tests have resulted in a range radius of between four and eight miles. In spite of everything, this represents a range far greater than the few hundred foot radius of WiFi. WiMax as well has some benefits over WiFi in terms of connection quality. When multiple users are connected to a WiFi access point, they are effectively in constant battle for connection, and users can experience varying levels of broadband width. WiMax technology, after all, secures each user with a constant allotment of broadband access. Built into the WiMax technology is an algorithm that establishes a limit to the number of users per WiMax access point. When a WiMax tower is nearing its maximum broadband capacity, it automatically redirects additional users to another WiMax access point. Yet WiMax is all the same in its infancy, and will need a significant boost in support and infrastructure previously it gains any traction in the wireless market. WiFi, besides, has already saturated a significant percentage of the wireless market, and it has proved both easy to use and cheap. During businesses with large physical space might want to move to WiMax to avoid buying the many repeater access points required with WiFi, it will be several years earlier WiMax becomes cheap enough to enter the residential and small commercial market. After all, WiMax technology promises a future of more powerful and more accessible wireless Internet access. For the in the meantime, conversely, WiFi will be the mainstay. For more on the issues within wireless VoIP, see our 'Getting To Wireless' article or return to the Wireless Resource Center.