The Future of Wireless
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008Technology is a field in which rapid advancement is constantly being achieved. The development and implementation of wireless has been a huge technological leap making life easier for gamers, networkers, and professionals alike.
Most laptops today come with a built in built in 802.11a, b, or g connections. In other words, they have built in Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) and can connect to the internet or another network without requiring a physical connection.
Of course, as with any technology, Wi-Fi will eventually be outdated. The question is what will be next? It has been come to be known as WiMAX. It’s technical term is 802.16. Often times it it also referred to as a WirelessMAN or Wireless Metropolitan Area Network.
In a nut shell, it’s nicknames say exactly what it is. It is another type of wireless network that brings several new advantages. For example, a typical Wi-Fi 802.11 connection has an indoor range that averages around a little over 100 feet. WiMAX is capable of a much higher range, up to 50km. WiMAX is can also produce a very high bit rate. It can transfer at speeds up to 70 Mbit/s. However, when using such a high bit rate, the range of WiMAX has to be limited to avoid errors.
In other words, 802.16 can transfer data very very fast, or span over a very large range, even over a whole city.