Wi-Max

With the fast pace of living and the connectivity required by people today, technology is trying to keep up with the demands with incredible speed and creativity. People need information now, and they ought to get it now. Understanding this need of the people for information and to be available even while on the go, inventors are trying to be bolder than ever. From what used to be wired local area networks and more wires to get wide area network, the technology-driven society is now breaking the boundaries and getting off the hook, literally.

While there is wireless fidelity or WiFi which took mobile warriors by storm, the use of such technology do not guarantee dependability and clarity. Interferences exist in this protocol, and several downsides of the technology add up to its disadvantage. This prompted innovators to create a better wireless technology platform. The vision came true with Wi-Max.

Wi-Max is the latest trend in connectivity today that answered the technological need to be free from interferences and current boundaries. It stands for World Interoperability for Microwave Access. Wi-Max’s technology works pretty much like Wi-Fi or the wireless fidelity protocol. However, Wi-Max boasts that there is less interference, more efficient bandwidth use, and allows higher data rates even over longer distances. In fact, it can provide up to 30 miles and three to 10 miles of broadband wireless access for fixed stations and mobile stations respectively. (Wolleben, 2005) Fixed-station Wi-Max provides connectivity for homes and businesses through reception channels such as a personal computer. On the other hand, the Wi-Max of mobile stations provide for cellular phones and similar gadgets. (WiMax Broadband Wireless Technology Access, 2007)

WiMax’s wireless connectivity protocol is based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access, also known as OFDMA. It is a modern protocol for computer-based devices. Innovators claim that this considerably delivers better results than the current technologies presently being used. The recently developed 4G technology being utilized in cellular phones today, in fact, is said to be bound to exploit this OFDMA technology. This further ratifies the fact that Wi-Max is the future of technological connectivity. (WiMax Broadband Wireless Technology Access, 2007)

Wi-Max assumes the materialization of pervasive connectivity. By this it is meant that all the need for connectivity is answered by Wi-Max and that all earlier loopholes of similar technologies, like WiFi, have been patched. This makes this new protocol comprehensive and more efficient than its earlier counterparts. More advantages are associated with Wi-Max. For investors, the fact that Wi-Max works in open standard and more flexible terms make it easier to converge the technology into any business. Wi-Max is also being mass produced, dragging its price down. (WiMax Broadband Wireless Technology Access)

It is also important to consider the security implications of this new technology. Like other wireless technologies, the utmost concern would be the possibility of confidential information being picked up through transmission lines. While proponents and endorsers of Wi-Max technology claim that there is less interference with this new leap, the fact is that there is still room for interference to occur. This hole, however small it can be, may give way to intrusion and thus poses a risk for classified information.

The advanced technological specifications of Wi-Max, though, remain ahead of the volatile security measures of earlier technology. Being a fourth generation protocol, it stands more advanced than its forefathers. Despite the open standard that it treads on, the use of Wi-Max requires monitoring and intervention. Even if it works like WiFi, and thus supports WiFi-like data, Wi-Max assumes more security features.

For one, Wi-Max operates on both licensed and non-licensed signals. This brings together the legal frequencies and the unregistered ones. While this may pose a security problem, the case is in fact the contrary. Because of the regulated nature of Wi-Max, unscrupulous activities that intrude and deny security for users is easily eliminated. (Wolleben, 2005)

Another thing that makes Wi-Max secure is the main feature itself: decrease in interference. It is a considerably positive fact that when there is less or no interference, the signals and frequency flow in unison and any foreign frequency that tries to invade the harmonic flow can easily be detected. Thus, intrusion can easily be found and isolated.

However, Wi-Max’s is still not the perfect wireless technology. Because technology is consistently growing, equivalent protocols that aim to intrude and break security measures even of the most advance networks will forever exist. Thus, it is a responsibility for users of any wireless network protocol to provide themselves with secondary security measures for their use. It is also important to note that no one technology is tailor-made for all businesses. Most protocols are made for use on primary terms, usage, and conditions. It is essential for businesses which require more advanced specifications to customize their protocols according to the nature of their needs.

Still, Wi-Max is a frontier in the new age of wireless connectivity technology. With the fact that it is low-cost, mass-produced, widely available, and highly efficient, especially as compared with earlier technologies, it is worth for businesses to try. It is also worth for people to consider using it for personal use. With availability for fixed station and mobile station use, it is no doubt that in no time Wi-Max will reign in its industry. Breaking the barriers set by interference-sensitive earlier technology, this newest pervasive technology is set to conquer the scene.

References

• Wolleben, M. 2005. What is WiMax? Retrieved August 19, 2007, from http://www.wimax.com/education
• WiMax broadband wireless technology access. 2007.