WiMax is similar to the wireless standard known as Wi-Fi, but on a much larger scale and at faster speeds.
A nomadic version would keep WiMax enabled devices connected over large areas much like today's cellphones. This article will explore the various difference between Wi-Fi and WiMax, So now we can compare it with Wi-Fi based on the following factor to details about Wi-Fi and WiMax.
Difference between WiFi and WiMAX :
- Wi-Fi was officially launched in the year of 1997, In WiMax Official release in the year of 2004.
- Wi-Fi stands for "Wireless fidelity" and WiMax stands for "worldwide interoperability for microwave access".
- Wi-Fi is based on format IEEE 802.11 standard, whereas WiMax is based on IEEE 802.16. Both are standards.
- WiMax coverage range up to 30 miles and Wi-Fi coverage range up to is very limited to a small area.
- Wi-Fi provides a few hundred feet with a speed of up to 54 Mbps on the other hand WiMax is provided range up to 40 miles with speeds of 70 Mbps or more.
- Wi-Fi work at 2.7 bps/ Hz and can peak up to 54 Mbps in 20 MHz channel, Whereas WiMax work at 5 bps/Hz and can peak up to 100 Mbps in a 20 MHz channel.
- In the Wi-Fi user scale from one to tens with one subscriber for each consumer premises equipment ( CPE ) device. Fixed channel size 20 MHz, wheres WiMax is designed to efficiently from one to hundreds of consumer premises equipment, with unlimited subscriber behind each CPE. Flexible channel size from 1.5 MHz to 20 MHz.
- In Wi-Fi communication range up to 100 meters, WiMax communication range up to 40 km.
- In WiMax include triple data encryption algorithm and advanced encryption standards, while Wi-Fi, used encryption techniques are advanced encryption standards (AES) and RC4.
- Wi-Fi does not guarantee any QoS but WiMax will provide your several levels of QoS.
- Wi-Fi uses a connection-based or connection-less protocol called CSMA/CA while WiMax uses a MAC protocol that is connection-oriented.
- Most important point is that why we have not used WiMax at home because Wi-Fi is much better speed and technology.
- WiMax offers high-speed internet as broadband access which is transfer voice, video, at very high-speed the same way Wi-Fi offers short-range of data transfer.
- Wi-Fi access point transport signal to the receiving mode the same way WiMax will beam a signal to the receiver.