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WiMax Operator's Manual: Building 802.16 Wireless

Posted by timothy on from the beaming-it-out-there dept.

Dozix007 (Kurt Kaylor) writes "Daniel Sweeney, a technical writer, business reporter, and industry analyst is coming full circle in his series of wireless related writings with his latest book WiMax Operator's Manual: Building 802.16 Wireless Networks. Sweeney brings the WiMax 802.16 standard into the context of a ISP solution for the masses. WiMax is a recent standard from the IEEE that is similar to conventional wireless technology, however WiMax supports higher data rates and longer distance transmissions than other standards from the IEEE. This book drifts away from the recent flood of wireless books by conveying all needed knowledge to establish, understand, operate and potentially profit from an 802.16 wireless network, rather than a specific look at one aspect of the technology. This book is not only for the business minded, but for a consumer looking to establish a quality long-distance wireless network of their own." Read on for the rest of Kaylor's review. WiMax Operator's Manual: Building 802.16 Wireless Networks author Daniel Sweeney pages 240 publisher Apress rating 9 reviewer Kurt Kaylor ISBN 159059357X summary This book serves as a guide for present and future entrepreneurs and it is intened to assist them in avoiding the experiments and false starts that proved so frustrating for the pioneers.

WiMax Operator's Manual: Building 802.16 Wireless Networks is primarily a utilitarian book rather than conceptual. It provides a background in broadband wireless fundamentals, packet data, and overall network operation and management to enable a network operator to set up a network with standards-based equipment and to run it profitably thereafter. Sweeney notes early in the book : "Nothing is particularly admirable about purism in terms of wireless technology, and if wire line technologies serve the same purpose better over some portion of the network footprint, then wise network operators will avail themselves of them." This theme of realism in relation to the application of a wireless network is prevalent though out the book.

Wired networks in the same footprint will almost always beat a wireless network in speed, reliability, and cost. This is primarily due to the previously created infrastructure available to Internet carriers. The goal that Sweeney promotes is to find an ideal region that has not yet been exploited by a wired service provider. These regions are ideal due to the low-cost setup for a wireless network compared to the cost of a wired network. Sweeney describes and informs the user of ways to find and establish these networks in an efficient manner to maximize profitability.

Sweeney also discusses network security in the later chapters of his book. He acknowledges the increasing need to secure the network's own infrastructure, the safety of its customers, and a nation itself. In relation to wireless networks, Sweeney notes "[Security] is becoming increasingly important in network operations today and cannot be considered optional at this point." To this end, the network security section is devoted to security policies, secure electrical systems, cyber warfare, and other information on safeguarding your network. Another concern also addressed is the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. CALEA is a complex piece of federal legislation that expands law enforcement's authority to conduct electronic surveillance, including surveillance over public networks. Sadly, as of yet there is no real way to combat this intrusive act.

WiMax Operator's Manual: Building 802.16 Wireless Networks is a great resource for businesses and individuals looking to establish their own 802.16 network. I enjoyed the foresight provided in this book for potential problems faced by network operators. The honesty in the practicality of an 802.16 network as a realistic network solution also made the book a great resource. There was no fantasy scenario or white lies to convince a user of the merit of a 802.16 network beyond what it can do.

The gripe I do have with this book is its complete utilitarian nature. A little more theory and insight into the standard itself would have been great. This book stands purely as an Operator's Manual, and not an exploration of WiMax as a standard, but rather a tool. Otherwise, this book was highly enjoyable and well written. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to establish a network beyond the standards commonly available (e.g. 802.11a - 802.11g). This book is unique in its topic and sheer honesty, and is one of the few references available on the specific subject.

You can purchase WiMax Operator's Manual: Building 802.16 Wireless Networks from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.

11 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. WiMax Link by ThePlague · · Score: 5, Informative
    Just in case you are like me and didn't know what WiMax was, this link from the WiMax forum gives a pretty good overview.

    In a nutshell, it looks like the max transmission is 268 mbps, but I couldn't find a quote for the range. It depends on implementation and frequency, whether it's single-to-multipoint or point-to-point.

  2. Re:2GB a minute? by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 2, Informative

    The bandwidth is shared; 268Mbps for 1,000 customers sounds about right.

  3. Re:WiMax Networks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative

    "the ability to go through walls and barriers better then wifi." Actually, it's worse at going through walls and barriers. It bounces around them. http://www.navini.com/pages/products/tech.htm

  4. Re:Security... by Buelldozer · · Score: 1, Informative

    I'm not flaming you butttttt,I think you are more of an informed user, at least in the wireless arena.

    Seriously, if you can't do everything he mentioned you should learn, now. It isn't that difficult to understand or do.

  5. Heres an Wired.com article by Opticalsky · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,65297, 00.html/

    That link there is a great article more about it, its also in the latest Wired.com magazine.

  6. Re:WiMax Networks by maeka · · Score: 2, Informative
    Actually, it's worse at going through walls and barriers. It bounces around them.


    Ahh multipath, the enemy of sub-cm accuracy GPS and now coming to a network connection near you.

    From http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/1 121691

    Multipath propagation occurs when an RF signal takes different paths when propagating from a source (e.g., a radio NIC) to a destination node (e.g., access point). While the signal is en route, walls, chairs, desks, and other items get in the way and cause the signal to bounce in different directions. A portion of the signal may go directly to the destination, and another part may bounce from a chair to the ceiling, and then to the destination. As a result, some of the signal will encounter delay and travel longer paths to the receiver.

    Multipath delay causes the information symbols represented in an 802.11 signal to overlap, which confuses the receiver. This is often referred to as intersymbol interference (ISI). Because the shape of the signal conveys the information being transmitted, the receiver will make mistakes when demodulating the signal's information. If the delays are great enough, bit errors in the packet will occur. The receiver won't be able to distinguish the symbols and interpret the corresponding bits correctly.
  7. Re:Operator's manual? by MEGAMAID · · Score: 2, Informative

    Yes, really. Navini is about as close to WiMAX as you can get right now but it's not WiMAX.
    NOTHING is WiMAX because WiMAX hasn't been finished yet.

    --

    Waking Up - There must be a better way to start the day.
  8. Re:Slackware-esque numbering by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 4, Informative

    They didn't skip any numbers (except for the unlucky 802.13).

    802.11 Wireless LAN Working Group
    802.12 Demand Priority Working Group
    802.14 Cable Modem Working Group
    802.15 Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) Working Group
    802.16 Broadband Wireless Access Working Group
    802.17 Resilient Packet Ring Working Group
    802.18 Radio Regulatory TAG
    802.19 Coexistence TAG
    802.20 Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA) Working Group
    802.21 Media Independent Handoff Working Group

  9. Re:Slackware-esque numbering by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 3, Informative

    It's probably the 802nd group created within IEEE. "The IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee develops Local Area Network standards and Metropolitan Area Network standards."

  10. Book is for executives interest in becoming an ISP by rufusdufus · · Score: 3, Informative

    This book is not only for the business minded, but for a consumer looking to establish a quality long-distance wireless network of their own.

    The jacket of the book explicitely states:

    The WiMax Operator's Manual will prove useful and accessable to any executive or manager interested in becoming a service provider and exploring the wireless options. The emphasis is on building the business case for wireless and achieving a positive cash flow.

    Nowhere does it talk about consumers setting up their own WiMax network. This is obviously because WiMax is not intended for consumer use. Again, as stated on the jacket:

    Designing and implementing 802.16 service networks is far from a trivial undertaking.

    Inside the book it explains the byzantine issues facing WiMax, not the least of which are the various problems with spectrum such as licensing, multipath interference and a host of niggling issues well beyond the scope of an individual consumer.

    As an analogy, if Wi-Fi is a walkie talkie, then WiMax is a radio station. WiMax was clearly envisioned by its creators as a tool for internet service providers with thousands of customers, not for individual people.

  11. Book sounds like it's too early by Netssansfrontieres · · Score: 3, Informative

    WiMAX has the *potential* to be important. But that's it for now. That's why so many posters ask 'what's the range?' and 'what's the throughput?' Nobody knows, because there aren't any chipsets yet. First mature chipsets -- from Fujitsu and Intel and others -- are in 1Q05.
    This is important because nature is analog. There's no simulation tool, because nobody has any real relevant experience on how OFDM + all the other 802.16 subtechnologies work ... in this area, with trees, or in this other area, with rain, or ...
    And it's important because nobody knows how good the receivers will be. For example: will we have anemic receivers built into devices, 'centrino-style'? Or will we have window-mounted antennae? Or antennae aligned by skilled craftspeople?
    And it's important because the antennae are still being cooked: MIMO? MISO? SIMO? Difficult all of them. (MIMO = multiple input, multiple output ...) key, perhaps, for getting the extra few dB of receiver performance.

    Given these, I wonder why the book exists. You can't write a book on business cases for wireless unless you know what the ranges, throughputs, device costs (and availability) are ... at least to within a factor where the model makes some sense. OK, you can write the book, but it wouldn't be worth reading.