IEEE 802.16 is a series of Wireless Broadband standards specified by the IEEE for global deployment of broadband Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks. The current version is IEEE 802.16-2009 amended by IEEE 802.16j-2009 802.16 family of standards is officially called WirelessMAN in IEEE, it has been commercialized under the name WIMAX (from "Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access") by the industry alliance called the WiMAX Forum. The mission of the Forum is to promote and certify compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products based on the IEEE 802.16 standards.
IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards, defined for implementing wireless LAN computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5GHz frequency bands. The 802.11 family consists of a series of over-the-air modulation techniques that use the same basic protocol. The most popular are those defined by the 802.11b and 802.11g protocols, which are amendments to the original standard. 802.11b and 802.11g use the 2.4GHz band. All wireless LAN systems based on the IEEE 802.11 standard revisions are popularly known as Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity).
802.16e
The mobile WiMAX standard, IEEE 802.16e, is a worldwide broadband wireless standard that covers fixed, portable and mobile deployments which is based on an IP service model. IEEE802.16e is designed as a high-throughput packet data network radio technology capable of supporting both burst (e.g. web browsing) and isochronous applications (VoIP). WiMAX Forum NWG defines the reference model as the basis of the WiMAX framework architecture to ensure interoperability among various equipment and vendors and operators. The simplified illustration of IP-based WiMAX network architecture can be logically divided into three parts:
Base Station
Access Service Network, comprising of one or more BS and ASN gateways which forms the radio access network
Connectivity Service Network, which provides IP connectivity to the IP core network functionality
Figure 1 : WiMAX Architecture Source : RadiSys
Figure 2 : WiMAX Services Source : modified from MirentechLtd
802.11b/g/n (WLAN)
802.11b has a maximum raw data rate of 11 Mbit/s and uses the same media access method defined in the original standard. 802.11b products appeared on the market in early 2000, from the extension of the modulation technique defined in the original standard. The dramatic increase in throughput of 802.11b (compared to the original standard) along with simultaneous substantial price reductions led to the rapid acceptance of 802.11b as the definitive wireless LAN technology.
In June 2003, a third modulation standard was ratified: 802.11g. This works in the 2.4 GHz band (like 802.11b), but uses the same OFDM based transmission scheme as 802.11a. It operates at a maximum physical layer bit rate of 54 Mbit/s. 802.11n is an amendment which improves upon the previous 802.11 standards by adding multiple-input multiple-output antennas (MIMO). 802.11n operates on both the 2.4 GHz and the lesser used 5 GHz bands.
Figure 3 Wi-Fi Usage Scenarios Source : modified from Conniq.com
