If you have not already been introduced to it, WiMax is the latest development in wireless telecommunications technology that are opening doors to high-speed Internet for users all over the country.  The term is short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access and refers to the system responsible for bringing fully mobile Internet access to people who are constantly on the go, as well as long-range high-speed broadband coverage to people who do not have wired connections like DSL and cable at their disposal.

To a certain degree, WiMax is sort of like Wi-Fi, in that it projects Internet signals directly to computers in a network without relying on wires, cables, or phone lines.  However, a single WiMax system can reach many more people than a Wi-Fi network.  This is because it uses a tower, which operates somewhat in the same way as a cell phone tower, to deliver coverage to large areas spanning as many as 3,000 square miles.  People can use their cell phone, or laptop or desktop computer, to get online from anywhere within this entire area.

This is fantastic news for people with long commutes to work, who want to be able to check emails and access other websites on the go, as well as for people who just want to take advantage of this technology for entertainment purposes (streaming audio and video, for example).  And it can be completely life-changing for people living in rural or remote locations who up until now have likely had to suffer the painfully sow connection speeds that come with dial-up service.

So how does it work?  There are two parts to a WiMax sytem.  It all starts with the aforementioned tower, which itself can connect to the Internet using a wired connection, or through a line-of-sight microwave link with a tower which has a wired connection.  This second way is what accounts for such widespread and accessible service, as a chain of wireless towers can be created to extend coverage to areas where wired connections are hard or impossible to come by.

In addition to the tower, there is also something called a receiver.  This is what users need in order to be able receive the signal transmitted by the tower.  There are a few different types of receivers available.  They can come as external boxes and antennas that you connect to your computer, or they can be built-in devices that you don’t even see.

Regardless of the type, there are two ways for a user’s receiver to tap into signals: line-of-sight service and non-line-of-sight service.  As the name implies, line-of-sight requires that the receiver be able to “see” the tower, meaning there must be nothing in between the two.  To get this type of service, a user will need to mount a fixed dish antenna on their roof.  Likewise, for non-line-of sight service, the receiver is attached to the computer itself and can pick up the signal from pretty much anywhere.  This type of service, though less strong, is what makes WiMax mobility possible.