Choosing Between Wi-Fi and WiMax: How They Work
If anything is increasingly important these days, it's the world of communications online. Because the world wide web has turned into the go-to spot for those working, those puttering, and those trying to stay in touch with one another, how people end up getting connected is increasingly important. And for those who make a living that is dependent on staying connected, it can mean the difference between keeping a job or getting the chance to take on a new freelancing position, or just being able to stay in touch with friends who live far away without having to shell out a ton of money on long-distance phone calls.
The biggest innovation to the world wide web for a sizable chunk of time was wireless internet, which suddenly made it possible to enjoy a high-speed way of getting online without having to be seated securely at a desk, with a cord plugged into the computer. And while Wi-Fi definitely has its place and was a considerably important way for people to suddenly have web access in new and interesting places, it had its share of shortcomings, some of which have changed with stronger routers and some of which haven't. For those who are used to enjoying free Wi-Fi in cafes and on campus, the difference between the network when there are a ton of people using it and when there's nobody on can mean being able to upload files and download content, and being stuck at a complete standstill. And for anyone who needs to get a lot done or who depends on reliable web access, a complete standstill is simply not the place to be when it comes to getting online.
There has been a considerable leap forward with the introduction of WiMax, though, which takes all of the good qualities from wireless, like the ability to get online anywhere, but makes them a bit further-reaching. The best way to look at it is to consider the fact that, when you have Wi-Fi, you are essentially limited because of physical coverage. One network can only handle so large of an area, and networks do not actually work that well together to cover areas larger than a house or a college campus. So the trouble is that a signal actually cannot be counted on to carry very far, and that means that all of the people using the network are going to suffer accordingly, with the signal suddenly cutting out or not working as well as it should. For anyone who is counting on the world wide web to stay in touch for work, rather than simply for leisure, it's just not a functional way to get things done.
With WiMax, however, there is a network that functions in the same way that cell phone coverage that manages to span the entire country does. Because the system is built on towers that manage to send signals upwards of 30 miles, there's never the concern about being out of range. And because of this, it's possible to be online from anywhere. There's no heading to a particular spot simply because it offers Wi-Fi, since Wi-Fi can now go anywhere that you happen to. For anyone who needs to stay in touch but who cannot handle doing all business via the tiny screen of a smartphone, having the chance to bring a computer anywhere and not have to worry about whether or not there will be service makes working and staying in touch incredibly easy.
The biggest innovation to the world wide web for a sizable chunk of time was wireless internet, which suddenly made it possible to enjoy a high-speed way of getting online without having to be seated securely at a desk, with a cord plugged into the computer. And while Wi-Fi definitely has its place and was a considerably important way for people to suddenly have web access in new and interesting places, it had its share of shortcomings, some of which have changed with stronger routers and some of which haven't. For those who are used to enjoying free Wi-Fi in cafes and on campus, the difference between the network when there are a ton of people using it and when there's nobody on can mean being able to upload files and download content, and being stuck at a complete standstill. And for anyone who needs to get a lot done or who depends on reliable web access, a complete standstill is simply not the place to be when it comes to getting online.
There has been a considerable leap forward with the introduction of WiMax, though, which takes all of the good qualities from wireless, like the ability to get online anywhere, but makes them a bit further-reaching. The best way to look at it is to consider the fact that, when you have Wi-Fi, you are essentially limited because of physical coverage. One network can only handle so large of an area, and networks do not actually work that well together to cover areas larger than a house or a college campus. So the trouble is that a signal actually cannot be counted on to carry very far, and that means that all of the people using the network are going to suffer accordingly, with the signal suddenly cutting out or not working as well as it should. For anyone who is counting on the world wide web to stay in touch for work, rather than simply for leisure, it's just not a functional way to get things done.
With WiMax, however, there is a network that functions in the same way that cell phone coverage that manages to span the entire country does. Because the system is built on towers that manage to send signals upwards of 30 miles, there's never the concern about being out of range. And because of this, it's possible to be online from anywhere. There's no heading to a particular spot simply because it offers Wi-Fi, since Wi-Fi can now go anywhere that you happen to. For anyone who needs to stay in touch but who cannot handle doing all business via the tiny screen of a smartphone, having the chance to bring a computer anywhere and not have to worry about whether or not there will be service makes working and staying in touch incredibly easy.
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