Fixed wireless
Encyclopedia
Fixed wireless is the operation of wireless
devices or systems used to connect two fixed locations (e.g., buildings) with a radio or other wireless
link, such as laser bridge
. Usually, fixed wireless is part of a wireless LAN
infrastructure. The purpose of a fixed wireless link is to enable data communications between the two sites or buildings. Fixed wireless data (FWD) links are often a cost-effective alternative to leasing fiber or installing cables between the buildings.
The point-to-point signal transmission
s occur through the air over a terrestrial microwave
platform rather than through copper
or optical fiber
; therefore, fixed wireless does not require satellite
feeds or local telephone
service. The advantages of fixed wireless include the ability to connect with users in remote areas without the need for laying new cables and the capacity for broad bandwidth
that is not impeded by fiber or cable capacities. Fixed wireless devices usually derives their electrical power from the public utility
mains, unlike mobile wireless or portable wireless devices which tend to be battery
powered.
setups, and are designed for outside use. Several types of radio antennas are available that accommodate various weather conditions, signal distances and bandwidths. They are usually selected to make the beam as narrow as possible and thus focus transmit power to their destination, increasing reliability and reducing the chance of eavesdropping or data injection. The links are usually arranged as a point to point setup to permit the use of these antennas. This also permits the link to have better speed and or better reach for the same amount of power.
These antennas are typically designed to be used in the unlicensed ISM band
radio frequency bands (900 MHz, 1.8GHz, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), however, in most commercial installations, licensed frequencies may be used to ensure quality of service or to provide higher connection speeds.
speed and reliability, businesses and homes can use fixed wireless antenna technology to access broadband internet and Layer 2 networks using fixed Wireless broadband. Because of the redundancy and saturation of the GSM network, antennas that can aggregate signal from multiple carriers are able to offer fail-over and redundancy for connectivity not otherwise afforded by wired connections. In rural areas where wired infrastructure is not yet available, fixed wireless broadband has become a viable option for internet access.
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
devices or systems used to connect two fixed locations (e.g., buildings) with a radio or other wireless
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
link, such as laser bridge
Laser bridge
A laser bridge is a network bridge that transmits data between two network segments via laser.It is often used as an upmarket alternative to microwave links used in Fixed wireless situations and can provide much higher data rates than microwave links at a cost relatively similar. They are also...
. Usually, fixed wireless is part of a wireless LAN
Wireless LAN
A wireless local area network links two or more devices using some wireless distribution method , and usually providing a connection through an access point to the wider internet. This gives users the mobility to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network...
infrastructure. The purpose of a fixed wireless link is to enable data communications between the two sites or buildings. Fixed wireless data (FWD) links are often a cost-effective alternative to leasing fiber or installing cables between the buildings.
The point-to-point signal transmission
Data transmission
Data transmission, digital transmission, or digital communications is the physical transfer of data over a point-to-point or point-to-multipoint communication channel. Examples of such channels are copper wires, optical fibres, wireless communication channels, and storage media...
s occur through the air over a terrestrial microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
platform rather than through copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
or optical fiber
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
; therefore, fixed wireless does not require satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
feeds or local telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
service. The advantages of fixed wireless include the ability to connect with users in remote areas without the need for laying new cables and the capacity for broad bandwidth
Bandwidth (computing)
In computer networking and computer science, bandwidth, network bandwidth, data bandwidth, or digital bandwidth is a measure of available or consumed data communication resources expressed in bits/second or multiples of it .Note that in textbooks on wireless communications, modem data transmission,...
that is not impeded by fiber or cable capacities. Fixed wireless devices usually derives their electrical power from the public utility
Public utility
A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...
mains, unlike mobile wireless or portable wireless devices which tend to be battery
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
powered.
Antennas
Fixed wireless services typically use a directional radio antenna on each end of the signal (e.g., on each building). These antennas are generally larger than those seen in Wi-FiWi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
setups, and are designed for outside use. Several types of radio antennas are available that accommodate various weather conditions, signal distances and bandwidths. They are usually selected to make the beam as narrow as possible and thus focus transmit power to their destination, increasing reliability and reducing the chance of eavesdropping or data injection. The links are usually arranged as a point to point setup to permit the use of these antennas. This also permits the link to have better speed and or better reach for the same amount of power.
These antennas are typically designed to be used in the unlicensed ISM band
ISM band
The industrial, scientific and medical radio bands are radio bands reserved internationally for the use of radio frequency energy for industrial, scientific and medical purposes other than communications....
radio frequency bands (900 MHz, 1.8GHz, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), however, in most commercial installations, licensed frequencies may be used to ensure quality of service or to provide higher connection speeds.
Fixed Wireless Broadband
With the growing infrastructure of the GSM wireless networks, fixed wireless has also become a viable solution for broadband access. Using the 3G3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
speed and reliability, businesses and homes can use fixed wireless antenna technology to access broadband internet and Layer 2 networks using fixed Wireless broadband. Because of the redundancy and saturation of the GSM network, antennas that can aggregate signal from multiple carriers are able to offer fail-over and redundancy for connectivity not otherwise afforded by wired connections. In rural areas where wired infrastructure is not yet available, fixed wireless broadband has become a viable option for internet access.