TABLE OF CONTENTS Wide-area wireless broadband systems are typically composed of end user subscriber stations (access devices), base stations (access nodes), packet switches and gateways.
Network topology is the physical and logical relationship between nodes in a network as well as the layout and structure of a network. The WiMAX system can be setup as a point to point (PTP), point to multipoint (PMP) or a mesh network.
Point to point communication is the process of transferring information from one device (or point) to one other device (single receiving point). The WiMAX system can use PTP communication for high-speed communication links for backhaul (system interconnection) applications.
Point to multipoint communication is the process of transferring information from one device (or point) to multiple points or devices (multiple receiving points). The WiMAX system can use PMP to provide broadband access to multiple users per base station.
A mesh network is a communication system where each communication device (typically a computer) is interconnected to multiple nodes (connection points) in the network allowing data packets to travel through alternate paths to reach their destination.
Some or all of the resources of a WiMAX system can be configured to provide mesh network services so that the need to interconnect base stations to access points (such as Internet gateways) can be reduced or eliminated. When a WiMAX system is setup as a mesh network, packets can hop across neighboring base stations to reach other points in...
