WiMAX What is WiMAX

With the presence of Wireless access in cities, businesses of different kinds have revolutionized their set up and service status. Yet there were some remote areas where customers were caught inaccessible to internet or a network. To meet the demand of present time where immobility has no concept the idea of WiMAX is quite appealing.WiMAX is a technology comes up with multiple solutions.

WiMAX Specifications
Whereas Wi-Fi specification is IEEE 802.11b there WiMAX is introduced as IEEE 802.16 which has totally changed the horizon of computer world. There is no boundaries to get connect anywhere, anytime. Hurdles are crossed over and WiMAX is now eligible to penetrate through for the connectivity in all sorts of conditions. Previously, Fixed WiMAX was introduced but lasted mobile WiMAX has replaced its market quickly as its features are more appealing and beneficial as compared to fixed WiMAX.

WiMAX Bandwidth
WiMAX comes up with a greater bandwidth support. To gain the instant speed FFT has been scaled for the bandwidth into channel form. It is to be considered that the channels are of equal space so that spectrum should be broader. This is known as a wide channel while there is narrow channels as well which offer less expenditure.

WiMAX Range
The specification (802.16e) latest standard of WiMAX offers more than 70 GHz range. It is providing scalable orthogonal frequency-division multiple accesses and is showing much better performance than fixed standard.

WiMAX Features

If we consider the features of WiMAX, it has nearly taken place of all the mediums used for connectivity and display. With the introduction of this new specification, the use of internet and the coordination through networking has excelled the efficiency of users.

Mobility
Mobility is the first benefit seen when we come from DSL or any other wired communications. The removal of restrictions or limitations gives the ease of connectivity in any way, no matter where the user stands. This mobility is not available in an enclosed premise of a specific place. Wimax range is wider now and accessible under the cities or across the countries.

Access
WiMAX offers connectivity is fulfill the meaning of the phrase last mile fully well. It is supporting wide range to access the frequency in the near surrounding to overlap it to connect. This feature is the most important one as it supports the service in the remote rural areas.

Versatility
It is better to say that WiMAX is a versatile mobile broadband. It is not only supporting the wireless connectivity but also a large amount of data is transferred through it. Different services like Voice over IP and especially Triple play is possible by using the WiMAX only. It stands alone as powerful giant to meet the criteria for all those services which are obtained by using various equipments. WiMAX replaces all those gadgets and offers its services with full confidence.

Connectivity
Once deployed the WiMAX then forget the disconnection. WiMAX will become responsible and make you forget about problems related to internet or network. It is fulfilling the responsibility through different medium available in the market called subscriber units like, cell phone, Net books, iPods, etc. Now-a-days, gaming consoles are also supported by this WiMAX service. This services is accessible in a multiple ways by using Wi-Fi access point, Ethernet ports are also supporting the WiMAX connectivity, while telephone jacks are convenient way to access this WiMAX service.

Limitations
After reading so many plus points, one will think about it as a best option ever had. However there are certain limitations attached to Wimax which cannot be negligible.

Speed / Distance
Speed is inversely proportional to distance as when go away from the access point you will lose the speed. The greater the distance the lesser the speed will be in Wimax network.

Quality / Bandwidth
Performance is dependent on the available bandwidth in Wimax network. If the bandwidth is divided into different users active at the same time, surely you are going to lose the quality of service.

Wimax Technology
What is Wimax Technology Wimax stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. Wimax technology is a telecommunications technology that offers transmission of wireless data via a number of transmission methods; such as portable or fully mobile internet access via point to multipoints links. The Wimax technology offers around 72 Mega Bits per second without any need for the cable infrastructure. Wimax technology is based on Standard that is IEEE 802.16, it usually also called as Broadband Wireless Access. WiMAX Forum created the name for Wimax technology that was formed in Mid June 2001 to encourage compliance and interoperability of the Wimax IEEE 802.16 standard. Wimax technology is actually based on the standards that making the possibility to delivery last mile broadband access as a substitute to conventional cable and DSL lines. Wimax (802.16) technology often misinterpreted by the people by the names of mobile WiMAX, 802.16d, fixed WiMAX and 802.16e. Actually 802.16-2004 or 802.16d is developed by the third party as a standard and it is also referred to called as Fixed WiMAX because this standard is

lacking behind just because of the non-mobility feature thats why its often called as Fixed WiMAX. During the maturity period of Wimax (802.16) technology some of the amendments were made to the above mentioned 802.16d and they referred this amending standard as 802.16e. 802.16e introduced mobility and some other features amongst other standards and is also known as Mobile WiMAX.

Less than one out of five people of the developed world and an even smaller, little percentage of people across the world have broadband access today. Existing technologies such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable, and fixed wireless are overwhelmed by expensive installs, problems with loop lengths, upstream upgrade issues, line-of-sight restrictions, and poor scalability.

Wimax (802.16) is the next stage to a broadband as well as a wireless world, extending broadband wireless access to new locations and over longer distances, as well as considerably reducing the cost of bringing broadband to new areas. Wimax (802.16) technology offers greater range and bandwidth than the other available or forthcoming broadband wireless technologies such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) and Ultra-wideband (UWB) family of standards. It provides a wireless alternative to wired backhaul and last mile deployments that use Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOGS1S) cable modems, Digital Subscriber Line technologies (DSL), T-carrier and E-carrier (Tx/Ex) systems, and Optical Carrier Level (OC-x) technologies. (Jiffy Networks, 2006)

The general initiative of metropolitan area wireless networking, as envisioned with 802.16, begins with what is called fixed wireless. A backbone of base stations is connected to a public network, and each base station carries hundreds of fixed subscriber stations, which can be both public hot spots and fire-walled enterprise networks. Later in the development cycle of 802.16e, Wimax (802.16) is expected to encourage mobile wireless technology specifically wireless transmissions directly to mobile end users, This will be similar in function to the General Packet

Radio Service (GPRS) and the one times Radio Transmission Technology (RTT) offered by mobile phone companies.

New organizations as well as individuals are increasingly adopting broadband, whereas those already using broadband are becoming dependent on it and are demanding better services with added benefits. To support this exceptional new demand, Wimax (802.16) has emerged as a feasible solution, because of its inherent features that holds great promise for the future of wireless communications. (Teri Robinson, 2005)

There has been a lot of excitement about Wimax (802.16) and the impact that this standards based wireless network technology will have on the broadband access market. All this hype has generated great expectations, and the industry has responded with exceptional aggression and commitment toward taking broadband to the next level with Wimax (802.16).

How WiMAX Works

The backhaul of the Wimax (802.16) is based on the typical connection to the public wireless networks by using optical fibre, microwave link, cable or any other high speed connectivity. In few cases such as mesh networks, Point-to-Multi-Point (PMP) connectivity is also used as a backhaul. Ideally, Wimax (802.16) should use Point-to-Point antennas as a backhaul to join subscriber sites to each other and to base stations across long distance.

A wimax base station serves subscriber stations using Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) or LOS Pointto-Multi-Point connectivity; and this connection is referred to as the last mile communication. Ideally, Wimax (802.16) should use NLOS Point-to-Multi-Point antennas to connect residential or business subscribers to the Wimax Base Station (BS). A Subscriber Station (Wimax CPE) typically serves a building using wired or wireless LAN. (Steven J. VaughanNichols, June 2004)

Wimax 2 Technology What is WiMAX 2 Technology

Wimax 2 technology is improving with IEEE 802.16m mobile WiMAX standard which is called Wimax 2. Well Known business leaders make known proposal to speed up WiMAX 2 Technology Solutions built upon IEEE 802.16m. Wimax 2 Technologyis in the final stage of approval and Wimax 2 technology may be beginning in 2011 and possibly commercialized or deployed in 2012.

The objective behind Wimax 2 Technology are technology cooperation and mutual presentation benchmarking, dual testing of 4G Technology requests over WiMAX 2 Technology solution, and untimely network level interoperability testing. There are several companies have announced Wimax 2 technology with primary benefit of speed such as ZTE, Intel, Samsung, Motorola. There are two type of existed Wimax , Fixed wimax which is faster than WiFi. Mobile Wimax, which is used as a substitute of 3G mobile phone operator. Mobile wimax can transport 144 Mbps download and 35Mbps uploading speed. While wimax 2 technology intended to meet the advanced 4G standards within 1Gbps access speed to fixed and 100Mbps to fast moving mobile nodes.

Specifications of WiMAX 2 Technology

The specifications of Wimax 2 technology are built on Institute of (IEE 802.16m) Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.16m standard. It includes high level on air competency. The Wimax companies said that Wimax 2 standard will be diffident well-matched with preceding standards. While wimax network technology are confirming extremely successful in carrying very high bandwidth mobile service. The future of wimax is guaranteed by Wimax 2 technology which is a powerful new era technology within a long term growth. WiMax 2 Technology will be much faster than its forerunner.

Features of WiMAX 2

Wimax 2 technology can deliver a blazing speed of 120Mbs down and 60Mbs up without any restriction. Wimax 2 Technology using 42 MIMO antennas with 20 MHz channel enable signals every where. With the Wimax 2 technology the speed will be double and user can do much than before. The Wimax technology offer very high speed including numerous devices for the delight of client. Wimax 2 technology network offering VOIP calls with 300Mbit throughput including more bandwidth and less latency. Those operators facing explosive the Wimax 2 technology meets the need of their demand for mobile data and various type of services.

Wimax hardly print out a place in the market therefore Wimax 2 technology offering a low cost network within all IP mobile solution. The Data, Voice, and Video transmission are the clear efficiency of Wimax 2 network technology. The Wimax 2 promises to deliver a matchless amalgamation of linearity, noise presentation, and constituent combination over a remarkably broad band of operation.

Intel, Samsung which are top leaders in driving the IEEE 802.16 standard contented to observe well-built ecosystem hold up promising to speed up WiMAX 2 competences. WiMAX forum is working to speed up the accomplishment of interoperable system outline for WiMAX 2 apparatus and devices. According to Wimax Forum there are about 559 wimax deployments in 147 countries and 620 million people using it globally. Almost 130 devices and 60 base stations within 2.3 GHz, 2.5 GHz, and 3.5 GHz have been certified by Wimax forum.

The combination of Samsung, Motorola, and Intel form a coalition called Wimax 2. The goal of Wimax 2 is to improving the financial side of mobiles The Wimax group will concern detailed information about milestones and delivery schedule almost in next 3-6 months with the objective to support the WiMAX Forum. Wimax Forum is convinced that Wimax 2 Technology will speedily enlarge the Mobile WiMAX market to make available mobile Internet to community in all corners of the world. In short Wimax 2 meets the International Telecommunications Union requirements for advanced 4G Technology. It transporting higher capacity to system and highest point rate of in excess of 300 Mbps within inferior latency and augmented Voice in excess of Internet Protocol or "VoIP" capacity.

How WiMAX Works HOW WIMAX WORKS

If you already read about Wimax Technology then next question arises to your mind is How WiMAX works. Wimax is a telecommunication and mobie technology used for broadcasting of wireless data by the use of a number of transmission methods. Wimax stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access offering internet access point to point or point to multipoint or path. It is based on IEEE 802.16.

Wimax make possible the broadband access to conservative cable or DSL lines. The working method of Wimax is little different from Wifi network, because Wifi computer can be connected via LAN card, router, or hotspot, while the connectivity of Wimax network constitutes of two

parts in which one is Wimax Tower or booster also known as wimax base station and second is Wimax receiver (Wimax CPE) or Customer Premise Equipment.

The Wimax network is just like a cell phone. When a user send data from a subscriber device to a base station then that base station broadcast the wireless signal into channel which is called uplink and base station transmit the same or another user is called downlink. The base station of Wimax has higher broadcasting power, antennas and enhanced additional algorithms.

Wimax technology providers build a network with the help of towers that enable communication access over many miles. The broadband service of wimax technology is available in coverage areas. The coverage areas of wimax technology separated in series of over lied areas called channel.

When a user sends data from one location to another the wireless connection is transferred from one cell to another cell. When signal transmit form user to wimax base station or base to user (wimax receiver) the wireless channel faces many attenuation such as fraction, reflection, refraction, wall obstruction etc. These all attenuation may cause of distorted, and split toward multi path. The target of Wimax receiver is to rebuild the transmitted data perfectly to make possible reliable data transmission.

The orthogonal frequency division multiplexed access (OFDMA) in wimax technology, is a great technique used to professionally take advantage from the frequency bands. The transmission frequencies of Wimax technology from 2.3MHz to 3.5 GHz make it low price wireless network. Each spectral profile of Wimax technology may need different hardware infrastructure. Each spectrum contains its bandwidth profile which resolved channel bandwidth. The bandwidth signal is separately in OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed Access) which is used to carry data called sub carrier.

Transmitted data divided into numerous data stream where every one is owed to another sub carrier and then transmitted at the same broadcast interval. At the downlink path the base station broadcast the data for different user professionally over uninterrupted sub-carriers.

The independency of data is a great feature of OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed Access) that prohibit interfering and be multiplexed. It also makes possible power prioritization for various sub carriers according to the link quality. The sub carrier having good quality carry more data since the bandwidth is narrow. But those have low quality carry nun data.

Wimax is providing quality of service (Wimax QoS) which enables high quality of data like VoIP or TV broadcasts. The data communication protocol from base station is alternative of quality of service (Wimax QoS) application and offering video streaming. These types of data translated into parameters or sub carriers per user.

All type of technique is carrying out together to speed up coverage, bandwidth, efficiency and number of users. The base station of Wimax has ability to cover up 30 miles. WiMAX technology support various protocol such as VLAN, ATM, IPv4 Ethernet etc.

Features of WiMAX Technology Wimax Features

WiMAX is a great invention in wireless technology providing 30 miles broadband access to mobile users. Wimax technology based on IEEE 802.16 standard and it is a telecommunication protocol offering full access to mobile internet across cities and countries with a wide range of devices. Wimax technology has salient features as described below.

Wimax support multipath

Wimax technology is offering OFDM-based physical layer which is based on orthogonal frequency distribution. The Wimax technology is providing confrontation to multipath. Due to its good architecture it allows the user to operate in NLOS condition. Now Wimax is familiar as a technique of multi path for wireless network.

Wimax broadband access

Wimax technology is offering very high speed broadband access to mobile internet. When you are using 20MHz the data rate can be high up to 74Mbps. Generally 10MHz wit the TDD scheme provides 3:1 up and down link ratio. Wimax providing very good signals therefore higher data rate can be achieved with multiple antennas. Antennas are used for beam forming, space time coding etc.

Wimax offer high speed data rate

Another feature of Wimax Technology is high speed data rate. The scalable architecture of physical layer is offering high speed data rate. Wimax technology is providing easily scaling of data with possible bandwidth of channel. If the bandwidth of channels may from 1.25MHz to 10MHz then a system can use 128, 512, 048 bit FFTs which provide dynamically roaming across numerous network having dissimilar bandwidth.

Wimax offer modulation and error correction

The use Wimax technology is increasing rapidly because it supports lots of modulation and error correction facility to user. It also allowing a user that they could change the scheme according to channel condition. (AMC) Adaptive Modulation and Coding is a valuable method to exploit throughput in a varying channel.

Wimax support reliability of data

Automatic retransmission of data supported by Wimax at data link layer for link is a great feature. It is not only improving reliability but also enabled ARQ which necessitate each broadcast packet to be recognized by the receiver, and if any unacknowledged data packets are unspecified to be misplaced and are retransmitted.

Wimax support TDD and FDD

Another significant feature of Wimax technology is that it supports Time Division Duplexing (TDD) and Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD). They both are offering low cost system accomplishment.

Wimax TDM scheme

The wimax technology holds all system therefore any data may be in form of uplink or downlink checked by scheduler from the base station. The total capacity shared between several users according to their demand. And it is done by Wimax TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) scheme.

Wimax MAC layer

The architecture of Wimax technology based on MAC layer which is a connection oriented layer. Through MAC layer a use can perform a variety of functions such as various type of application including multimedia and voice can be used. It also supports best efforts for data traffic as bit, real time, traffic flaws etc. The aim to design Wimax technology is to facilitate large number of user with a variety of connection per terminal.

Wimax strong encryption

Wimax technology also facilitates the user with strong encryption. By using AES (Advanced Encryption standard) a user can get strong privacy and administration. The EAP protocol offer flexible substantiation architecture which make enable a user to get access to username, password, certificates, and smart card.

Wimax mobility
The basic and most important feature of Wimax technology is to support mobility applications as VoIP. The power saving mechanism of Wimax technology is used to extend the battery life of handheld devices. It supports mobile applications including channel estimation, subchannelization, power control etc.

To get access to wimax base station is not a huge task now because the wide range of connectivity of wimax provides access to base station from home. Installation of hardware is also very easy with wimax technology. With the growth of Wimax technology its more feature may also comes up.

Wimax Technology Background - WiMAX History WiMAX Technology Background, WiMAX History
Now the question comes to our attention, what is Wimax technology and how wimax technology works and why has it taken so long to appear in the marketplace? The definition according to Wimax technology forum, an organization dedicated to promoting Wimax technology and specifications, According to WiMAX forum "Wimax Technology is a standardsbased technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL. Wimax Technology will provide fixed, nomadic, portable, and, eventually, mobile wireless broadband connectivity without the need for direct line-of-sight to a base station. In a typical cell radius deployment of 3 to 10 kilometres, Wimax Forum Certified systems can be expected to deliver capacity of up to 40 Mbps per channel, for fixed and portable access applications." (WiMax Forum, 2007)

In the Wimax terminology, portable access means you can access Wimax networks from different locations, but not necessarily while moving. Mobile Wimax is accessible while on the move.

From this definition, we can see why Wimax Technology has been such a trendy topic in the wireless industry. The capability to provide multiple channels at 40 Mbps for cell sizes from 3 to 10 kilometres is well above what can be accomplished with standard 801.llg or 802.lla wireless point-to-point. In addition, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) features of some Wimax technology provide the possibility for better coverage in wooded or congested areas.

A Wimax technology network consists of two major components: a wimax base station and a subscriber station (wimax cpe). Wimax base stations provide connectivity to one or more subscriber stations and are implemented by service providers to provide Internet, voice, video or Wireless Area Network (WAN) link access.

These base stations are similar to Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) as they provide centralized access to back end connected networks. They use different standards than Wi-Fi, however, so the evaluation ends there. While subscriber stations are uniquely designed for 802.16 networks, the reality is that they provide a connection to the network and you can still route internal 802.11 devices through the 802.16 subscriber station for network access.

Wimax Vs WiFi - Comparison of Wimax and WiFi WiMAX vs WiFi

Wimax technology is a standard based wireless technology which is used to provide internet access and multimedia services at very high speed to the end user. The Wifi technology is still using local area network (LAN) for the predictable future. Wimax and wifi differences are very simple as below.

The basic difference between Wimax technology and Wifi technology are cost, speed, distance and so on. Wimax coverage is about 30 miles and Wifi coverage is very limited to some small area. Wimax network just as an ISP without any cable because Wimax singnal used to get access to internet to your home or business, while Wifi will be used inside in your local area network (LAN) for access to the internet. The Wimax architecture is design to make possible metropolitan area networking (MAN). The base station of Wimax capable to provide access to business and hundred of homes, While Wifi is providing only local area networking (LAN). The deployments of Wimax and Wifi network are same both ISP would have their T3 access. The line of sight antennas used to connect tower in Wimax technology. The tower shared out the non line of sight to MAN.

The line of sight antennas for Wimax network operate at 60 MHz frequency while the tower having non - line of sight operate on a range just like the WiFi. The base or tower station of Wimax will beam a signal to receiver of Wimax. Similarly Wifi access point transport signal to the receiving device. Wimax network providing QoS (Quality of Service) therefore a large number of people get access to tower at the same time. The built in algorithm automatically transfer the user to other tower or cell of Wimax station. Unlike Wifi user have to sort of fight to stay on connected with a specified access point. The most significant issue of Wimax and WiFi difference is pricing because Wimax is a high cost network, while Wifi is a low cost network therefore mostly people adopt WiFi network due to less expenditure and avoid Wimax due to expensive installations. WiMax will not put out of place WiFi in the home because WiFi is much better in speed and technology. With the passage of time new improvement brings a new variant in 802.11.Wimax offering high speed but if a client exists away from tower or base station speed could decreases. Wimax offer high speed internet as a broadband access which transfer data, voice, video at very high speed. While WiFi offer short range of data transfer because WiFi can connect only in specified areas so only file sharing may possible. Wimax design for long range distance in licensed spectrum or unlicensed spectrum. Wimax support point to point or point to multipoint connection. Multiple standard of wimax such as 802.16e, 802.16b for mobile connectivity from fixed location. While WiFi offer quality services to fixed Ethernet where packets are precedence on their tag. Hotspots of WiFi are usually backhauled over ADSL in small business, caf etc therefore

to get access is normally highly challenging. The uploading speed of wifi as compared to Wimax also very low rate among internet and router.

Wimax network execute a connection oriented MAC while Wifi runs on the CSMA/CA protocol, which is wireless and strife based.

On the whole Wimax technology becoming popular day by day but WiFi technology has there own useful features. Wimax technology can be predictable to be one of the most extensively used wireless internet access technology in the future.

Wimax Vs WiFi -Comparison of Wimax & WiBro Wimax vs WiBro

WiBro is a new wireless technology developed to consent user to watch TV on their cell phones. South Korea telecom industry developed IEEE 802.16e as international standard. Wibro implement TDD for duplexing. It uses OFDM for manifold access with 8.75 MHz as a channel bandwidth. WiBro was developed to defeat the data rate restrictions of cell phones as CDMA. WiBro also used to adjoin mobility to broadband Internet access like ADSL. WiBro wireless technology is still in the developmental process and when it improves it may call for an entirely different standard on the whole with a finally different name.

Differnce between Wimax vs Wibro

Wibro has been in the workings for around the same time as from WiMax. This wireless technology introduced as a mobile broadband access in Korea as a mobile broadband but since it is based on Wimax and only Korean deploy Wibro. The base station of Wibro provides data 30 Mbits to 50 Mbits per carrier and conceal 1 to 5km radius permit for the use of moveable internet usage for moving devices it provide 120 km/h (74.5 miles/h).While the coverage range of wimax is 70 kilometers along 4km radius.

The technology of Wibro also offers high quality services such as inclusion of video streaming content and loss responsive data in consistent manner and it is a great advantage over fixed wimax technology.

There are many telecom industries trying to commercialize the WiBro such as TI, TVA, PORTUS, and Arialink. WiBro is fairly exact in its necessities from spectrum use to equipment design. While Wimax leaves much of this up to the equipment supplier while provided that sufficient element to make sure interoperability among designs. WiMax is calm of two versions in which one is stationary and second is mobile. Commonly WiMax is for public in fixed locations while Wibro and Mobile specifications are mobility. Wibro facilitate the user to get access to internet doesnt matter traveling at the speed of up to 120 kilometers while WiMax at present lacks such capability. WiMax is being sponsored and developed in India by Intel while Samsung Electronics is the foremost developer of Wibro. Wibro is better than Wimax because the Wimax technology still facing compatibility problems while Wibro is already broadcast data on fast-moving equipment at 60km/h and through. The broadcasting of data between two bases station in possible in Wibro. WiMAX network with 802.16 standards allows only a lot of users on the standard and if any user trying to use the connection it will immediately cut off any additional users. Wibro network technology is very alike Wimax the transmission speed of both technologies are the same, but the difference is that a Wibro can mark out a receiver that is stirring from one location to another location, while Wimax does not propose this because it requires a stationary antenna for the purpose of receiving signal. Wimax is a telecommunication technology based on IEEE 802.16 standards offering sending and receiving of wireless data over long distance in a different manners from point to point or point to multipoint, while WiBro is a wireless broadband technology being developed and it is the Korean service name for IEEE 802.16e. WiBro design offer very high speed which is up to 74MPH while Wimax offer connectivity over 31 miles. Wibro provide exact figure which is 74 MPH and Wimax provide best connectivity only in specified region or if user exist very near to tower. The WiMax technology is well recognized than WiBro but it has become more important and in the future WiBro wireless technology will be resolute more thoroughly.

Research Aims & Objectives of WiMAX Security Research Introduction to Wimax: Research Aims & Objectives WiMAX Technology Security
The aim of this research paper is to study about the threats to WiMAX technology and propose the enhancement ideas and techniques to overcome the problems mentioned above in the previous section. This will definitely give me knowledge about how the WiMAX network works and how we can integrate the WiMAX technology with the older version of WiFi. This report will also gives benefit to the service providers of the WiMAX technology and help them to maintain the network and also in deployment of the WiMAX technology to make it more secure, robust and give customer more reliable service.

As far as difficulties is concerned about this dissertation I am not saying that its easy to make enhancement in this area of WiMAX Technology, but this investigation will definitely give me knowledge and power to face any other challenge comes in my career and studies.

The expected problem in this dissertation would be the research about the solution to the problem of the X.509 certificate for WiMAX Technology or any other proposed certificate for subscriber station to protect the user and network of service provider. In this research I would not be able to meet the people that are directly working in that context and also I personally think that university have not got such type of personnel in the technical department to discuss and exchange ideas about my research. But I am sure I will get the guidance from the faculty and from the research paper supervisor to assist me in this part of challenging task.

The overall aims and objectives of WiMAX Technology research paper are.
o o o o

To gain in-depth knowledge about the WiMAX technology and how its works To understand the problems about the WiMAX technology in maintaining and deployment. To suggest the solutions and the enhancements found during the research. To validate that the new enhancements will provide more security and reliability in the others people research and context.

To investigate different methods and techniques that compatible to use as a security feature for the WiMAX technology.

Introduction: Intellectual Challenge in WiMAX Research Intellectual Challenge in WiMAX Technology Research
As far as the intellectual challenge is concerned, this research paper will give me an opportunity to evaluate the technical problem in the security aspect of WiMAX Technology . This work would not be easier because it basically requires in depth knowledge of the protocols and access layers that combine and form a wimax technology itself. To understand the wimax technology and the working process requires extensive research about the subject, including the past and present work as well as the research. I personally think it is a real challenge for me that I am working on such a subject that really going to identify the problem and propose the primary solution for the WiMAX technology that it does not seems easy for me. But on the other hand I believe that this is the opportunity for me to work on the authentication factor of the WiMAX that give me knowledge to understand the technical problems related to authentication. This would be my first experience to research on the technical case of encryption for the WiMAX technology that involve detailed study about the methods and techniques. To understand the methods and techniques that involved in the jamming of the WiMAX network require a detailed study about the tools involved in denial of service attacks, how they works and at what layer they likely to attack and what extent they can harm the network or system. It is also a challenge for me to propose the solution for the enhancement and prevention of WiMAX security that involve network manipulation with spoofed management frames and it is also require extensive research to understand. The certificates involved in the subscriber station needs to be understood before applying it to the subscriber station that require detailed study about the different security certificates. It also require the understanding of the Wi-Fi networks, how they are different from the WiMAX technology and how the WiMAX is more reliable and secure as compare to Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies. It also require an investigation about how we can integrate them to provide WiMAX services to the Wi-Fi users and service providers

Research Methodology Used in Wimax Research

Research Methodology
The following are the research methodology that I will be using for my dissertation.

Study and investigation of technical features of the WiMAX network. Research about the requirements for the deployment of the WiMAX technology Research about the basic security requirements for the WiMAX technology Negative aspects of WiMAX technology security & discuss threats and other vulnerabilities. Discussion about the security functions of WiMAX technology Study of recent development in the WiMAX technology security Discuss proposals for the solution of threats to WiMAX technology. Discuss about the future of WiMAX technology and related work for enhancements.

Overview of Wimax Technology (802.16) WiMAX Technology (802.16) Overview

The 802.16 standard was first available on April 8, 2002 after two years in development. The Wimax Forum was formed in April of 2001 and established in June of 2001. This order might seem odd, but it's common to shape certification bodies before completing or passing a standard. The Wimax certification will certify that a technology is compliant with Wimax specifications not 802.16. This is because the Wimax Forum created a certification that is compatible with a portion of the 802.16 standard. Wimax certified hardware should be compatible with other Wimax certified hardware, but it is important to remember that Wimax certified hardware not necessarily compatible with 802.16 compliant hardware.

The founding organizations of the Wimax Forum included Wi-LAN, Ensemble, CossSpan, Harris, and Nokia. The OFDM Forum and Fujitsu joined in 2002. In 2003, Aperto, Alvarion, Airspan, Intel, Proxim, and others joined the group. At this time, the forum has over 200 members with representatives from service providers, system manufacturers, chip vendors, and business organizations. The major focus of this group is to provide interoperability between vendors' Wimax hardware. (Tom Carpenter, 2006) In January 2005, at a Wimax conference called Wimax: beyond the Hype, Gordon Antonello clearly stated that

There are no Wimax networks today. There are no Wimax form certified products available today. Wimax Forum certified testing will begin later this year in 2005. Vendors are shipping pre-Wimax products today.

These statements are essential for us to understand that Wimax is brand new and any existing 802.16 compliant hardware might, or might not work with future Wimax Forum Certified hardware. However, some vendors are promising to provide upgrades through firmware or chip replacements to meet the Wimax specifications.

The Wimax Forum began their lab trials in the third quarter of 2005 and field trials in the fourth quarter of 2005. General production deployments are expected in 2006 as true Wimax Forum Certified equipment enters the marketplace.

The final standard being implemented in hardware systems today will support the 802.16-2004 specification of the IEEE. Vendors are building their hardware to this specification and then sending that same hardware to the Wimax Forum for certification.

Wimax Services Wimax Services

WiMAX is a new wireless technology which provides Mobility, Coverage, Maintainability, Roaming Services etc. Wimax offers both point to point data transformation known as fixed Wimax. It also provide full cellular type mobile data services refers to Mobile Wimax. Wimax offer point to point or point to multipoint network. It employs radio signal which carry both voice and data signals. Wimax technology offers various types of high value services for the ease and multi-tenancy expansion. Wimax services totally change the way of living. The most valuable services offered by Wimax are under.

Data and networks

Wimax network is offering a network which meets your todays and future need. The cabling system of wimax network are appropriately planned, managed and installed. It provides accurate proficiency in telecommunications and latest technology of hub and routers to get best result during broadcasting. Wimax services make available a customized network for home, business and others.

CCTV Surveillance
Wimax network is allowing various types of devices to communicate. Wimax Services facilitate you with security cameras through which you can secure your business such as colleges, school, offices, shopping mall, jewelry shops, mobile shops etc. Wimax services also providing time lapse security recorder for your home or business security, spy security cameras which can protect you from spy, nanny cam, monitors and other equipments through which you can secure your home or any type of business without any fear of theft and make confident about security conditions.

Home Automation
Wimax services offering home automations such as home theatre technology which enable you to get full cinema experience with plasma screen, high quality sound, best quality DVD player and recorder, Through Wimax services you can enjoy long time fun with music, TV cable, and FM radio. Wimax services offering a well design system, wiring installment etc according to client needs and requirements.

Access Control
The Access control system presented by Wimax services permit the flow of personal data into a site and encrypted unwanted visitors to save your data. Wimax services are providing a range of access control system such as pin codes, swipe card and proxy readers. The CCTV, time and attendance records offered by Wimax services can be incorporated into other systems in the building.

Intercoms

The intercom systems for Wimax services permit inhabitants to speak via a call station with visitor. Intercom systems linked to an internal unit within a handset and control functions. After confirmation of visit the host may allow the visitor to enter home by releasing electronic door. The use of intercom is increasing with the passage of time in big hotels, restaurants, educational institute, collages, universities etc and it is only possible by Wimax services.

Security
Security is such a considerable Wimax service which provides full security with well thought-out wiring for telephone, video, and LAN. It is possible via home theatre and multi room audio. It also provides advanced lighting control via build up system. The other services are control of blinds, flow of water, air conditioning, keyless entry and security, exhaust fans, ceiling fans, and lots of other electric devices from touch screens. The fire alarm, smoke, and heating system, utility bills, and other multimedia equipments are great services provided by Wimax.

In short Wimax Services facilitate you with up-to-date equipments, facilities, and customised solutions for upcoming challenges. Wimax services solutions make possible the network connectivity without any cable and high quality of access including PC platforms, notebook etc. Wimax technology makes our lives more comfortable and tension free. Wimax services are providing inflexible performance with superior security, supple connectivity at business work, at building, or on the road.

Applications of Wimax Technology Wimax Applications

Wimax network provides the ability for service provider to deploy new era broadband service. Wimax applications are most effective than today. It provides a broad customer base, while adding up a mobility feature to those services. Wimax technology applications are a mean of service providers to present data, video, voice, mobile and internet access. There are various benefits of Wimax technology such as it provides simple based prospective cost saving and service efficiency but to be capable to allow VoIP calling, mobile devices, video making and high speed data transfer.

Wimax technology brings a new ingredient to todays mobile community. The most important application offered by Wimax Technology is business, consumer connectivity, and backhaul. Wimax Technology carry real augmentation to communications through which you can get benefit not only from voice but also video and data transmission to get quick response to situation. Through Wimax Technology a client can deploy a temporary communication services and speed up their network to support events and circumstances. Wimax technology applications enable you to get temporary access to media, visitors and employees. If you are exist in tower range then you can get easy access to premises equipment for such events. The basic strength behind the Wimax Technology applications are high bandwidth, high quality services, security, deployment, full duplex including DSL and versus cable, and its cost.

WIMAX Technology exclusive applications Connectivity for SMBs

Most effective application by Wimax is SMBs which mean the small to medium-sized businesses. Due to Wimax technology the small or medium sized business progressing day by day because Wimax technology offer a connectivity which attract clients and facilitate them with various types of services like hotspot etc. Therefore a lot of regional applicant entered into the broadband internet access and spotlight on this application.

Wimax Backhaul
The range is the most important application of Wimax Technology because a single tower of Wimax can connect other wimax towers by means of a line-of-sight also known as microwave link. The connectivity of one tower to another tower referred to as a backhaul. A backhaul have the ability to cover up 3,000 miles because Wimax network offer coverage to rural areas or remote areas.

Nomadic Broadband
Wimax Technology next application is Nomadic Broadband which is under the marvelous plan of WiFi. There are lots of medium or small business companies that might pay for the base station of wimax in key areas for the development of business and commerce. These business companies permit of facilitate their clients to use them for free. WiFi also rolled out for similar aims but WIMAX offer enhanced Quality of Service. Wimax Technology provide less access

point but very high security. MAN (Metropolitan area network) a wireless access could supply a solid draw when business leaders attempt to catch the attention of businesses to their region.

Broadband for Developing Countries

There are many countries such as Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe are likely to achieve the most from the fixed wide area wireless networking technology. The analyst of West Technology Research Solutions the developing countries have limited cable transportation, because the expenditure to install a WiMax station in concurrence with an accessible cellular tower or yet as a private hub will be very small in contrast to developing a wired solution. At the start, computers will require extraordinary add-on WiMax PC cards. Though, Intel is preparation to put WiMax into its Centrino chips. On the whole WiFi and WiMax is becoming the same thing with the option to depend on your preference that which network you connected to.

Private Networks
Mostly small and medium sized business man pay Wimax to get access but big companies having large campuses may finally deploy and control their own WIMAX networks. Such private networks are expected to be the very last WIMAX application. All private networks, Roaming broadband of developing countries are emphasizing the logical position of WIMAX as the wireless technology for the Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). The Voice over IP is the logic behind the design of Wimax technology and may be could further force both business and residential clients from customary mobile operators and copper wire.

Wimax background: Why Wimax Technology Why WiMAX Technology

Wimax technology is expected to do more for Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) and what Wi-Fi has done for local area networks (LANs)? Wimax is not projected to replace Wi-Fi, but to complement it by connecting Wi-Fi networks to each other or the Internet through high-speed wireless links. You can therefore use Wimax technology to extend the power and range of Wi-Fi and cellular networks. However, in developing countries, Wimax Technology may become the

only wireless technology because Wi-Fi and cellular have not penetrated areas that can be reached with Wimax technology. (Wimax.com, 2007)

Range (Coverage) of Wimax Technology

The wide range of Wimax technology depends on the height of the antennas, if they are installed at the suitable position from where there is no barrier between the transmitter and receiver, and then we can get better range and service from it. Even though the frequency for operation of Wimax is not definite, the most likely band at 3.5GHz is higher in frequency than the 3G bands at around 2.1 GHz. Range will, as a result, be lower, perhaps somewhere between 50% and 75% of the range of 3G. Wimax can therefore support 30 to 50 kilometres distance with Line-of-Sight (LOS) links. As far as Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) links in concerned Wimax can support the broad range from 3 to 10 kilometres using advanced modulation algorithm that can overcome many interfering objects that Wi-Fi systems cannot pass through. (Tom Carpenter, 2006)

Data Rates used in Wimax Technology

The technology used for WiMax is Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), it is not appreciably more supernaturally efficient then the technology commonly used for 3G that is Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA). However OFDM is coupled with a high channel bandwidth, that allows greater data rates. So, on average, for an equivalent spectrum allocation, users will see similar data rates. In specific simulations, where there are few users, it is possible that Wimax will provide a higher data rate than 3G. However, in commercial systems, such simulations are likely rare.

Fig 1: WiMax Speed & Mobility Ratio (Wikipedia)

Timing
It is normally believed that Wimax will enter into the market some five years after 3G is well established. This drawback in time is likely to be important since without a convincing advantage only a few service providers will choose to move from 3G to Wimax. However, those yet to deploy a system may find the choice balanced between the two technologies.

Wimax Network Cost

The network costs of Wimax will be likely to be higher than for 3G because of the reduced range and hence the necessity to build more cells. The subscriber subsidy costs may be lower if Wimax is built into processor chips, although this may not apply if users wish to have Wimax handsets. (William Webb, 2007)

Quality of Service (QoS) in Wimax Technology

Excellent Quality Of service QoS management donates from variety of Wimax features. Just as on a Wi-Fi network, Wimax users share a data pipe and QoS can degrade as more users are added to the network. Using the QoS features of Wimax, service providers can guarantee certain users specific bandwidth amounts by limiting the bandwidth consumption of other users.

Grant request mechanism for accessing to network is the first aspect of Quality of Service. The WiMAX functioning of disagreement allocates only a fixed amount of time to be given to these grant requests. Disagreement refers to the act of competing for access to the network. Because of the limited amount of time available, bandwidth cannot be consumed by contention requests. When a disagreement request comes into the network, the system compares the request with a service level agreement for the user making the request, and they are granted, or denied, access accordingly.

Link by link modulation schemes is another benefit of Wimax Quality of Service. In other words, the base station can use different modulation schemes for different links. The modulation scheme used is related directly to the distance of the link. Rather than all users' links being downgraded by the user farthest away, link by link modulation enables closer users to use higher data-rate modulation schemes.(Tom Carpenter,2006)

Wimax (802.16) Standards - Wimax Specifications Wimax standards & Specifications

Many standards are often referred to as Wimax (802.16)or broadband access standards just like Wi-Fi. Technically, Wimax supports IEEE 802.16 wimax specifications and will continue to developments as the specifications evolve, but other standards have also been produced based on the 802.16 specification. Some of them are extensive enough to get attention by the Wimax Forum, including HiperMAN and WiBro. Wimax (802.16) effectively holds all of Wimax (802.16) standards.

IEEE 802.16-2004
This standard is the formal one being used for current fixed and nomadic Line Of Sight(LOS) and Non Line Of Sight(NLOS) Wimax (IEEE 802.16) implementations and is based on and backwardly compatible with 802.16 and 802.16a . The WiMAX Forum profiles supporting IEEE 802.16 2004 are in the 3.5 GHz and 5.8 GHz frequency bands. Vendors are currently creating indoor and outdoor customer subscriber stations equipment and laptop PCMCIA cards to support this specification. This standard will be used for cell creation in non-mobile scenarios and LOS distance links.

The theory of duplexing refers to the management of upstream and downstream traffic flows. Frequency division duplexing (FDD) uses two channels. One channel is used for upstream traffic and the other is used for downstream traffic. Time division duplexing (TDD) uses a single channel, and the devices at each end must exchanges between sending and receiving. (Jeff Goldman, July 2, 2004)

IEEE 802.16e

802.16e standard is an extension to the 802.16-2004 specification and supports mobile communications. This mobility is provided through handoffs and roaming support built in to the standard. While intended to provide mobility, this technology is used by service providers to provide fixed access as well. 802.16e specification operates in the 2.3 and 2.5 GHz frequency bands. (Vikki Lipset, September 2, 2003)

ETSI HyperMAN
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute produced the HiperMAN standard for broadband wireless MAN implementations. The HiperMAN standard operates in the frequency ranges between 2 GHz and 11 GHz. It was purposely made in close association with the IEEE Standards; it is based on 802.16 and is compatible with the 802.16a-2003 specification. Like WiMAX, HyperMAN supports both point-to-multipoint and mesh network implementations. (Wimax.com)

WiBro
WiBro Stands for Wireless Broadband, it is a wireless Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) standard initially built by the Telecommunication Technology Association (TTA) of South Korea. Phase 1 of WiBro was approved in November 2004. The standard was developed to fill the space between 3G and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standards; providing more data rate, mobility and coverage required delivering internet access to mobile clients via handheld devices.

The standard uses 100 MHz of licensed Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum, from 2.30 to 2.40 GHz, allocated by the South Korean Ministry of Information and Communication for mobile wireless internet usage, and adjacent to the international unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM band. The IEEE 802.16-2004 and Draft 3 of the 802.16e standard were the basis for the development of WiBro, and the key PHY parameters are compatible between the two standards. (Steve Rackley, 2007)

The WiBro Medium Access Control (MAC) supports three discreet service levels including guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS) for delay sensitive applications, based on real time polling of station requirements, and an intermediate QoS level for delay tolerant application that require a minimum guaranteed data rate.

Phase 2 of the standard is designed to focus on network capacity enhancement technology, including Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) radio, adaptive antenna systems and space time coding, as well as additional standardization with 802.16e (WiMAX). (Steve Rackley, 2007)

Limitations of WiMAX Technology Wimax Limitations

WiMAXis a great technology for next generation with potential applications such as cellular backhaul, hotspot, VoIP mobiles and broadband connection but it have some limitation as under.

Low bit rate over Long distance

Wimax technology offering long distance data range which is 70 kilometer or 30 miles and high bit rate which is 70Mbit/s.thats good but both features doesnt work together when we will increase distance range the bit rate will decreased and if we want to increase bit rate then we should reduce the distance range.

Speed of connectivity
The wimax other drawback is that any user closer to the tower can get high speed which is up to 30Mbit/s but if a user exist at the cell edge from the tower can obtain only 14Mbit/s speed.

Sharing of bandwidth
In all wireless technology the bandwidth is shared between users in a specified radio sector. Therefore functionality could go down if more than one user exists in a single sector. Mostly user have a range of 2- to 8 or 12 Mbit/s services so for better result additional radio cards added to the base station to boost the capability as necessary.

WiMax over Wi-Fi

Any one can build up a wifi network but to set up a Wimax network is really expensive so it is very hard for every one that they pay large mount for the setup and frequency license of Wimax in a region.

Wimax technology and Different architecture

Because of low bit range on long distance, speed of connectivity from long range, and low bandwidth among user the different granular and dispersed network architectures are being unsupported into WiMAX during autonomous progress.

Advantages of Wimax Technology Wimax Advantages

Wimax stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access services brings long time term evolution in wireless data market. WiMax Technology is facing many hurdles in market while it has some great advantages which make it a technology of todays. The advantages of Wimax Technology are discussed in details below.

Wimax Coverage
The single station of Wimax can operate and provide coverage for hundred of users at a time and manage sending and receiving of data at very high speed with full of network security.

Wimax High Speed

The High speed of connectivity over long distance and high speed voice makes it more demanded in hardly populated areas plus compacted areas.

Multi-functionality within Wimax Technology

Wimax Technology perform a variety of task at a time such as offering high speed internet, providing telephone service, transformation of data, video streaming, voice application etc.

Potential and development

Wimax Technology is a great invention for new Era because Wimax has enough potential for developing and opportunity to offer various types of services for new generation. Now you can connect internet anywhere and browse any site and make possible online conference with mobile internet, multimedia application never let you bored, IPTV stay you up to date etc.

Stay in touch with end user

Wimax network always keep stay in touch with your friends and all others using same Wimax network because it provide absolute communication service to the end users to make possible rich communications.

Wimax Infrastructure
Wimax infrastructure is very easy and flexible therefore it provides maximum reliability of network and consent to actual access to end users.

Wimax, cheap network

Wimax is a well known wireless network now days because it provide a low cost network substitute to internet services offered via ADSL, modem or local area network.

Wimax Rich Features

Wimax Technology is offering rich features which make it useful. Wimax offers separate voice and data channel for fun, the semantic connection make your network more secure then before, fast connectively, license spectrum, liberty of movement etc.

Wimax and Wifi

The Wimax network providing much higher speed and very long range as compared to WiFi Technology.

Smart antenna and Mesh Topology

The use of smart antenna in Wimax network offering high quality widest array which enable you to make possible communication on long route without any encryption. It offers 2.3, 2.7, 3.3, 3.8GHz frequency ranges. The use of Mesh topology in Wimax network for the expansion is an extensive spectrum of antennas for commercial as well as for residential users.

Ultra wide Band

The unique and excellent infrastructure of Wimax is offering Ultra-Wideband. Its exclusive design is providing range from 2 to 10 GHz and outstanding time response.

Homeland Security
Security options of Wimax Technology also offer very high security because of encryption system used by Wimax. The Wimax is providing exclusive homeland security. Now you can exchange your data on whole network without any fear of losing data.

Lack of history
The best advantage of Wimax vendor technology is lack of history within mobile industry for protection. Wimax push the existing technologies and forward on steady stream. Only Wimax technology offers first major mobile standard to all mobile broadband infrastructures. It is a foremost mobile transporter. WiMAX technology support both wireless and wired network including cable operator which are now successful due to core networks of Wimax.

In short Wimax have great advantages such as it has ability to perform an exclusive list of services over a single station. Wimax decrease in operating and capital expenditure. The development of application is often a competitive edge.

Disadvantages of Wimax Technology Wimax Disadvantages

Wimax technology was designed to compete with remote locations that presently employs satellite for internet connectivity. Wimax technology can operate on both licensed and non licensed frequencies. Wimax Technology is powerful mobile technology but are facing some disadvantages discussed below.

Lack of Quality
The Wimax network has lack of quality service because there are hundreds of people trying to get access at the same tower so due to heavy traffic it is very hard to maintain high quality.

Wimax range
The other disadvantage of Wimax network is range. As Wimax offer 70Mbps in range with moving station but in practice it is quite different because it is possible only in specify or ideal circumstances. If a user staying away from the specified environment then speed can drop considerably.

Wimax Bandwidth
Like other network Bandwidth is collective amongst clients in a specified zone. But if there are a lot of users in one area the speed decreases which may be 2 to 10 Mbps of shared bandwidth.

Expensive network
The most disadvantage of Wimax is its installation and operational cost. Due to heavy structure, tower, antennas etc makes the Wimax network collectively high cost network.

Bad Weather
The quality of services decreases in rainy season because the weather condition could interrupt the signal which may cause of bad signal and broadcasting may be stop or interrupted.

Wireless equipments
If you are trying to use much wireless equipment at a time within Wimax network then these equipments may cause of interference and could interfere your broadcasting data or face some compromised speed.

Power consuming
Wimax network is very heavy in structure therefore need much electrical support for running the overall network.

Data Rate
The data rate of Wimax as compared to other network such as fiber optics, satellite, cables etc are very slow.

Wimax Technology
What is Wimax Technology Wimax stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. Wimax technology is a telecommunications technology that offers transmission of wireless data via a number of transmission methods; such as portable or fully mobile internet access via point to multipoints links. The Wimax technology offers around 72 Mega Bits per second without any need for the cable infrastructure. Wimax technology is based on Standard that is IEEE 802.16, it usually also called as Broadband Wireless Access. WiMAX Forum created the name for Wimax technology that was formed in Mid June 2001 to encourage compliance and interoperability of the Wimax IEEE 802.16 standard. Wimax technology is actually based on the standards that making the possibility to delivery last mile broadband access as a substitute to conventional cable and DSL lines.

Wimax (802.16) technology often misinterpreted by the people by the names of mobile WiMAX, 802.16d, fixed WiMAX and 802.16e. Actually 802.16-2004 or 802.16d is developed by the third party as a standard and it is also referred to called as Fixed WiMAX because this standard is lacking behind just because of the non-mobility feature thats why its often called as Fixed WiMAX. During the maturity period of Wimax (802.16) technology some of the amendments were made to the above mentioned 802.16d and they referred this amending standard as 802.16e. 802.16e introduced mobility and some other features amongst other standards and is also known as Mobile WiMAX.

Less than one out of five people of the developed world and an even smaller, little percentage of people across the world have broadband access today. Existing technologies such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable, and fixed wireless are overwhelmed by expensive installs, problems with loop lengths, upstream upgrade issues, line-of-sight restrictions, and poor scalability.

Wimax (802.16) is the next stage to a broadband as well as a wireless world, extending broadband wireless access to new locations and over longer distances, as well as considerably reducing the cost of bringing broadband to new areas. Wimax (802.16) technology offers greater range and bandwidth than the other available or forthcoming broadband wireless technologies such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) and Ultra-wideband (UWB) family of standards. It provides a wireless alternative to wired backhaul and last mile deployments that use Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOGS1S) cable modems, Digital Subscriber Line technologies (DSL), T-carrier and E-carrier (Tx/Ex) systems, and Optical Carrier Level (OC-x) technologies. (Jiffy Networks, 2006)

The general initiative of metropolitan area wireless networking, as envisioned with 802.16, begins with what is called fixed wireless. A backbone of base stations is connected to a public network, and each base station carries hundreds of fixed subscriber stations, which can be both public hot spots and fire-walled enterprise networks. Later in the development cycle of 802.16e, Wimax (802.16) is expected to encourage mobile wireless technology specifically wireless transmissions directly to mobile end users, This will be similar in function to the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and the one times Radio Transmission Technology (RTT) offered by mobile phone companies.

New organizations as well as individuals are increasingly adopting broadband, whereas those already using broadband are becoming dependent on it and are demanding better services with added benefits. To support this exceptional new demand, Wimax (802.16) has emerged as a feasible solution, because of its inherent features that holds great promise for the future of wireless communications. (Teri Robinson, 2005)

There has been a lot of excitement about Wimax (802.16) and the impact that this standards based wireless network technology will have on the broadband access market. All this hype has generated great expectations, and the industry has responded with exceptional aggression and commitment toward taking broadband to the next level with Wimax (802.16).

How WiMAX Works

The backhaul of the Wimax (802.16) is based on the typical connection to the public wireless networks by using optical fibre, microwave link, cable or any other high speed connectivity. In few cases such as mesh networks, Point-to-Multi-Point (PMP) connectivity is also used as a backhaul. Ideally, Wimax (802.16) should use Point-to-Point antennas as a backhaul to join subscriber sites to each other and to base stations across long distance.

A wimax base station serves subscriber stations using Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) or LOS Pointto-Multi-Point connectivity; and this connection is referred to as the last mile communication. Ideally, Wimax (802.16) should use NLOS Point-to-Multi-Point antennas to connect residential or business subscribers to the Wimax Base Station (BS). A Subscriber Station (Wimax CPE) typically serves a building using wired or wireless LAN. (Steven J. VaughanNichols, June 2004)

Architecture of Wimax Technology, Access Service Network (ASN), Connectivity Service Network (CSN) Wimax Architecture
WiMAX technology is based on IEEE standard for high layer protocol such as TCP/IP, VoIP, and SIP etc. Wimax network is offering air link interoperability and vendor for roaming. The multi vendor access from Wimax focused on higher level networking specifications for fixed wimax, mobile wimax, and portable wimax. The Architecture of wimax technology based on all IP platforms. The packet technology of wimax needs no legacy circuit telephony. Therefore it reduces the overall cost during life cycle of wimax deployment. The main guide lines of Wimax Architecture are as under

The wimax architecture support structure of packet switched. Wimax technology including IEEE 802.16 standard and its modification, suitable for IETF and Ethernet. Wimax architecture allowing decoupling and also sustained topologies for connectivity purpose like IEEE 802.16 radio specifics.

Wimax architecture offers flexibility to accommodate a wide range of deployment such as small to large scale. It offers licensed to unlicensed opportunity. Wimax also support urban, rural radio propagation. The uses of mesh topologies make it more reliable. It is the best co existence of various models. Wimax architecture offers various services and applications such as multimedia, Voice, mandated dogmatic services as emergency and lawful interception. Wimax architecture providing a variety of functions such as ASP, mobile telephony, interface with multi internetworking, media gateway, delivery of IP broadcasting such as MMS , SMS, WAP over IP.

Wimax architecture supporting roaming and internetworking. It support wireless network such as 3GPP and 3GPP2.It support wired network as ADSL, MSO based on standard IETF protocols. Wimax architecture also support global roaming, consistent use of AAA for billing purposes, digital certificate, subscriber module, USIM, and RUIM. The range of Wimax architecture is fixed, portable, nomadic, simple mobility and fully mobility.

WiMAX Forum industry represents a logical representation of the Wimax architecture. The main objective behind Wimax architecture is to provide amalgamated support needed in a range of network models. The NRM makes out well-designed entities and allusion points accomplished between functional entities. The Wimax architecture consists of three logical entities MS, ASN, and CSN and reference point for interconnection. All three correspond to a grouping for functional entities which may be single or distributed physical device over several physical devices may be an implementation choice. The manufacturer chooses any implementation according to its choice which is may be individual or combine. The NRM based on the designation of communication protocol and management of data sketch to attain end to end function. It allows manifold implementations for specified useful entity such as mobility and security management.

Base station (BS)

The responsibility of Base station (BS) is to provide that the air interface to the MS. The other functionality of BS is micro mobility supervision functions. The handoff prompting, supervision of radio resource, classification of traffic, DHCP, keys, session and multicast group management.

Access service network (ASN)

The ASN (Access Service Network) used to describe an expedient way to explain combination of functional entities and equivalent significance flows connected with the access services. The ASN offers a logical boundary for functional of nearby clients. The connectivity and aggregation services of wimax are personified by dissimilar vendors. Planning of functional to logical entities represented in NRM which may execute in unusual ways. The wimax forum allows different type of vendors implementation that is interceptive and well-matched for a broad variety of deployment necessities.

Connectivity Service Network (CSN)

Connectivity Service Network (CSN) is a set of functions related to network offering IP services for connectivity to Wimax clients. A CSN may include network fundamentals such as AAA, server, routers, and user database and gateway devices that support validation for the devices, services and user. The Connectivity Service Network also handled different type of task such as management of IP addresses, support roaming between different NSPs, management of location, roaming, and mobility between ASNs

The WiMAX architecture is offering a flexible arrangement of functional entities when constructing the physical entities, Because AS may be molded into BTS, BSC, and an ASNGW, Which are equivalent to the GSM model of BSC, BTS and GPRS Support (SGSN).

WiMAX Technology Design WiMAX Technology Design

The design of the Wimax is ideal for challenges related with earlier versions of wired and wireless access networks. At the same time the backhaul connects the Wimax system to the network, it is not an integrated part of WiMAX system. Normally a WiMAX network consists of two parts, a Wimax Base Station (BS) and a Wimax receiver also referred as Customer Premise Equipment (Wimax CPE). (Deepak Pareek, 2006)

Wimax Base Station (BS)

A Wimax base station comprises of internal devices and a Wimax tower. A wimax base station can normally covers the area of about 50 kilometres or 30 miles radius, but some other and

environmental issues bound the limits of Wimax range to 10 km or 6 miles. Any wireless user within the coverage area would be able to access the Wimax services (Fig: 2). The Wimax base stations would use the media access control layer defines in the standard and would allocate uplink and downlink bandwidth to subscribers according to their requirements on real time basis. (Deepak Pareek, 2006)

Fig 2: Base Station connectivity with Subscriber Stations (Gemtek)

Wimax Receiver (WiMAX CPE)

A Wimax receiver, which is also referred as Customer Premise Equipment (Wimax CPE), may have a separate antenna or could be a stand-alone box or a PCMCIA card that inserted in a laptop or a desktop computer. Access to a Wimax base station is similar to accessing a wireless access point (AP) in a Wi-Fi network, but the coverage is more.

So far one of the biggest restrictions to the widespread acceptance of WiMAX has been the cost of Wimax CPE (Wimax Receiver). This is not only the cost of Wimax CPE (Wimax Receiver)

itself, but also that of installation. In the past, Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) have been predominantly Line Of Sight (LOS), requiring highly skilled labour and a truck role to install and provide a service to customer. The concept of a self-installed wimax CPE (Wimax Receiver) has been difficult for BWA from the beginning, but with the advent of Wimax technology this issue seems to be getting resolved. (Xiaole Song, 2007)

Fig 3: ExcelMax Indoor WiMAX Receiver (WiMAX Industry)

Wimax Backhaul
Wimax backhaul is actually a connection system from the Access Point (AP) back to the provider and to the connection from the provider to the network. A backhaul can set out any technology and media provided; it connects the system to the backbone. In most of the Wimax deployments circumstances, it is also possible to connect several wimax base stations with one another by use of high speed wimax backhaul microware links. This would also allow for roaming by a Wimax subscriber (Wimax Receiver) from one wimax base station coverage area to another, similar to roaming enabled by cellular phone companies. (Xiaole Song, 2007)

Types of Wimax Technology Types of WiMAX Technology (802.16)

The Wimax family of standards (802.16) concentrate on two types of usage models a fixed wimax usage model and a mobile wimax usage model. The basic element that differentiates these systems is the ground speed at which the systems are designed to manage. Based on mobility, wireless access systems are designed to operate on the move without any disruption of service; wireless access can be divided into three classes; stationary, pedestrian and vehicular.

A mobile wimax network access system is one that can address the vehicular class, whereas the fixed wimax serves the stationary and pedestrian classes. This raises a question about the nomadic wireless access system, which is referred to as a system that works as a fixed wimax network access system but can change its location.

Fixed Wimax
Broadband service and consumer usage of fixed Wimax access is expected to reflect that of fixed wire-line service, with many of the standards-based requirements being confined to the air interface. Because communications takes place via wireless links from wimax Customer Premise Equipment (wimax CPE) to a remote Non Line-of-sight (NLOS) wimax base station, requirements for link security are greater than those needed for a wireless service. The security mechanisms within the IEEE 802.16 standards are sufficient for fixed wimax access service.

Another challenge for the fixed wiimax access air interface is the need to set up high performance radio links capable of data rates comparable to wired broadband service, using equipment that can be self installed indoors by users, as is the case for Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and cable modems. IEEE 802.16 standards provide advanced physical (PHY) layer techniques to achieve link margins capable of supporting high throughput in NLOS environments. (Tom Carpenter, 2006)

Mobile Wimax
The 802.16a extension, refined in January 2003, uses a lower frequency of 2 to 11 GHz, enabling NLOS connections. The latest 802.16e task group is capitalizing on the new capabilities this provides by working on developing a specification to enable mobile Wimax clients. These clients will be able to hand off between Wimax base stations, enabling users to roam between service areas.

Wimax backhaul
Wimax backhaul is actually a connection system from the Access Point (AP) back to the provider and to the connection from the provider to the network. A wimax backhaul can set out any technology and media provided; it connects the system to the backbone. In most of the Wimax deployments circumstances, it is also possible to connect several wimax base stations

with one another by use of high speed wimax backhaul microware links. This would also allow for roaming by a Wimax subscriber from one wimax base station coverage area to another, similar to roaming enabled by cellular phone companies. (Xiaole Song, 2007)

There can be two cases of portability; full mobility or limited mobility. The effortless case of portable service involves a user transporting a Wimax modem to a different location. Provided this visited location is serve by wireless broadband service, in this scenario the user reauthenticates and manually re-establishes new IP connections and is afforded broadband service at the visited location. (Tom Carpenter, 2006)

In the fully mobile scenario, user expectations for connectivity are comparable to facilities available in third generation (3G) voice/data systems. Users may move around while engaged in a broadband data access or multimedia streaming session. Mobile wireless systems need to be robust against rapid channel variation to support vehicular speeds.

There are significant implications of mobility on the IP layer owing to the need to maintain routability of the host IP address to preserve in-flight packets during IP handoff. This may require authentication and handoffs for uplink and downlink IP packets and Medium Access Control (MAC) frames. The need to support low latency and low packet loss handovers of data streams as users transition from one base station to another is clearly a challenging task. For mobile data services, users will not easily adapt their service expectations because of environmental limitations that are technically but not directly relevant to the mode of user. For these reasons, the network and air interface must be designed to anticipate these user expectations and deliver accordingly. (Deepak Pareek, 2006)

Wimax Technology Prodcuts - Equipments Hardware Wimax Equipments

Wimax Equipments are not well known because there are very limited subscriber demands for Wimax Products and equipments. Most Wimax equipments are installed with Wimax Technology chip which are certified by Wimax forum. Wimax forum is leading the way in support and setting standards in WiMAX technology and its deployment. There are many wimax products and equipments available in market with limitations. The necessary equipments

required for Wimax Technology consist of Wimax base stations, Wimax receiver, Wimax antenna, and Wimax backhaul.

WiMAX Base Station

Wimax base station consists of indoor Wimax equipments and a wimax tower. The common range of Wimax base station is up to 10km radius, while a base station can cover 50km or 30miles but in practice it is 10km and 6 miles only .Any node inside the coverage area would be capable to access the internet. Wimax base station work as a media access control layer and allocate uploading and downloading bandwidth according to the subscriber requirements.

WiMAX receiver
The Wimax receiver is a stand alone box or PCMCIA cards which is located in your computer or laptop. It is also called customer promise equipments.

WiMAX Antenna
Wimax antenna is also a standalone box and sits in your laptop or computer .Wimax antenna is just like a WiFi network but the coverage area of wimax is much larger than WiFi wireless network. Wimax antenna used to get better the signal strength of wimax user from base station. The Wimaxs external antenna mostly required in dense areas and high, mountain areas. Wimax antenna connected with the indoor unit via wire to make stronger signals.

Wimax Backhaul
Wimax backhaul is in fact a link system from the access point. It is used to connect system to the backbone. You can connect numerous base stations with one another with the high speed backhaul microwave links. A backhaul allow Wimax user for roaming from one base station to another base station just like a cellular phone.

Wimax Future Products & Equipments

There are many other products which are significant in common use for general community such as Wimax cards used for desktop and laptops computers within an installed microchip. Wimax products are under testing procedure therefore very uncommon in market. No doubt in coming days Wimax deployment takes over the older technologies through Wimax product.

Wimax Deployments: Deployments of Wimax Technology Networks around the globe Wimax Deployments
Wimax Technology is a great development in wireless technology offering long distance broadband access. After viewing the rapid growth of Wimax technology in large business companies, multimedia project software and hardware manufacturer start to develop and test the compulsory components to deploy a Wimax Technology network. Large business corporations such as Intel, Samsung, Motorola and others have commenced worldwide deployment.

In 2004 leapfrogging cables and DSl technologies used to fetch wireless broadband access to rural areas and in 2009 Wimax technology widely spread in all over the world. Fixed wimax technology introduced in 2008. The rapid development of both Wimax technologies will be rolling out in coming days. For Wimax deployments; Asia and Amrica working as a testing ground because in Taiwan, Pakistan, South Africa, Vietnam, and Nigeria Wimax technology take start and now the growth or accomplishment of Wimax deployments covering whole world. At the moment Wateen Technologies deployed Wimax Network in Pakistan that is one of the largest Wimax network in the world. In united state Sprint, clearwire and Nextel communications have already bought up the available spectrum and Wimax wireless technologies has been start in many urban and metropolitan areas. It is more expected that Wimax Technology will take over the mobile industries. The Wimax deployment skill set to overcome the digital divide because of easiness and efficiency. The Wimax deployments going on today throughout the world are under as.

Wimax Deployments in Lao Cai, Vietnam

Lao Cai is a maintained area located on Chinese border in Vietnam. It has round about 600,000 populations been most community is very poor. Intel, USAID, and VDC get on partnership to bring broadband and VoIP services via Wimax technology in region in 2004. The objective behind this partnership is that to encourage overseas investment and promote economic development in a region. Than Lao Cai had attractive good mobile phone exposure in the region. The wimax network contains a single base station bound to provide internet access via a fiber optical backhaul. Wimax deployment is offering services in the city and nearby areas. In urban areas VoIP services would also be put in practice which offering telecommunication services specially when there is never had a phone. In the Wimax deployment there is a base station which has an antenna that installed up to 70 meters on a telecommunications tower. In Internet caf, government offices, schools, health centers, and farm about 20 modem installed and sip phone provided to each site. Then within local PSTN a line up VoIP switch and gateway connected which are located 300 miles away. Now the community of Lao Cai makes progress with broadband and telecommunication transportation. Nowadays Intel which is a leader to introduce this technology is thinking to implement Wimax deployment in nearby areas to get better economical status and for this it providing satellite backhaul for VoIP and broadband access.

Wimax Deployments in Gauteng, South Africa

The deployment of Wimax technology is beginning in Gauteng which is the province of South Africa. Gauteng is a large industrial region and Pretoria and Johannesburg are its popular cities. Almost in 150 countries Wimax deployment has been established and a WiMAX business market share of over 60% within 3.5 GHZ frequency range. Wimax broadband access is offering multimedia internet, Voice and data services. According to a report internet carry on to achieve approval in South Africa. This has socio-economic implication that goes ahead of the ideological or moral with very real insinuation for the development of the Internet economy in South Africa. The deployment of WiMAX technology is an inexpensively practicable means to recommend equivalent access for all.

Wimax Deployments in the United States

Clearwire and Sprint Nextel have been buying up Wimax spectrum in the united states. They both creating a large metropolitan market and offering 2.5 GHz frequency to 30 million users at the end of 2010. Sprint also choose the Wimax format for 4G network and Nokia, Samsung, Intel and Motorola may be excepted partner in wireless broadband scheme. The subscriber base of Clearwire is round about 200,000 and now focusing on the urban market because in rural areas

there are no broadband internet services. Clearwire is playing a major role to promote Wimax Technology market and be expecting to be capable to roll out their networks more rapidly.

According to a 4G research report almost 600 Wimax deployments are now alive by the end of 2009. Therefore Wimax deployment may exceed HSPA deployment because by HSPA and LTE. There are only 300 cellular networks are alive and only 70 operators have committed with them for the deployment of Wimax technology. The rapid growth of Wimax is due to wide range of coverage not only in specific areas but also in urban or rural areas. In 2011 it is expected that Wimax deployment will increase more vastly than before because of its significant features.

Security of Wimax Technology WiMAX Security

Wireless systems always make some people worried when speaking of security. After all, every wireless system broadcasts, by definition, everything youre doing on the network to the world or at least the part of the world within range. Security is an important consideration in any communication system design but is particularly so in wireless communication systems. The fact that connection can be established in a loosen fashion makes it easier to intrude in an ordinary and undetectable manner than is the case for wired access. Further, the shared wireless medium is often perceived by the general public to be somewhat less secure than its wired counterpart. Therefore, a robust level of security must be built into the design of wireless systems.

From the point of view of an end user, the primary wimax security concerns are privacy and data integrity. Users need assurance that no one can eavesdrop on their sessions and that the data sent across the communication link is not tampered. This is usually achieved through the use of wimax network encryption. I am going to discuss the encryption in the next chapter in detail.

From the service providers point of view, an important wimax security consideration is preventing unauthorized use of the network services. This is usually done using strong authentication and access control methods. Authentication and access control can be implemented at various levels of the network such as the physical layer, and the privacy sub layer. The service providers need to prevent fraud should be balanced against the inconvenience that it may impose on the user.

WiMAX Security Functions

WiMAX Security Functions

Unlike Wi-Fi, Wimax technology system were designed at the beginning with robust security in mind. The standard includes state of the art methods for ensuring user data privacy and preventing unauthorized access, with additional protocol optimization for mobility. Security is handheld by a privacy sub layer within the WiMax Medium Access Control (MAC). The key aspects of Wimax security are as follows;

Support for Privacy

User data is encrypted using cryptographic schemes of proven robustness to provide privacy. Both Advanced Encryption standard (AES) and Triple data Encryption Standard (3DES) are supported. Most system implementation will liely uses Advanced Encryption standard (AES), as it is the new encryption standard approved as compliant with Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) and is easier to implement. The 128-bit or 256-bit key used for deriving the cipher is generated during the authentication phase and is periodically refreshed for additional protection. (Jamshed Hasan)

Authentication in Wimax Technology

WiMAX offers a flexible means for authenticating subscriber stations and users to prevent from unauthorized use. The authentication structure is based on the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) EAP, which supports a variety of identifications, suchs as username/password, digital certificates, and smart cards. WiMAX terminal devices come with built-in X.509 digital certificates that contain their public key and MAC address. WiMAX operators can apply the certificates for device authentication and use a username/password or smart card authentication on top of it for authentication of users. (Sanida Omerovic)

Flexible Key Management Protocol in Wimax

The Privacy and Key Management Protocol Version 2 (PKMv2) is used for transmitting keying material securely from the base station to the mobile station. PKM protocol are also used to periodically reauthorize and refreshing the keys. PKM protocol is a client-server protocol: The mobile station acts as the client; the base station, the server. PKM protocol uses X.509 digital

certificates and RSA (Rivest Shamer Adleman) public-key encryption algorithms to securely perform key exchanges between the base station and the mobile station. (David Johnston & Jesse Walker, 2004)

Protection of Control Messages in Wimax

The integrity of over the air control messages is protected by using message digest schemes, such as Advance Encryption Standard (AES) based Cipher-based Message Authentication Code (CMAS) or Message Digest 5 based HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication). (Jamshed Hasan)

Support for Fast Handover in Wimax

To support fast handovers, WiMAX technology allows the mobile station to use preauthentication with a particular target base station to assist accelerated re-entry. A three-way handshake scheme is supported to optimize the re-authentication mechanisms for supporting fast handovers, while at the same time preventing any man-in-the-middle attacks. (David Johnston & Jesse Walker, 2004)

WiMAX Security Security in WiMAX Technology

Security is a broad and complex subject, and this section provides only a brief introduction to it. I am going to cover the basic security issues, introduce some terminology, and provide a brief overview of some of the security mechanism of Wimax Technology.

Well designed security architecture for a Wimax and other wireless communication networks should support the following essential requirements:

Privacy: Provide protection from eavesdropping as the user data traverses the network from source to destination. Data integrity: Ensure that user data and control/management messages are protected from being tampered with while in transit.

Authentication: Have a mechanism to ensure that a given user/device is the one it claims to be. Conversely, the user/device should also be able to verify the authenticity of the network that it is connecting to. Together, the two are referred to as mutual authentication. Authorization: Have a mechanism in place to verify that a given user is authorized to receive a particular service. Access control: Ensure that only authorized users are allowed to get access to the offered services.

Wimax security is typically handled at multiple layers within a system. Each layer handles different aspects of security, though in some cases, there may be redundant mechanisms. As a general principle of security, it is considered good to have more than one mechanism providing protection so that security is not compromised in case one of the mechanisms is broken. At the link layer, strong encryption should be used for wireless systems to prevent over-the-air eavesdropping. Also needed at the link layer is access control to prevent unauthorized users from using network resources: precious over-the-air resources. (Chong Li, 2006)

Link layer encryptions are not often used in wired links, where eavesdropping is considered more difficult to do. In those cases, privacy is ensured by the comprehensive security mechanisms used at the higher layers. At the network layer, a number of methods provide security. The network itself may be protected from malicious attack through the use of firewalls. Authentication and authorization services are typically done through the use of Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) protocols, such as RADIUS (Remote Access Dial-In User Service).. At the transport layer, TLS its precedent was called Secure Sockets layer (SSL) may be used to add security to transport layer protocols and packets. At the application layer, digital signatures, certificates, digital rights management, and so on are implemented, depending on the sensitivity of the application. (Arkoudi-Vafea Aikaterini, 2006)

Network Access & Initialization in WiMAX Technology Network Access and Initialization in Wimax

In this section I am going to explain briefly at the activities of a subscriber station in the framework of gaining network access and initialization. The PKM Protocol is used during the network access and initialization phase, in the authentication and authorization steps. A WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) must perform a number of tasks before gaining access to a wimax network. These tasks are discussed in detail below.

Scanning and Synchronization in Wimax technology

First the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) searches for a downlink signal from the WiMAX Base Station (BS) and try to coordinate with it. If previous downlink channel existed, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) will try reusing those functional parameters. If not, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) must look into all the potential channels in the downlink frequency band. When a channel has been selected, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) attempts to synchronize with the downlink transmission by detecting the cyclic frame preambles. (David Johnston, Hassan Yaghoobi, 2004)

Uplink & Downlink Parameters Detection

After synchronization has been established at the physical layer, the Subscriber Station (SS) then continues to search for the Downlink Channel Descriptor (DCD) and the Uplink Channel Descriptor (UCD) messages that are regularly broadcasted by the WiMAX Base Station (BS). The Downlink Channel Descriptor (DCD) and Uplink Channel Descriptor (UCD) messages hold information regarding the physical layer features of both the downlink and uplink channels. Among others, these messages then permit theWiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) to learn about the modulation type and Forward Error Correction (FEC) method of the carrier. Depending on the PHY specification selected for a given settings, the BS also frequently transmits uplink-map (UL-MAP) and downlink-map (DL-MAP) messages that describe their burst start times. It is through the DL-MAP and UL-MAP messages that the WiMAX Base Station (BS) can assign access to the individual channels. (Shyam Parekh, 2006)

Ranging & Subscriber Station Capabilities in Wimax Technology

In this stage, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) performs ranging, which is the process of aligning the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) transmission timingwise to the start of a slot during contention for access. This process is part of framing and media access in 802.16 and consists of initial ranging and periodic ranging.

The early ranging contention slot is used for network entry. Here, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) sends a ranging request packet (RNG-REQ) in the primary ranging contention slot. If this message is received correctly by the WiMAX Base Station (BS), it then replies to the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) with a ranging response packet (RNG-RSP) unfolding the timing and power correction information to the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE). This permits the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) to adjust the timing and power of its signal as received by the WiMAX Base Station (BS). The response will also tell the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) about the connection IDs (CID) chosen by the WiMAX Base Station (BS). The other type of ranging, namely, periodic ranging, provides chances for WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) to send rangingrequest messages to the WiMAX Base Station (BS) in order to adjust power levels, time, and frequency offsets. (Derrick Boom, 2004)

After ranging is completed, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) reports its physical layer capabilities to the WiMAX Base Station (BS). This consists of the modulation and coding schemes holds by the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE), and whether the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) within the WiMAX Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) supports half-duplex or full-duplex. The WiMAX Base Station (BS) has the choice of accepting or rejecting these capabilities of the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE). (Derrick Boom, 2004)

Subscriber Station Authentication in Wimax, Authorization & Registration

During subscriber station authentication in wimax, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) must be authenticated by the WiMAX Base Station (BS) and obtain authorization from the WiMAX Base Station (BS) by using the PKM Protocol. Each WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) device is assigned to an X.509 digital certificate, which is physically bound to the device hardware during manufacturing. One achievable implementation is to include the devices MAC-address in its certificate. The MAC address in WiMAX is the usual 48bit address used in other IEEE 802 standards such as Ethernet. It is essential to note that just as in Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) compliant cable modem devices, the digital certificate and the private key are allocated during manufacturing of the

WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) device. The private key must be embedded in the hardware in such a way that it is complicated or infeasible for the user to access or extract. (Michaela Greiler, 2007)

After verification of authentication and authorization, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) continues with the registration stage. Here, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) sends a registration request message to the WiMAX Base Station (BS), who answers with a registration response message including among others a secondary management connection ID for the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) and the IP version used for the secondary management connection. The appearance of the registration response message from the WiMAX Base Station (BS) tells to the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) that it has been registered in the network and therefore allowed to enter the network. (Michaela Greiler, 2007)

IP Connectivity in Wimax Technology

At the completion of registration, the WiMAX Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) can now obtain an IP address through the DHCP protocol, obtain current time information (e. g., through the Internet Time Protocol), and also obtain other parameters from the WiMAX Base Station (BS). (Michaela Greiler, 2007)

Wimax PKM in WiMAX Technology PKM (Privacy Key Management) Protocol in WiMAX Technology
Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) make use of the Privacy Key Management (PKM) Protocol to gain authorization and traffic keying material from the Wimax Base Station (BS), and to maintain periodic reauthorization and key refresh. The Privacy Key Management (PKM) protocol uses X.509 digital certificates, and two-key triple Data Encryption Standard (DES) to secure key exchanges between a given Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) and Wimax Base Station (BS), following the client-server model. Here, the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) as the client requests keying material while the Wimax Base Station (BS) as the server act in response to those requests, ensuring individual Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) clients receive only the keying material for which they are authorized. The Privacy Key Management (PKM) Protocol first creates an Authorization Key (AK), which is a secret symmetric key shared between the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise

Equipment) and BS. The AK is then used to protect subsequent Privacy Key Management (PKM) Protocol exchanges of Traffic Encryption Keys (TEK). The use of the AK and a symmetric key cryptosystem reduces the overhead due to the computationally expensive public key functions. (Sen Xu, Chin-Tser Huang)

Wimax Base Station (BS) authenticates a Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) during the primary authorization exchange. The Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) device certificate would enclose the RSA public key and other device specific information, such as its MAC address, serial number, and manufacturer ID. Within the authorization exchange, the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) would then send a copy of this device certificate to the Wimax Base Station (BS). The Wimax Base Station (BS) must then authenticate the syntax and information in the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) certificate, and possibly carry out certificate path validation checks. If properly verified, the Wimax Base Station (BS) as part of its replies to the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) would encrypt the Authorization Key (AK) using the public key of the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) that could be found within the received certificate from the Subscriber station. Since only the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) device contains the matching private key, only the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) device can de-crypt the message and obtain the AK assigned to it. (Sen Xu, Chin-Tser Huang)

It is important to note that the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) device certificate is open to the public or attacker to read; only the Wimax CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) device has access to the similar private key of the public key in the certificate. As such, to protect a device and its certificate from being duplicated, it is important that the private key be embedded within the device hardware. That is, the cost of an attacker removing the private key from the device must be far higher than the possible value gained from the attacker using the cracked device. (Sen Xu, Chin-Tser Huang)

Encryption In WiMAX Technology Encryption In WiMAX Technology

Encryption is the method used to protect the confidentiality of data flowing between a transmitter and a receiver. Encryption in WiMAX Technology involves taking a stream or block of data to be protected, called plain text, and using another stream or block of data, called the encryption key, to perform a reversible mathematical operation to generate a ciphertext. The ciphertext is unintelligible and hence can be sent across the network without fear of being eavesdropped.

The receiver does an operation called decryption to extract the plaintext from the ciphertext, using the same or different key. When the same key is used for wimax encryption and decryption, the process is called symmetric key encryption. This key is typically derived from a shared secret between the transmitter and the receiver and for strong encryption typically should be at least 64 bytes long. When different keys are used for encryption and decryption, the process is called asymmetric key encryption. Both symmetric and asymmetric key encryptions are typically used in broadband wireless communication systems, each serving different needs.

Encryption: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in WiMAX Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in WiMAX
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is the new data encryption standard adopted by the National Institute of Standards as part of Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) and is specified as a link-layer encryption method to be used in WiMAX Technology. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is based on the Rijndael algorithm, which is a block ciphering method believed to have strong cryptographic properties. Besides offering strong encryption, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is fast, easy to implement in hardware or software, and requires less memory than do other comparable encryption schemes. The computational efficiency of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) has been a key reason for its rapid widespread adoption. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm operates on a 128-bit block size of data, organized in a 4 x 4 array of bytes called a state. The encryption key sizes could be 128, 192, or 256 bits long; WiMAX Technology specifies the use of 128-bit keys.

In order to use a block cipher, such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), a reversible mechanism is needed to convert an arbitrary length message into a sequence of fixed-size blocks prior to encryption. The method to convert between messages and blocks is referred to as the ciphers mode of operation, several of which are proposed for Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). The mode of operation needs to be carefully chosen so that is does not create any security holes and with implementation considerations in mind. The mode used in WiMAX Technology is called the counter mode. In counter mode, instead of directly encrypting the plain text, an arbitrary block, called the counter, is encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm, and the results are XORed with the plain text to produce the ciphertext. The arbitrary block is called the counter because it is generally incremented by 1 for each successive block

processed ciphertext is never the same for two identical inputs, thereby providing protection from an onlooker observing patterns of repetition in the ciphertext. (Arkoudi-Vafea Aikaterini, 2006)

In addition to providing this additional protection, the counter mode has the remarkable property of making the decryption process exactly the same as encryption, since XORing the same value twice produces the original value, making the implementation easier. Counter mode is also suitable for parallel encryption of several blocks. Further, if the message doesnt break into an exact number of blocks, this mode allows you to take the last short block and XOR it with the encrypted block and simply send the required number of bits from the output. These interesting properties make counter mode a popular choice for Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) implementation. Both Wi-Fi and WiMAX systems specify the use of AES in counter mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code (CBC-MAC). CBC-MAC, a protocol defined in RFC 3610, uses the same encryption key for deriving a message integrity check value. (Arkoudi-Vafea Aikaterini, 2006)

PKI - Public Key Infrastructure In Wimax PKI - Public Key Infrastructure In Wimax
With symmetric key encryption, both the transmitter and the receiver need to use the same key, which raises the question of how the key itself can be securely transmitted. One way to do this is to set up the shared secret key a priori via an out-of-band method. For example, a shared secret password could be hard-coded into both the transmitter and the receiver; on the other hand, a service provider could give the key to a subscriber at the time of signing up for service. This approach, however, does not scale very well for extensive use. For example, it becomes impossible to generate millions of individual unique keys and deliver them to each person. Also, relying on out-of-band mechanisms is unmanageable, prone to errors, and often not very practical.

Asymmetric key encryption is an elegant solution to the key-distribution problem. Asymmetric key encryption uses two keys: a public key and a private key. When a ciphertext is encrypted using one of the two keys, it can be decrypted only by the other key. Both the keys are generated simultaneously using the same algorithm RSA and the public key is disclosed widely and the private key is kept secret. The Wimax Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which is widely used to secure a variety of Internet transactions, is built on this idea of using asymmetric keys. (Arkoudi-Vafea Aikaterini, 2006)

Authentication in Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

Here, we need a mechanism to ensure that a given user or device is as stated. For example, to ensure that the data received is really from user B, user A can use the process using public and private keys, along with a random number. If B returns As random number, A can be assured that the message was sent by B and no one else. Similarly, B can be assured that A received the message correctly. The message could not have been read by anyone else and could not have been generated by anyone else, since no other user has the private key or the correct random number.

Shared Key Distribution in Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

To securely send data to user B, user A can do so by using the public key of user B to encrypt the data. Since it now can be decrypted only by the private key of user B, the transaction is secured from everyone else. This secure transaction can now be used to distribute a shared secret key, which can then be used to encrypt the rest of the communication, using a symmetric key algorithm, such as AES it also shows how, after mutual authentication, a shared key is established for encrypting the rest of the session. (Eduardo B. Fernandez, Michael VanHilst and Juan C. Pelaez)

Non-Repudiation & Message Integrity in Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

Asymmetric keys and Wimax Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) can also be used to prove that someone said something. This non-repudiationis the role often played by signatures on a standard letter. In order to establish non-repudiation, it is not necessary to encrypt the entire text, which is sometimes computationally expensive and unnecessary. An easier way to guarantee that the text came from the sender and has not been tampered with is to create a message digest from the message and then encrypt the digest, using the private key of the sender. A message digestis a short fixed-length string that can be generated from an arbitrarily long message. It is very unlikely that two different messages generate the same digest, especially when at least 128-bit message digests are used. Message Digest 5 algorithm (MD-5) and Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) are two algorithms used for computing message digests, both of which are much faster and easier to implement than encryption. By sending the unencrypted text along with an

encrypted digest, it is possible to establish non-repudiation and message integrity. (Eduardo B. Fernandez, Michael VanHilst and Juan C. Pelaez)

Digital Certificates Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

Digital certificates are a means of certifying the validity and validity of public keys. As part of the Wimax Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), a certification authority, which essentially is a trusted independent organization, such as VeriSign, certifies a set of public and private keys for use with Wimax Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) transactions. The certification authority issues digital certificates that contain the users name, the expiry date, and the public key. This certificate itself is digitally signed by the certification authority using its private key. The public key of Certification Authorities are widely distributed and known; for example, every browser knows them. In the context of broadband wireless services, subscriber terminals may be issued individual digital certificates that are hard coded into the device, and can be used for device authentication. (Sonnenreich Wes, Albanese Jason, 2003)

WiMAX Authentication Access Control, Wimax EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol)

Access control in wimax technology is the security mechanism to ensure that only valid users are allowed access to the wimax network. In the most general terms, an access control system has three elements:

1. An entity that desires to get access: the supplicant. 2. An entity that controls the access gate: the authenticator. 3. An entity that decides whether the supplicant should be admitted: the authentication server.

A typical access control architecture used by service providers. Access control systems were first developed for use with dial-up modems and were then adapted for broadband services. The

basic protocols developed for dial-up services were PPP (point-to-point protocol) and Remote Dial-In User Service (RADIUS). PPP is used between the supplicant and the authenticator, which in most cases is the edge router or Network Access Server (NAS), and RADIUS is used between the authenticator and the authentication server. (Michel Barbeau)

PPP originally supported only two types of authentication schemes: Password authentication protocol (PAP) and Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP), both of which are not strong enough to be used in wireless systems. More safer authentication schemes can be supported by PPP using Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). (Michel Barbeau)

Extensible Authentication Protocol

Entensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), a flexible framework created by the IETF (RFC 3748), allows arbitrary and complicated authentication protocols to be exchanged between the supplicant and the authentication server. Entensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is a simple encapsulation that can run over not only PPP but also any link, including the WiMAX link.

Entensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) includes a set of negotiating messages that are exchanged between the client and the authentication server. The protocol defines a set of request and response messages, where the authenticator sends requests to the authentication server; based on the responses, access to the client may be granted or denied. The protocol assigns type codes to various authentication methods and delegates the task of proving user or device identity to an auxiliary protocol, an Entensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) method, which defines the rules for authenticating a user or a device. A number of Entensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) methods have already been defined to support authentication, using a variety of credentials, such as passwords, certificates, tokens, and smart cards. For example, Protected Entensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP) defines a password- based EAP method, EAPtransport-layer security (EAP-TLS) defines a certificate-based Entensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) method, and EAP-SIM (subscriber identity module) defines a SIM cardbased EAP method. EAP-TLS provides strong mutual authentication, since it relies on certificates on both the network and the subscriber terminal. (Chong li, 2006).

In WiMAX systems, Entensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) runs from the mobile station to the base station over the Privacy Key Management version 2 (PKMv2) security protocol defined in the IEEE 802.16e-2005 air-interface. If the authenticator is not in the base station, the base station relays the authentication protocol to the authenticator in the access service network

(ASN). From the authenticator to the authentication server, Entensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is carried over RADIUS.

RADIUS (Remote Access Dial in User Service) in Wimax Technology Remote Access Dial in User Service (RADIUS)
The most widely used standard for communication between the authenticator and the authentication server, Remote Access Dial In User Service (RADIUS), is an IETF standard that defines the functions of the authentication server and the protocols to access those functions. Remote Access Dial In User Service (RADIUS) is a client/server User Datagram Protocol (UDP) application that runs over IP.

The authentication server is the Remote Access Dial In User Service (RADIUS) server, and the authenticator is the Remote Access Dial In User Service (RADIUS) client. In addition to authentication, Remote Access Dial In User Service (RADIUS) supports authorization and accounting functions, such as measuring session volume and duration that can be used for charging and billing purposes. The authentication, authorization, and accounting functions are collectively referred to as AAA functions. Numerous extensions to Remote Access Dial In User Service (RADIUS) have been defined to accommodate a variety of needs, including supporting EAP. (Wimax Forum, 2007)

Remote Access Dial In User Service (RADIUS), however, does have a number of deficiencies that cannot be easily overcome by modifications. Recognizing this, the IETF has developed a new standard for AAA functions: DIAMETER. Although not backward compatible with Remote Access Dial In User Service (RADIUS), DIAMETER does provide an upgrade path to it. DIAMETER has greater reliability, security, and roaming support than Remote Access Dial In User Service (RADIUS) does. (Wimax Forum, 2007)

Threats to Wimax Technology

Threats to Wimax Technology

Most of the experts and professionals claiming that broadband data delivered over 3G cellular networks will choke the hope of the Wimax industry for the standard to become worldwide significant. There are too many factors involved in weakening Wimax security, stability, Quality of service etc. In this chapter I am going to discuss the threats involved in Wimax deployment and in the infrastructure after that.

A Wimax wireless access network consists of wimax base stations and wimax Customer Premise Equipments. The wimax base stations provide network add-on to the wimax CPEs. As a serving wimax base station, a wimax Customer Premise Equipment (wimax CPE) selects the one which offers the strongest signal. At this point, the subscriber plays the role of the user while a wimax base station and a collection of served wimax Customer Premise Equipments (wimax CPE's) play the role of system.

The Medium Access Control (MAC) layer and physical layer are two most important layers of protocol architecture of Wimax Technology. Common Part sub layer is the essential part of Wimax technology layered architecture. In this layer, MAC Protocol Data Units (PDUs) are constructed, connections are established and bandwidth is managed. The Common Part (CP) exchanges MAC Service Data Units (SDUs) with the Convergence layer. The Privacy sub layer is tightly integrated with Common Part. The Privacy sub layer addresses authentication, establishment of keys and encryption. The Security sub layer exchanges MAC PDUs with the Physical layer. The Convergence layer adapts units of data of higher level protocols to the MAC SDU format, and vice versa. The Convergence layer also sorts the incoming MAC SDUs by the connections to which they belong. The Physical layer is a two-way mapping between MAC PDUs and Physical layer frames received and transmitted through coding and modulation of radio frequency signals. (Michel Barbeau, 2005)

Rouge Base Station threat to WiMAX network Rouge Base Station

A rogue base station is an attacker station that duplicates a legitimate base station. The rogue base station puzzles a set of subscribers trying to get service through what they believe to be a legitimate base station. It may result in long disturbance of service. The exact method of attack

depends on the type of network. In a WiFi network, which is carrier sense multiple access, the attacker has to capture the identity of a legitimate access point. Then it builds frames using the legitimate access point's identity. It then injects the crafted messages when the medium is available. In a WiMax network, this is more difficult to do because WiMax uses time division multiple access. The attacker must transmit while the rogue base station is transmitting.

The signal of the attacker, however, must arrive at targeted receiver subscribers with more strength and must put the signal of the rogue base station in the background, relatively speaking. Again, the attacker has to capture the identity of a legitimate base station. Then it builds messages using the stolen identity. The attacker has to wait until time slots allocated to the fake base station start and transmit during these time slots. The attacker must transmit while achieving a receive signal strength higher than the one of the fake base station. The receiver subscribers reduce their gain and decode the signal of the attacker instead of the one from the fake base station. The rogue base station is likely to occur as there are no technical difficulties to resolve. Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) supports mutual authentication, i.e. the base station also authenticates itself to the subscriber. When EAP mutual authentication is used, the likelihood of the threat is mitigated, but not totally and remains possible for reasons similar to EAP based authorization. The rogue base station or access point attack is therefore a threat for which the risk is critical. (Wimax Vision, 2006)

Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks to WiMAX Technology Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks on WiMAX
In wireless metropolitan area networks (MAN), the data service for a mobile is based on the model of service flow, a MAC layer transport service that describes the unidirectional flow of either uplink or downlink data. The establishment of a service flow uses a two phase model: a service flow is first admitted with provisioned resources, and then the service flow is then activated to have the resources committed on an on-demand basis. The service flow may be deactivated later to conserve network resources.

Primarily, when a wimax network has no downlink or uplink data, it will enter either Sleep Mode or Idle Mode, both of which aim to trim down the power utilization of the mobile station. Upon the availability of data, the serving base station will awaken the mobile station. The mobile station then establishes a connection with the base station via initial ranging. Ranging parameters are then adjusted for the connection. Finally, the service flow is reactivated for data transfer, and

the mobile station returns to the normal operation stage. Depending on whether the serving base station has the necessary information, the mobile station may need to carry out more signaling operations, such as basic capability negotiation, authentication and key management, reregistration, as well as IP connectivity reestablishment. Given the above signaling procedures, attackers may also launch similar signaling attacks to WiMax base station by triggering unnecessary state transitions that overload the base station with signal processing that leads to denail of service (DoS) attacks.. (Ramana Mylavarapu, 2005)

Application Layer Threats to WiMAX Technology- Application Layer Gateway (ALG) in Wimax Technology Application Layer Threats to WiMAX Technology
Software based threat management and secure access solutions will be as essential as ever, with a typical security infrastructure comprising components such as firewalls, virtual private networking (VPN), Internet key exchange (IKE) tunnelling, and intrusion prevention systems (IPS), each of which reside at the application layer of WiMAX Infrastructure .

For example, in an WiMax mesh network installation where routers or gateways will operate as intermediaries, or hot spots linking client and base station, there is an increased potential of security vulnerabilities, as the intermediary routers that reside between base station and client are presentable and vulnerable to attacks. Popular application level services, such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), could be broken by hackers who can initiate the download of remote configuration settings and resynchronize clients CPE settings to their specifications. Hackers may also replicate, or spoof the address of the intermediary router or server and deceive other clients into believing their connection is secure, thus opening them up to malicious attack. These routers and gateways will require robust security measures to ensure that unprotected clients remain protected behind the intermediary access point. (Lei Han, 2006)

The majority of existing routers will have their own firewall components that provide Application Layer Gateway (ALG) functionality for the signalling protocols that support and keep multiple sessions. Any deficiency in the Application Layer Gateway (ALG) functionality could result in diminished QoS for low latency applications, such as VoIP and

videoconferencing. OEMs must develop devices with Application Layer Gateways (ALG)s that permit inward call requests to the devices only from the device registered with the server and endpoints, while dynamically allowing inward media packets only on call set up. These media sessions are to be disabled on termination of the connection. (Lei Han, 2006)

Physical Layer Threats to WiMAX Technology Physical Layer Threats to Wimax Technology
Privacy Sub-layer resides on the top of Physical layer in IEEE 802.16 standard, therefore, Wimax networks are open to to physical layer attacks for example, blocking and rushing. Blocking is done by activating a source of strong noise to significantly lowering the capacity of the channel, therefore denying services (DoS) to all stations.

However, blocking or jamming is detectable with radio analyzer devices. Rushing or scrambling is another type of jamming, but it takes place for a short interval of time aimed at particular frames. Control or management messages could be jumbled, but it is not possible with delay sensitive message i.e., scrambling Uplink slots are comparatively hard, because attacker has to interpret control information and to send noise during a particular interval. (Michel Barbeau)

Privacy Sub Layer Threats to WiMAX Technology Privacy Sub Layer Threats to Wimax Technology
Privacy Sub layers main objective was to protect service providers against theft of service, rather than securing network users. It is obvious that the privacy sub layer only secures data at the data link layer, but it does not ensure complete encryption of user data. Furthermore, it does not protect physical layer from being interrupted. It is essential to include technologies to secure physical layer and higher layer security for a converged routable network and devices within the system. (Derrick Boom, 2004)

Mutual Authentication Problem In Wimax Technology Mutual Authentication Problem in Wimax

There are two types of certificate are categorize by WiMax standard: one is for Subscriber Station (SS) certificates and the other is for manufacturer certificates but there is no provision for Base Station (BS) certificates. A manufacturer certificate identifies the manufacturer of a WiMax device. It can be a self signed certificate or subjected to any third party. A Subscriber certificate identifies a particular Subscriber Station and enclosed its MAC address in the subject field. Manufacturers normally create and sign Subscriber Station certificates. Generally the Base Station (BS) uses the manufacturer certificates public key to validate the Subscriber Station (SS) certificate, and therefore identify the device as genuine. This design assumes that the Subscriber Station (SS) keeps the private key related to its public key in a sealed storage, preventing attackers from easily compromise it. The major drawback of the WiMax security design is the lack of a Base Station (BS) certificate. The only approach to defend the client against forgery or replay attack is to offer a scheme for mutual authentication. In 802.16e, EAP can be verified with specific authentication methods such as X.509 certificate. (D Johnston, J Walker, 2004)

Key Management Problem in WiMAX Technology Key Management Problem In WiMAX Technology
Key Management is another problem is WiMax technology, which uses Traffic Encryption Key (TEK) sequence space; it uses sequence number to make different messages. The protocol identifies each Traffic Encryption Key (TEK) with a 2 bit sequence number, enclosing the sequence number from 3 to 0 on every fourth re-key as a problem of replay attack; if replay works, Subscriber Station (SS) could not be able to detect this issue. (D Johnston, J Walker, 2004)

Identity Theft threat to WiMAX Technology Threat of Identity Theft In WiMAX

Another major threat to WiMax is Identity Theft; this method includes reprogramming of a device with the hardware address of another device. The address can be stolen over the air by interrupting management messages. A rogue Base Station (BS) is an attacker station which act as a genuine Base Station (BS). It confuses a set of Subscriber Stations or Mobile Stations when attempting to get service through what they believe being a genuine Base Station (BS). It is complicated in WiMax networks because of time division multiple access (TDMA) model. In this case, the attacker must transmit while the real Base Station (BS) is transmitting, with more signal strength and place the real Base Station (BS)s signal in the background, additionally attacker has to capture the identity and wait until a time slot of genuine Base Station (BS) starts transmitting the data.

Water Torture Threats to Wimax Technology Threat of Water Torture in Wimax Technology
Threats are very common to the wireless networks and the Wimax technology is not the one that still safe for wireless communication. A common threat to wimax arises from the water torture attack, in which an attacker sends a series of frames to drain out the receivers battery. Additionally, attacker with a properly positioned Radio Frequency (RF) receiver can interrupt the messages sent through wireless, and therefore a security mechanism in the design is required.

Current security mechanisms do not address well in IEEE 802.16a Mesh modes network, which lead into new security threats, such as the reliability of the next-hop mesh node. Introducing mobility in IEEE 802.16e standard will make the attackers life easier. As the physical location of the attacker is not an issue, management messages are more at risk than in IEEE 802.11. Therefore, it is important to maintain a secure connectivity while a mobile Subscriber Station (SS) shifts between wimax Base Stations. (D Johnston, J Walker, 2004)

An attacker can easily write to a radio frequency channel with the help of properly configured Radio Frequency transmitter to build new frame, capture, change, and retransmit frames from authorized station. The design is required to ensure a data authenticity technology. It is also likely to resend a valid, already sent frame unchanged. In case of long distance transmission, radio interference and distance may possibly allow an attacker to alter and selectively forward frames, in a situation where two authorized stations are not able to contact directly with each other. For that reason, the design is required to detect replayed frames during transmission. (David Johnston, Jesse Walker, 2004)

Black Hat Threat To WiMAX Technology Black Hat Threats to WiMAX Technology
Another threat to WiMax is black hat hackers, they are commonly known as awful people in our world with the negative thinking about cracking into the network or the computer system for their own financial benefit or mental satisfaction. They are also known as crackers or Black Hats. The essential thing to understand is not all the hackers are terrible as some people are doing penetration of a network or computer system in the limits of ethical standards to understand the vulnerabilities in their system or their clients system, also called white hat hackers. There are still the possibility that the WiMAX network can be a victim of black hats like WiFi and other wireless technologies.

Authentication Problem in Wimax Technology Authentication Problem In WiMAX

A primary standard in WiMAX (802.16) networks is that each Subscriber Station (SS) must have a X.509 certificate that will exclusively recognize the subscriber. The use of X.509 certificates makes it difficult for an attacker to spoof the identity of subscribers, adding sufficient protection against theft of service. A basic problem in the authentication mechanism used by WiMAX's is privacy and key management (PKM) protocol is the lacking in authentication of base station (BS) or service provider. This makes WiMAX networks vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, exposing subscribers to various confidentiality and availability attacks. (Joshua Wright,Dec 12 2006)

According to this above authentication problem I will research and find out that how we can put X.509 or relevant certificate to subscriber station so that it uniquely identify the subscriber as well as provide more security to the network against the usage theft. I also have to research about the man-in-the-middle attack so that we can make it more secure and reliable. I have to research and discuss about the private key management protocol and find out the solution to replace it with another protocol or suggestion.

Authentication Problem in Wimax Technology Authentication Problem In WiMAX

A primary standard in WiMAX (802.16) networks is that each Subscriber Station (SS) must have a X.509 certificate that will exclusively recognize the subscriber. The use of X.509 certificates makes it difficult for an attacker to spoof the identity of subscribers, adding sufficient protection against theft of service. A basic problem in the authentication mechanism used by WiMAX's is privacy and key management (PKM) protocol is the lacking in authentication of base station (BS) or service provider. This makes WiMAX networks vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, exposing subscribers to various confidentiality and availability attacks. (Joshua Wright,Dec 12 2006)

According to this above authentication problem I will research and find out that how we can put X.509 or relevant certificate to subscriber station so that it uniquely identify the subscriber as well as provide more security to the network against the usage theft. I also have to research about the man-in-the-middle attack so that we can make it more secure and reliable. I have to research and discuss about the private key management protocol and find out the solution to replace it with another protocol or suggestion.

WiMAX Availability Problem Wimax Availability Problem

WiMAX deployments will use licensed Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum, positively granting them some degree of protection from unintentional interference. It is reasonably simple, however, for an attacker to use readily available tools to jam the spectrum for all planned

WiMAX deployments. In addition to physical layer Denial of Service (DOS) attacks, an attacker can use legacy management frames to forcibly disconnect legitimate stations. This is similar to the de-authenticate flood attacks used against 802.11 (WiFi) networks. (Joshua Wright,Dec 12 2006)

To prevent the WiMAX network to be jammed, I will introduce the way that we can prevent the system from denial of service attacks by proposing physical layer security measures by extensive research. I also have to discuss and legacy management frames and propose the better alternative that prevents the network to be jammed by the attacker.

Other Threat to WiMAX Technology Other Threats to WiMAX Technology

According to experts wimax technology is still facing problems in security and also vulnerable to Denial-of-Service attacks, because there is no mechanissm in place to specifically detect and discard repeated packets in the message. An attacker could repeat many messages, valid or not, in an attempt to interfere with the operation of the network. The impact of this type of attack can be very high, because it might affect the operation of the communication system within WiMAX Technology.

The risk is significant and that it might be sensible to employ a second line of defence against such an attack. Several weaknesses in privacy and key management (PKM) have also been discovered. PKM prevents eavesdropping and passive attacks by using hashed-messageauthentication code and traffic-encryption keys (TEK). All key negotiation and data-encryptionkey generation rely on the authorization key's (AK) secret. The AK is generated by the base station, and the TEK is generated from the AK but only has a 2-bit identifier space, which is insufficient during the AK lifetime. (WiMAX Vision)

Regardless of good intentions for WiMAX security, there are a number of potential attacks open to attackers, including:
o o o o

Rogue Base Stations Denial of Service Attacks Man-in-the-Middle Attacks Network manipulation with spoofed management frames

The real test of WiMAX security will come when providers begin wide-scale network deployments, and researchers and attackers have access to service CPE equipment. Other attacks including WiMAX protocol blurring may enable attackers to further manipulate Base Stations (BS's) or Subscriber Stations (SS's). Until then, the security of WiMAX technology is limited to forecast. (Joshua Wright, 2006)

Enhancements In WiMAX Technology Enhancements In WiMAX Technology

There are so many threats that I have discussed before in my last chapter. Wimax technology is still vulnerable to threats and put this technology to risk to fail down in near future. But now its time to think and rebuild the internal security mechanism that is safer and provide more protection to both service providers and the consumers. At this decade WiMAX are facing problems in the aspects of network security and other threats like many other wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi. In this chapter I am going to discuss about the enhancements in WiMAX Technology that we can suggest any solutions and enhancements to the infrastructure of the WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) security mechanism in the light of references from other people work and research.

OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) in WiMAX Technology OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)
OFDM stands for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing; its a technology that provides the operator to beat the challenges of Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) transmission in the more efficient manner. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) waveform put forward the advantage of functioning with the larger delay spread of the NLOS background. With the excellent quality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) functionality, time and use of a cyclic prefix and its also removes the Inter Symbol Interference

(ISI) complications of adaptive equalization. Multiple narrowband orthogonal carriers composed because of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) waveform, localizing selective fading to a subset of carriers that are comparatively simple to equalize. A comparison between an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signal and a single carrier signal, with the information being sent in parallel for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and in series for single carrier are shown in Fig: 5. (WiMAX Forum)

The facility to remove delay spread, Inter Symbol Interference (ISI) and multi-path in a proficient manner allows for higher data rate throughput. It is simpler to equalize the individual Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) carriers than it is to equalize the broader single carrier signal. For these entire reasons modern international standard such as those set by IEEE 802.16, have created Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) as the ideal technology. (WiMAX Forum)

IMT Advanced : WiMAX & IMT Advanced What is IMT Advanced

IMT Advanced, also known as systems beyond IMT 2000 is expected to offer constant higher data rates with high mobility to assure likely growing need for mobile WiMAX services that goes beyond what IMT 2000 can afford to provide. IMT Advanced is awaiting technology that will require 3 to 5 years in the future with target maximum data rates, for research and examination, of up to 100 Mbits/sec in high mobility applications and up to 1 Gbit/sec in low mobility or nomadic applications. The capacity expected by IMT Advanced is often referred to as 4G. It is commonly acknowledged that Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDM) technology will be integrated in IMT Advanced in near future to get more the maximum benefits from the WiMAX. (WiMAX Forum)

IMT Advanced is a continuing effort. The full criteria, being extended within ITU-R Working Party 8F, are not expected until 2008. The specification of IMT Advanced technologies will probably not be completed until at least 2010. In preparation for IMT Advanced, the IEEE 802.16 Working Group has moved to initiate a new project designated as 802.16m with the intent of developing enhancements to IEEE STD 802.16 to ensure suitability as an IMT Advanced proposal. (WiMAX Forum)

Power Control - Error Detection in WiMAX Technology Power Control in Wimax Technology
Algorithms of power control are applied to enhance the general performance of the system, it is deployed by the base station sending power control information to every Wimax Customer Premise Equipments (CPEs) to control the transmit power level so that the level inward bound at the base station is at a fixed level. In a dynamical changing fading environment this predetermined performance level indicates that the Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) only broadcasts sufficient power to meet this constraint. The communication would be that the CPE broadcast level is supported on worst case circumstances.

The power control decreases the general power consumption of theWimax Customer Premise Equipments (CPE) and the possible interference with other base stations. For Line-of-Sight (LOS) the transmission power of the Wimax Customer Premise Equipments (CPE) is approximately comparative to its distance from the base station, for Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) it is also closely dependant on the clearance and barriers. (Martin K, Holger K, Lizhi C Z)

Error Detection Techniques in Wimax Technology

WiMAX technology have built-in error detection techniques to reduce the system Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) obligations. Convolutional Encoding, Strong Reed Solomon FEC, and interleaving algorithms are used to identify and correct errors to enhance throughput. These strong error correction techniques assist to recover corrupted frames that may have been missing due to frequency selective fading or burst errors. To remove the errors, Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) is used that cannot be corrected by the Forward Error Detection (FEC) by resending the error-ed information again. This notably improves the Bit Error Rate (BER) performance for a similar maximum level. (Deepak Boppana, 2005)

Sub Channelization and Transmission Diversity in WiMAX Technology

Sub Channelization in Wimax Technology

Another option within Wimax technology in the uplink is Sub Channelization. Without sub channelization, narrow restrictions and requirement for cost effective wimax Customer Premise Equipments (CPEs), usually cause the link budget to be unbalanced, for that reason the system range to be up link is restricted. Sub channeling allows the link budget to be objective such that the system gains are parallel for both the up and down links. Sub channeling focuses the broadcasting power into fewer OFDM carriers; this is what boosts the system gain that can either be applied to widen the reach of the system, overcome the infrastructure penetration losses, and or lessen the power consumption of the Customer Premise Equipments (CPE). The use of sub channeling is promoted expansion in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) to permit a more flexible use of resources that can maintain roaming or mobile operation. (Deepak Boppana, 2005)

Transmission Diversity in Wimax Technology

Transmission Diversity formats are used for improvement of multi-path and reflections signals that arise in Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) environment. Transmission Diversity is an optional element in Wimax technology. The transmission diversity algorithms presented by Wimax technology in both the transmitter and receiver significantly enhances the system accessibility. The Wimax transmit diversity option uses space time coding to offer transmit source freedom; this decreases the weaken margin requirement and resist the interference with other devices. For receive transmission diversity, a variety of joining techniques are present to increase the accessibility of the system. For example, Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) takes benefit of two separate receive chains to prevent fading and decrease path loss. Transmission diversity has verified to be a helpful tool for coping with the challenges of NLOS transmission. (Srikanth Mettukuru, 2007)

Antennas for Fixed WiMAX Application & Adaptive Modulation in Wimax Technology Antennas For Fixed WiMAX Applications
Directional antennas enhance the fade margin by adding together extra gain. This increases the link accessibility comparisons between directional and omni-directional antennas. Delay spread

is further reduced by directional antennas at both the Base Station and Customer Premise Equipment (CPE). The antenna pattern restrains any multi-path signals that appear in the sidelobes and backlobes. The efficiency of these methods has been verified and demonstrated in booming deployments, in which the service operates under considerable NLOS fading. (J,R.Sanford)

Adaptive Modulation
WiMAX system supports adaptive modulation to regulate the Signal Modulation Scheme (SMC) depending on the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) state of the radio link. When the radio link is soaring in quality, the peak modulation scheme is used, offering the system additional capacity. During a signal fade, the WiMAX system can move to a lower modulation scheme to keep the connection quality and link permanence.

This element allows the system to overcome time-selective fading. The key element of adaptive modulation is that it enhances the range that a higher modulation scheme can be used over, because the system can bend to the actual fading circumstances, as opposed to having a fixed scheme that is planned for the worst case situations. (Sam W. Ho, 2004)

Wimax Technology Future - WiMAX Future Trends Wimax Future

Public broadband access via wireless is not only a benefit to business travellers but is also an interesting business opportunities in itself. Broadband wireless internet access via hot spots in hotels, airports, convention centres, coffee shops, restaurants, etc. is a fast growing trend. Hot spots provide internet access for hire. Relatively economical to set up, all that is required to create a simple hot spot is a broadband connection and a wireless router. May hot spots use T1 for its high bandwidth, but DSL, cable and fixed wireless can also be used.

Wimax technology can make high speed wireless broadband internet services available to much larger areas than can typical Wi-Fi hot spots. Wimax implementations can provide a wireless range of up to 30 miles or 50 kilometres, much greater than the physical distance

limitations of Wi-Fi hot spots or DSL, Wimax technology can also be used to interconnect existing Wi-Fi networks.

Wimax Technology promises many strategic opportunities, not just as a backhaul solution for Wi-Fi delivering additional bandwidth to hot spots, but potentially for 3G networks too. Wimax Technology initially may be deployed as a wireless backhaul solution, but will be upgraded to a mobility application, once the 802.16e standard is approved and Wimax Technology capable client devices enter the market, marking a major increase in the anticipated market. (Mark W. Andrews, Joshua Raha, 2007)

Wimax Technology can compliment existing and emerging 3G mobile and wired networks, and can play a significant role in helping service providers deliver converged services that can be accessed using a broad range of devices on a wide variety of networks.

At the technical level, 3G and Wimax Technology solutions fit well together by providing different capabilities while allowing for seamless integration. 3G technologies have evolved over many years to become highly spectrally efficient, allowing operators to take advantage of costly spectrum dedicated to mobile services. 3G CDMA technologies such as W-CDMA and CDMA 2000 1xEV-DO provide high through puts in low bandwidths as 5 MHz and 1.25 MHz, respectively. (Mark W. Andrews, Joshua Raha, 2007)

Wimax Technology Future Threats WiMAX Technology Future Threats, Future Trends in 4G WiMAX Technology
Service providers, professional associations and industry experts are expecting to see some of the similar kinds of threats are expecting against Wimax Technology, like the older 802.11 Wi-Fi standard used against it. Ex-Tipping Point security consultant Shawn Merdinger said that "I expect we'll see similar problems with Wimax as we've seen with other devices, namely weak management protocols and vulnerable applications, embedded Web servers, unencrypted access via telnet and SNMP V1 and V2,". (Dan Jones, Aug 2007)

Security will grow to be a major issue with Wimax Technology and other high speed wireless services in the near future because experts and other potential hackers are not really aware of threats. At this decade Wimax Technology is not full fledged deployed in most of the areas of the world with very limited users. Access and authentication remains the essential wireless concern for enterprise buyers and consumers. There is, however, an increasing alertness that wireless's fragile link may not be in the security mechanism used to protect it, but rather in the insecure coding at the software driver level, which can be broken by intellectual hackers.

Ken Dulaney, Vice President of mobile computing at Gartner Inc said that "I don't think Wimax is any less secure than WiFi or cellular, both of which I think are secure. You will probably see some attacks, but I warn everyone who claims it's a Wimax failure to see whether the problem results from other areas". Wimax and Wi-Fi are both accepted of the same Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) technique. (Dan Jones, Aug 2007)

The prerequisites for a complete Wimax Technology security system are not even covered by the basic specification. The IEEE 802.16 standard and WiMAX only defines the air interface and the physical (PHY) layer and Media Access Control (MAC) layers. This still leaves work to be done on safety and privacy between different communication networks.