The new Sony network walkman on display in Tokyo. Weighing just 47 g, the digital audio player is equipped with 1 GB built-in flash memory and FM radio tuner. (AFP)

Forget cranky telephone lines and convoluted cables. The new buzzwords for staying connected are Wi-Fi and WiMAX ? be it at airports, cafes, hotel lounges or an office corner. Here?s a low-down on what they are and how they benefit the user.

What is Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi or Wireless Fidelity is the popular name for Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11-based technologies used for high-frequency Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN). Wi-Fi is gaining acceptance as a wireless alternative to a wired LAN for emailing, web browsing, printing to local network printers and also sharing files with other computers.

The IEEE 802.11 group of standards is a set of protocols for Wireless Networking where IEEE 802.11b is the standard for WLANs operating in the 2.4 GHz spectrum with a bandwidth of 11 Mbps (megabits per second).

This single standard alone is often referred to as Wi-Fi, though there are other standards like IEEE 802.11a (for WLANs operating in the 5 GHz frequency range with a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps) and 802.11g (for WLANs operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency with a maximum data rate of 54 Mbps).

WLAN works via radio signal between a transmitter and a receiver Access Point. Wi-Fi enabled computers communicate with the access points which connect to the backend servers for Internet access.

Why Wi-Fi

Business travellers benefit with easy Internet access at airports and hotels from their laptops. Corporates and educational institutions, which require access from every part of the premises and need to share resources like high-speed Internet access, printers and other peripherals, find Wi-Fi useful as well.

A limitation for Wi-Fi is data speed. Internet access is not a problem but sharing large files over LAN can be noticeably slower on a Wi-Fi network. Moreover, the low-powered radio signal is unable to penetrate metal, other dense materials and water.

WiMAX: the future

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, offering data transfer rates of 70 Mbps over a distance of 30 miles to thousands of users from a base station. WiMAX will also provide benefits in areas like security, accessibility and support applications such as data, voice and video.