WWAN and Wi-Fi: What is it actually?
- Wi-Fi: abbreviation for Wireless Local Area Network. It is a way to connect mobile devices wirelessly to the Internet. Meanwhile Wi-Fi is used in almost every household.
- WWAN: stands for Wireless Wide Area Network. It is a large-area radio network, the mobile devices are connected to the Internet. The wired counterpart to the wireless WAN is the WAN.
WLAN vs. WWAN
WWAN vs. WLAN: The differences
- Access: A Wi-Fi is often privately used: Nowadays, there are, however, more and more public and in some cases, free Wi-Fi HotSpots. WWAN is, among other things, for GSM, UMTS and LTE are used. The access is only via a SIM card from a cellular provider is possible.
- Hardware: In the private use, you need always a Router, to the Internet Signal from your provider to receive and then wirelessly transmit. A WWAN operated by the mobile operators about the mobile phone masts.
- Range: In the case of a private Wi-Fi, the range is often limited to 20 to 30 meters. Walls and other radio items in the range, which will not be noticed in your own four walls, however, usually reduce. With a Repeater the range can be increased. With special Hardware, a Wi-Fi can spark, around 300 meters far. In the WWAN, the picture looks very different: The large powerful mobile phone masts can send signals, often over several kilometers.
- Networking: In the private use, you may use your own Wi-Fi. In a large enterprise Wi-Fi will spread nets over several Hundred meters, so that a large-scale access is possible. The WWAN all mobile phone masts from a provider in a huge network to work together, often across the entire country.
Read now on the next page, as the range of your wireless network increase.
