WiMAX

    The Beceem Linux driver module was extracted from an older version of the above package & was in staging for possible inclusion with Linux kernel (search for beceem/bcmnet). 

WiMAX is a standardized wireless technology for providing Internet access over a wide area. Technically, its actually a set of multiple technologies based on IEEE 802.16 standards and overseen by the WiMAX Forum to ensure universal compatibility. A tutorial on WiMAX is available for review. A WiMAX chatroom on Freenode is also available. WiMAX 2 is coming with noticably faster speeds.

Resources to find WiMAX providers

Connecting your computer and other Internet-enabled devices to to a WiMAX modem is pretty straightforward if using an Ethernet cable or wireless Wi-Fi connection since drivers would be readily available. For modems that connect via USB or PC/Express Card to a computer or that are embedded in laptops, notebooks & netbooks drivers would always be needed. One can assume that drivers for Windows would always be provided by the service provider. Support for Mac OS X is likely but not as certain. Now support for Linux is a whole 'nother story so keep reading. Whichever operating system you're using drivers would also need to be paired with a connection manager as well.

Open Source WiMAX resources

http://lists.linuxwimax.org/listinfo/wimax - Intel provides almost everything for Linux to connect a laptop or netbook with an Intel embedded WiMAX chipset. The files are included in recent versions of the Linux kernel (a start for the WiMAX Centrino chips search for i2400 & for the WiMAX Atom chip search for iwmc3200). The mailing list has lots of archived information.

    NetworkManager 0.9 has support for Intel's main WiMAX driver although many distros don't compile with it enabled - http://blogs.gnome.org/dcbw/2011/01/20/ill-take-all-4-gs/

    ConnMan has support for the Intel WiMAX drivers also via plugins.

http://code.google.com/p/madwimax/ - madWiMAX is a Linux driver based on the Samsung CMC-730 chipset.

http://code.google.com/p/gctwimax/ - gctwimax is a Linux driver based on the GCT Semiconductor GDM7213 & GDM7205 chipsets.

    A driver for gdm72xx USB WiMAX devices has been added to be considered for inclusion with the Linux kernel (i.e. in staging - search for gdm72xx)

http://developer.sprint.com/getDocument.do?docId=101032 - Sprint 4G Developer Pack which includes everything for connecting with Sprint 4G USB modems:

    Explanation on how to use the files in the above package to connect with similar USB modems to other WiMAX providers (in Russian): http://www.opennet.ru/tips/2468_linux_ubuntu_wifi_wimax_4g_usb_beceem.shtml

    Basic info on using an older release of the Beceem files: http://wireless80211.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/beceem-wimax-on-2-6-30/

https://dm-client.forge.funambol.org/ - Open Source device management client provided by Clearwire & Funambol

http://www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com/portfolio/products/4g-devices/4g-device-open-source-code-distribution-service - source code for all Motorola (now Nokia Siemens Networks) WiMAX fixed modems

http://www.infomark.co.kr/oss/down.html - Infomark device kernel source

http://www.maki4g.com/software - Maki wireless gateway (WiMAX CPE & Wi-Fi router) uses a fully open source software stack & also provides applications for authentication, device UI & OMA Device Management for clients & servers

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/telecomm/opensource/Mobile_WiMAX_CPE.html - Samsung SMT-S3500 modem source code

http://www.htcdev.com/devcenter/downloads - HTC Android devices kernel source code and binaries

http://wimax.orbit-lab.org & http://groups.geni.net/geni/wiki/WiMAX - The GENI project has shared information on their experiences deploying their own WiMAX networks with many universities. They have some instructions on installing Intel & Beceem WiMAX drivers and even released their open source base station server files and much more.

These sites/pages are offline indefinitely (some info from them may be archived):

http://www.linuxwimax.org/ - Intel hosted website about their WiMAX chipset driver; mailing list & files still available as above; site archive also available

http://developer.clear.com/wiki/open-src-conn-mgr/Getting_Started - Java-based Connection Manager with AIR GUI & Common API support

    The latest file from that site, 2009-09-03_ClearCMSourceCode.zip, is available here.

    The contents of that archive are also hosted at http://code.google.com/p/wimaxcm/.

http://community.4gdeveloper.com/ - 4G developer information hosted by the WiMAX Forum

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