| WiFi | WiMax | |
| Recommended Uses | Short-range, LAN-centric | Long-range, MAN-centric |
| Spectrum | Unlicensed spectrum 802.11b/g – 2.4 GHz 802.11n – 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz | Unlicensed or licensed spectrum between 2-66 GHz US: 2.4 GHz International: 2.3 GHz, 3.5 GHz |
| Quality of Service | Minimal - QoS is relative only between packets/flows | Guaranteed - QoS is assured using scheduling algorithms at MAC layer |
| Cell Footprint | < 300 meters maximum Most implementations about 30 meters | Up to 10 kilometers Most implementations about 3 km |
| Bandwidth | 802.11b: 11 Mbps max 802.11g: 54 Mbps max 802.11n: at least 100 MbpsAll bandwidth is at short range | Up to 70 Mbps theoretical max Up to 40 dedicated subscriber channels Expect 15 Mbps at 3 km range |
A comparison of typical WiFi and WiMax performance characteristics