The best way to understand is by comparison.
"Telcos" transport data via copper wires
and sometimes fiber (see below). So-called "T1"
lines will transfer up to 1.5 million bits (not bytes)
of data per second (1.5 Mbps) in many areas. In some
areas, the "phone company" can offer faster
speeds if their equipment will support it (such as
T3 at 45 Mbps or other services which can run even
faster).
To tie two locations together, such as two offices,
with a dedicated T1 line requires that each office
rent a T1 from the phone company. The phone company
will either connect the two lines over their switching
equipment and lines or tie each line into the Internet
(at the customer's option). If the two offices are
far away from each other, a direct connection may
travel over the "long lines" of carriers
such as AT&T.
Reliability
If a tree falls on the telephone lines, the link
will fail. Telephone companies are burying (and upgrading)
their lines as rapidly as their resources will allow.
Cost
T1 and faster lines tend to be fairly expensive.
Another way to link sites is with fiber optics. A
length of fiber is buried, or hung on power poles,
from one location to the other. If the distance covered
is long, booster stations need to be installed along
the run. Sometimes you can rent fiber (or some bandwidth
on a piece of fiber) from a company that has already
done the work of laying fiber bundles. Fiber can transport
over 1 Gbps (billion bits per second).
Much of the fiber in the United States serves only
major metropolitan areas.
Reliability
Fiber hung on poles is as prone to problems as telephone
wire. If buried, a careless backhoe operator (who
can't read the warning posts) can sever the link easily.
Cost
Fiber is expensive when you consider the cost of
installing it (right of way charges, digging or pole
rent, "lighting" it, etc.). Fiber rents
are also high.
noWYR
can set up a similar system rapidly without the use
of wires or fiber. The wire or fiber is replaced by
very reliable, highly secure, microwave radios that
are "fixed" in place (as opposed to cellular
phones that can move about and are much slower).
If two offices or sites are relatively close and
have a line of site capability (you can see the other
site with binoculars or a telescope), we can "link"
them to each other with "point to point"
links. noWYR
will install a radio and antenna at each end. When
they're turned on, the radios provide a data link
just like wire or fiber. The amount of data that can
be transmitted depends upon the characteristics of
the area, the radios used, the antennas used, and
the distance between them. Speeds can range up to
1.25 Gbps. Ranges can be as far apart as 50 miles
(but you won't get that 1.25 Gbps link). The radios,
like DSL modems, are designed to plug into a computer
system or router without any special equipment, usually
with a "Fast E" Ethernet connection (up
to 100 Mbps) available on most modern computers. Faster
radios may require a "Gig E" connection
which is more specialized.
If there is no "line of site" between the
two points, we can often route around obstructions
using two or more links. Long "hops" can
be made with multiple links.
If no third parties are involved, such as a tower
company or a landlord, a fixed wireless link can be
up and running within a few days of the order.
Reliability
Nothing falling across a link will sever the connection
as long as it doesn't block the line of site, nor
can you dig it up. Very severe weather may slow it
down a bit.
With power backup capabilities even outages won't
stop a link, which makes wireless perfect for emergency
conditions. When disaster strikes, fixed wireless
links can be brought into the area to rapidly to serve
a ravaged community and emergency agencies. The links
can be powered by generators or even solar power.
Cost
Creating a link is relatively inexpensive. Once done,
there are no monthly expenses outside of electricity
(pennies) and perhaps tower space rent if needed.
A private wireless data link is considerably less
costly than fiber or dedicated telephone company links.
If the offices are too far apart, the signal can
ride on our network for a modest charge (assuming
we go there) or be routed into the Internet secured
by a Virtual
Private Network (VPN).
For more on wireless connections
between buildings or campuses.
How can I use Fixed Wireless?
Pretty much the same things you can do with wires:
Internet access; network computers together within
a building, between buildings, even between campuses;
create your own in-house telephone system; monitor
remote locations (or just your parking lot) with cameras
or sensors; conduct face-to-face video meetings without
having to travel to another location; conduct video
training at several different locations simultaneously.
The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
