Hybrid WiFi and WiMAX in Disaster Management for PPDR Services

Abstract

Wireless communications system plays an important role for the PPDR or also known as public protection and disaster relief organizations. The organizations involved are fire and rescue team, police department and may also involved with any other private association. Since these organizations are from a different level of backgrounds, there is also a discrepancy with their communication technologies thus create interconnection obstruction and may degrade the efficiencies between different jurisdictions. This research proposes a hybrid communication architecture for hybrid WiFi and WiMAX networks. These networks are interconnected using a WiFi/WiMAX router. The research also suggests the optimum number of WiFi users/responders that could optimally support the network using WiMAX as the backhaul connection. In addition to that, the performance of the application assigned to the Wifi users that could beneficial to the given bandwidth is measured as well. The results are simulated using OPNET Modeler and evaluated in terms of QoS parameters. This architecture could solve the interoperability difficulties, and also benefited to both responders and PPDR organizations.