Does Kubuntu support WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) also known as WiMAX?

[Derek Broughton]

Graham Todd wrote:

> My local Borough Council in the UK is starting a pilot project of WWAN
> (also known as WiMAX) 

Let's be precise here.  A WWAN can be implemented using WiMAX, but they're
not the samething at all.  A WWAN is purely a networking topological
concept, whereas WiMax is a hardware implementation of a wireless ethernet. 
You're implementing a WWAN using WiMax, but it could be done in other ways,
and WiMax could be used for non-WWAN networks.

> and I wondered if Kubuntu incorporates and drivers 
> to use dedicated cards, and if so which one is best.

"Kubuntu" has nothing to do with kernel drivers.  The question is first
whether such drivers have been written for linux (any variety), and then
whether Ubuntu has packaged them.  There are Linux drivers (see
http://linuxwimax.org/).  It appears from there that there may not be
support for anything but Intel (no surprise - Intel has been very good
about supporting Linux in all areas).  The Intel wimax driver is included
in the current ubuntu kernel (linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.24-16-generic), and
is the only mention of "wimax" I can find in current packages, so I think
you're stuck with Intel.

> If you don't know any thing about WWAN see this link:
> 
> http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-wwan.htm

LOL.  They make the same mistake you did - except they think WWAN is a
synonym for a cellular-based wireless network: no WiMax at all!
-- 
derek