WiMAX Registration Procedure: REG-REQ and REG-RSP Messages

This document details the fixed WiMAX registration process as per the IEEE 802.16 OFDM MAC layer specifications. It covers the registration messages exchanged between the Subscriber Station (SS) and the Base Station (BS), specifically the REG-REQ and REG-RSP messages, as defined in the WiMAX standard. The primary goal of this procedure is to enable the SS to enter the WiMAX network and become manageable by the BS.

The registration procedure can be summarized as follows:

• The SS transmits a REG-REQ (Registration Request) message to the BS.
• The BS responds with a REG-RSP (Registration Response) message. This message will include a secondary management CID (Connection Identifier) if the SS is a managed device.
• A managed SS then establishes a secondary management connection and configures its IP connectivity.
• An unmanaged SS will proceed with setting up pre-provisioned connections.

Notably, WiMAX-compliant SS and BS will negotiate the IP version to be used during the REG-REQ and REG-RSP message exchange, provided the SS is a managed device.

Following successful registration, the SS initiates DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) mechanisms to acquire IP connectivity.

WiMAX REG-REQ (Registration Request)

The following table outlines the typical fields included within a WiMAX REG-REQ message:

WiMAX REG-RSP (Registration Response)

The following table describes the typical fields carried within a WiMAX REG-RSP message: