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Abstract

A method and apparatus for a data transmission rate of multiples of 100 mega-bits per second (Mbps) in a terminal for a wireless metropolitan area network. A terminal includes a first media access control unit (MAC) unit for receiving Fast Ethernet data packets at a rate of 100 Mbps for communication over a wireless link, n-1 additional MAC units for receiving Fast Ethernet data packets at a rate of 100 Mbps for communication over the wireless link, a multiplexer having n inputs, wherein each input is coupled to receive the data packets from a corresponding one of the MAC units and wherein the output of the multiplexer provides time-division multiplexed data, a packet formatting apparatus coupled to the output of the multiplexer for formatting the time division multplexed data according to radio frames, and a wireless transceiver coupled to the packet formatting apparatus for communicating the radio frames over a wireless link wherein the wireless link has a maximum bandwidth capacity of at least n times 100 Mbps. Each MAC unit can include a rate control unit and a rate buffer for temporarily storing data packets received by the corresponding MAC unit prior to providing them to a corresponding one of the inputs of the multiplexer. Each MAC unit can include a corresponding layer-two or layer-three switch having a 100 Mbps port. The maximum transmission rate is limited only by the bandwidth of the wireless link.

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