Wireless Network Project

Wireless Network Research project
Table of Contents:
Abstract…………...…………………………………………………………………….. 3
Introduction………………...…………………………………………………...............3
How it started?………………...…………………………………………………..…....3
The wireless networks components...………………………………………….…......5
Wireless Network Technology: Overview and Applications ………………..…..….5
Types of Wireless Networks………………………………...………………………....9
Comparing Wireless LAN with Wireless WAN…………….………………………..15
Wireless Standards………………………………………….………………………...17
IEEE standard 802.11………………………………………………………………...17
Architecture of IEEE 802.11 standard…………………………………………....…18
The independent BSS as an ad hoc network…………………………………...….18
The IEEE 802.11 subsets…………………………………………………...………..19
IEEE standard 802.15………………………………………………………………...20
IEEE standard 802.16………………………………………………………………...21
Wireless Home……………………………………………………………….………..21
Wireless Mesh Network……………………………………………………….………23
Wireless Networks Software………………………………………………………….26
Wireless Networks Security…………………………………………………………..29
Societal Implications of Wireless Connectivity………………………………..……32
The Politics of Wireless Networking…………………………………………………33
Conclusion .………………………………………………………………..…………. 35
References………………………...……………………………………….…………..36
Abbreviations List…………………………………………………………..……….…39
Glossary ………………………………………………………………..………………40
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Abstraction
Undoubtedly, Wireless networks are changing the way people connect to each other and that
very fast. This kind of networks has become popular since the first days of introduction and use. I
believe that this was our primary reason, why we as a team have chosen this topic as our
Research Project. Through him (RP), we think to cover some important details and necessary
things which have to know everyone who thinks to use this kind of network.
The Project includes an introduction part and overview; skip through general types of wireless
networks and their applications to wireless standards, to later on continue with wireless software
and also with the wireless security. Our idea was to cover also the impact of this new technology
in the modern world and changes made. With the paper, comes everything which fulfils normal
Research Project standards. We suppose that time spent on reading it, wont be a wasted time.
Introduction
Any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic.
Arthur C. Clark
If you want to make a call from your mobile, if you want to check your email from your PDA, if
you want to receive a message in your pager, if you want to make data portable and if you don’t
want to have cable problems than all you need is WIRELESS NETWORK.
How it started?
Wireless Network started as a research project of the University of Hawaii. It has been
surprisingly around for a little over 30 years.
In Hawaii Islands, people there needed a wireless network to connect universities in 4 Islands.
The result of the researchers was Alohanet which was predecessor of nowadays WLAN. Even
that Alohanet it was a mess of networks it still reached the goal and achieved data transmission
1-2Mbps which was very impressive for that time.
Over the last couple of years Wireless Network has begun to see various incremental
enhancements and adaptations to the protocol as it grows to meet industry’s needs 1.
Wireless technologies are increasingly becoming popular in our everyday lives. Government
agencies, public places, businesses are using it more and more in their environment.
Devices commonly used for wireless networking include portable computers, desktop
computers, hand-held computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phones, pen-based
computers, and pagers.
You may also ask why wireless instead of wired networks? Because in the simplest sense
wired networks are for communication between fixed locations and wireless is for communication
between devices, so this means that we are not anymore dependable on the location.
Also the air is free so why don’t we use it…
So, as we said the basic idea behind the wireless network is network connections without
wires.
Less wiring means greater flexibility, portability, increased efficiency, and reduced wiring
costs. Wireless technologies cover a broad range of differing capabilities oriented toward different
April 2008
uses and needs. They range from global voice and data networks, which allow users to establish
wireless connections across long distances, to infrared light and radio frequency technologies
that are optimized for short-range wireless connections.
1
Introduction to 802.11 Wireless Networks standard; CyberScience laboratory; May 2003
3 | Page
Components of Wireless Networks (as we can see from the configuration in the figure 1 2) are
all directly replacing the common wired network components one per one where wireless network
card replaces the wired network card; radio waves replaces Ethernet cabling, plugs and jacks and
a wireless network access point unit replaces the Ethernet hub.
Fig 1. Wired network components replaced by wireless network component

April 2008
This figure contains the simplest network configuration and it doesn’t show the network
addressing and configuration details-IP addresses, gateways, DNS etc.
2
Aspinwall,Jim Installing, troubleshooting and repairing wireless networks USA 2003:McGraw-Hill
4 | Page
The wireless networks components
It is consisted of two types of equipment:

- Wireless station (it can be laptop, notebook personal computer, desktop PC, PDA, barcode
scanner etc)
- Access point (it functions as a base station for wireless network, aggregating multiple
wireless stations onto wired network.
Theoretical ranges for wireless LAN 802.11 are from 29 meters (for 11 Mbps) in a closed
office area to 485 meters (for 1 Mbps) in an open area.
However, through empirical analysis, the typical range for connectivity of 802.11 equipment is
approximately 50 meters (about 163 ft.) indoors. A range of 400 meters, nearly ¼ mile, makes
WLAN the ideal technology for many campus applications. It is important to recognize that special
high-gain antennas can increase the range to several miles. 3
Figure 2. Typical Range of 802.11 WLAN
Use of Wireless Networks in real-life
Wireless networks can be used anywhere. Its very useful in university campuses where
students can sit under the tree and read mail or search library for books, it is of great value to
fleets of trucks, taxis, delivery vehicles, and repairpersons for keeping in contact with home, are
also important to the military, wireless parking meters, important use also is for food, drink, and
other vending machines …
Once you begin using wireless data, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.
Wireless Network Technology: Overview and Applications

It is obvious that Wireless Networks are making a big mess for the other and older kind of
networking technologies. Researches try to make that kind of connection even more secure,
which is another thing that does wireless technology to proliferate as a fire.
April 2008
So, making a wireless networks from a side of the biggest cities in the world it is not
accidentally.
3
Karygiannis,Tom ; Owens.Les ;Wireless Network Security 802.11, Bluetooth and Handheld Devices
Gaithersburg,November 2002.
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“A New York Times article (Scheisel, 2005) recently reported that more than 10 million homes
in the United States employ a wireless router to access the Internet, up from virtually none in the
year 2000.
Legislative battles rage over the right of municipalities to provide free or inexpensive wireless
Internet access to citizens. The technology to support wireless networking continues to evolve at
a rapid pace, promising that faster, cheaper, more pervasive wireless computing solutions will be
available to businesses and consumers who will require always-on, seamless, wireless
computing experiences. Wireless networks clearly offer an array of advantages over traditional
wired networking solutions to users in all types of networks and industries. These advantages
include mobility, ease of installation, reduced cost of ownership and scalability, which in turn lead
to increased productivity and interpersonal communication.” 4
In this project will be discussed in deeper way about the history, types of wireless networks,
their applications, the standards used today for this kind of network. We won’t forget also to
mention something about the security aspect, which is one of the unpleasant sides for the
wireless technology. This paper will also outline an interesting part which deals with installing,
troubleshooting and possible repairing of the network.
WPAN
“WPAN technologies enable users to establish ad hoc, wireless communications for devices
(such as PDAs, cellular phones, or laptops) that are used within a personal operating space
(POS). A POS is the space surrounding a person, up to a distance of 10 meters. Currently, the
two key WPAN technologies are Bluetooth and infrared light. Bluetooth is a cable replacement
technology that uses radio waves to transmit data to a distance of up to 30 feet. Bluetooth data
can be transferred through walls, pockets, and briefcases. Technology development for Bluetooth
is driven by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which published the Bluetooth version 1.0
specification in 1999. Alternatively, to connect devices at a very close range (1 meter or less),
users can create infrared links.
To standardize the development of WPAN technologies, IEEE has established the 802.15
working group for WPANs. This working group is developing a WPAN standard, based on the
Bluetooth version 1.0 specification. Key goals for this draft standard are low complexity, low
power consumption, interoperability, and coexistence with 802.11 networks.” 5
WLAN
At this point in time, wireless connectivity solutions can be grouped into three main categories.
All three use Radio Frequency (RF) technology to transmit data through the air. The first
category, wireless local area networking (WLAN), transmits data between a wired network and a
mobile user or users (Types, 2005). Its origins lie in the encrypted radio signals sent by allied
operatives across enemy lines during World War II. Referred to as “spread spectrum technology,”
the wartime messages paved the way for the first computational wireless network, which was
created in 1971 at the University of Hawaii. The project, called ALOHNET, had seven computers
set up on four islands communicating with one central computer on Oahu, none of them using
phone lines (Bautts, 2005). In a modern-day example of WLAN technology, businesses
commonly issue network-connected laptops with wireless cards to their employees to replace
desktop computers. This allows their employees to be productive anywhere within the bounds of
the corporate network. It also encourages collaboration by giving them the ability to form ad hoc
work groups. In certain situations, it can provide employees with incentives to use their computers
April 2008
at home or in coffee shops, where they may do work outside of traditional work hours. In this
case, because the employees’ work time seeps into their leisure time, a perceived benefit for the
4
H. Nodler, A World Without Wires: The future of Wireless Networking, Knowledge Management Systems,
Dr. Don Turnbull, May 3, 2005
5
http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/f2552467-f693-4c14-b421-
49cb2491bb361033.mspx?mfr=true
6 | Page
employee (the use of a computer with wireless capabilities) becomes a very real benefit for the
employer.
Wireless LANs operate using a transceiver device to send and receive data. This device, also
referred to as an “access point,” connects the computers on the wireless network to a wired
network. The computers are equipped with wireless networking devices, which come standard on
many laptop and handheld computers now. Each access point ensures connection to the network
within a radius of anywhere from 100 to several hundred feet. Access points are strategically
placed across a network area so that connection areas overlap and users can travel between
them without interruption of service, a process called “roaming.” (Proxim, 1998) Several different
protocols exist for wireless local area networking; all approved by the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Together, LAN protocols have been assigned the numerical
grouping 802. They are then broken down into further groupings. 802.11b (Wireless Fidelity -
commonly referred to as “WiFi”) is the standard used by most WLANs today. A new standard
802.16 (WiMax) is currently being developed to provide connectivity with a 30-mile radius around
each access point.”
WMAN
WMAN technologies enable users to establish wireless connections between multiple

locations within a metropolitan area (for example, between multiple office buildings in a city or on
a university campus), without the high cost of laying fiber or copper cabling and leasing lines. In
addition, WMANs can serve as backups for wired networks, should the primary leased lines for
wired networks become unavailable. WMANs use either radio waves or infrared light to transmit
data. Broadband wireless access networks, which provide users with high-speed access to the
Internet, are in increasing demand. Although different technologies, such as the multichannel
multipoint distribution service (MMDS) and the local multipoint distribution services (LMDS), are
being used, the IEEE 802.16 working group for broadband wireless access standards is still
developing specifications to standardize development of these technologies.
WWAN
WWAN technologies enable users to establish wireless connections over remote public or
private networks. These connections can be maintained over large geographical areas, such as
cities or countries, through the use of multiple antenna sites or satellite systems maintained by
wireless service providers. Current WWAN technologies are known as second-generation (2G)
systems. Key 2G systems include Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Cellular
Digital Packet Data (CDPD), and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Efforts are under way
to transition from 2G networks, some of which have limited roaming capabilities and are
incompatible with each other, to third-generation (3G) technologies that would follow a global
standard and provide worldwide roaming capabilities. The ITU is actively promoting the
development of a global standard for 3G.
Below is a table indicating the range that wireless data networks can handle:
Meters Network
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0-10 Personal Area Network
0-100 Local Area Network
0-10000 Wide Area Network

Table 1. Wireless range
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Wireless Mesh Network
“In a mesh network, the wireless connection extends not only to client computers, such as
wireless laptops, but between other network nodes. This is in contrast with a typical wireless local
area network, where the client computers connect wirelessly to an access point but that device is
in turn plugged into the wired corporate network. The connection between the local area network
and a larger corporate network or the Internet is known as the "backhaul."“ 6
Connectivity and Bandwidth
In 1985, the FCC made segments of the bandwidth spectrum available for use by certain
telecommunications devices without a license. The unregulated spectrum was known as the ISM
(Industrial, Scientific and Medical) bands, and the FCC recently added to the unregulated a
spectrum 300 MHz of additional bandwidth. This dedicated free bandwidth ensures that anyone
adhering to pre-set standards of power and technologies applied can reap the benefits of wireless
connectivity without having to obtain a license or pay fees.
Future WLAN Applications
Wireless connectivity has to a great extent changed the way we live, and it promises to do so
increasingly. Currently, WLANs allow employees in organizations to carry out their duties and
remain constantly connected to a network, where they can retrieve, and exchange and store
information. Doctors and nurses in hospitals frequently carry handheld devices connected to the
hospital’s WLAN to record and download vital patient information to and from the network.
(Proxim, 1998) Students on college campuses tote laptop computers from class to class,
remaining constantly connected to the Internet, and supplementing their classroom educations.
WLANs are also increasingly employed to establish voice connections between users with Voice-
over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which transmits voice data across the Internet in data packets. The
appeal of VoIP is that since most providers charge a flat monthly rate, calls can be connected
without incurring long-distance fees. This can provide a very cost-effective solution to users who
routinely make international calls. Voice-over WiFi (VoWiFi) combines VoIP with wireless
networking technology. Using a PDA or a laptop computer equipped with a wireless card and
Internet telephony software, a user can make a telephone call over a wireless network. One
advantage of this technology over traditional cellular phone technology is improved connection
quality indoors or underground. Some cellular phone companies have developed hybrid
telephones that operate using VoWiFi most of the time but can switch to a regular cellular
connection if the user happens to move out of the LAN area. (Beal, 2005)
Future WPAN Applications
The possibilities of WPAN extend beyond the ability to sync one’s Palm Pilot to a desktop
without wires. Currently, the Bluetooth protocol is being applied in the development of pervasive
computing solutions for the home. In the very near future, the majority of people may use a
Bluetooth-enabled wireless connection and a personal controller to access or remotely control
many “intelligent” devices, such as handheld computers, mobile telephones, cars, kitchen
appliances, home lighting systems, etc., which can detect users’ changing locations and respond
to their needs accordingly (WPAN, 2005)
Developers are working on a generation of wearable devices that will perform functions such
April 2008
as allowing the wearer to input data without using a keyboard or mouse, or monitoring the
wearer’s vital statistics. These applications, together with home and office pervasive computing,
could save time and be of tremendous help to people with illnesses or disabilities.
Wireless Standards
6
http://www.baselinemag.com/print_article2/0,1217,a=159982,00.asp
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The developing generations of wireless technology we believe that will have soon access to
an unprecedented breadth of wireless standards. Those should increase the range, speed, and
quality of wireless connectivity. A specific topic deals about those standards in general, and the
most known of them.
Wireless software
To manage the hardware of the new wireless technology, we need some tools that would
indirect those tools to us. As the number and type of wireless devices increase to networks, the
need for their management and control is a priority. This part deals with this middleware, as an
important part of using the wireless network.
Wireless Security
Wireless security is a discussable topic, which should be one of the primary concerns of the
every networks administration. Mechanisms are a lot, but if they are playing the real role and
providing the needed security protection, is a topic that should be explained later on.
Conclusion
We live in exciting times, when hosts of emerging wireless technologies promise radical
change in our modes of perception, interaction, democratic participation, and time and
information management. As new technology is developed, we will witness even greater change,
which hopefully will benefit society, rather than harm it. In the meantime, we have an obligation to
approach that technology with a certain degree of criticality.
Types of Wireless Networks
Till now we have mentioned what our project will consist and we have described their
essence. Now we are going to explain things more detailed.
In this project we will discus about 5 wireless networks categories:
1. System interconnection (Bluetooth)

2. Wireless PANs
3. Wireless LANs
4. Wireless MANs
5. Wireless WANs
System interconnection is all about interconnecting the components of a computer using

short-range radio7.
A personal area network (PAN) is A PAN is a subset of a wireless LAN, it is a computer
network used for communication among computer devices including telephones and personal
digital assistants close to one person.
April 2008
The reach of a PAN is typically a few meters. PANs can be used for communication among
the personal devices themselves, or for connecting to a higher level network and the Internet.8
Now that we explain what PAN is we can continue with the Wireless PAN which is tone of the
objective of this research paper.
7
Tanenbaum, Andrew S; Computer Networks
8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_PAN
9 | Page
A wireless PAN is a collection of mobile devices that make up a “piconet” (tiny network),
typically located in one room. The PAN replaces the wires that would normally connect one piece
of equipment to another9.
So, Wireless PAN can be made possible via IrDA and Bluetooth.
Bluetooth is a personal area network (PAN) standard and is the most common WPAN
technology.
It is a low power, short range, two-way wireless communication network.
Its goal is to connect components without wires. Bluetooth, the new technology was named
after the 10th Century Danish King Harold Bluetooth.
It was designed to allow low bandwidth wireless connections to become so simple to use that
they seamlessly integrate into our daily life. The Bluetooth specification is an open specification
that is governed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) 10. Intel, IBM, Toshiba, Nokia, and
Ericsson formed the SIG GROUP in 1998.
It’s a great opportunity if we want to connect scanners, digital cameras, headsets, mobile
phones etc by only being brought within the range, no driver installation, just turn them on and
they’ll work.
Bluetooth has short range (10 m), low power consumption, license-free 2.45 GHz ISM, voice
and data transmission, approx. 1 Mbit/s gross data rate 11.
Figure 3. Examples of Bluetooth and their connection
Another type of wireless networks is Wireless Metropolitan Area Network – WMAN.

It was based on the 802.16a standard and appeared in June 2004 and it provides a
communications path between a subscriber site and a core network such as the public telephone
network and the Internet.
The goal of WMANs is to provide high-speed wireless Internet access similar to wired access
technologies such as cable modem, digital subscriber line (DSL), Ethernet, and fiber optic. IEEE
was motivated by the ability of the wireless technologies to cover large geographic areas without
the need to deploy wires.
The Wireless MAN standard has a range up to 30 miles with a data rate of up to 70 Mbits per
second, capable of providing 60 businesses with Internet connections at T1 speeds of 1.5
Megabits or up to 400 homes at DSL rates 12.It is a single-carrier (SC) modulation scheme
designed to operate in the 10-66 GHz spectrum. However, the 10-66 GHz spectrum is strictly
line-of-sight.
Wireless MAN can serve as the "backhaul" or Internet connection for Wi-Fi hotspots 13. Intel
April 2008
participation in the wireless MAN industry is a major “wildcard” factor, very important factor
9
White paper ;HP Broadband Wireless notebooks: integrated high-speed
wireless connectivity
10
http://www.wirelessdevnet.com/channels/bluetooth/features/bluetooth.html
11
http://www.holtmann.org/lecture/bluetooth/Bluetooth.pdf
12
http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/columns/article.php/2195771
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because it has integrated Wi-Fi functionality in its Centrino mobile computing chipset. Now Intel is
touting WiMax as the metropolitan area version of Wi-Fi. The European organization, ETSI, has
been working on a similar project, referred to as HiperMAN.
Wireless MAN has interesting advantages. It can deliver real-time voice-over-IP and video
services at very low costs, in terms of data-carrying capability, wireless MAN far surpasses 3G
wireless networks, it allows delivery of service in a highly flexible way, extends, replaces or backs
up existing fiber infrastructure within hours, eliminates fiber trenching and leased line cost etc.
This table shows the comparison between WMAN, WLAN and Bluetooth 14.
Parameters 802.16a (WiMAX) 802.11 (WLAN) 802.15 (Bluetooth)
Frequency Band: 2-11GHz 2.4GHz Varies
Range ~31 miles ~100 meters ~10meters
Data transfer rate: 70 Mbps 11 Mbps - 55 Mbps 20Kbps - 55 Mbps
Number of users: Thousands

Table 4. WMAN, WLAN and Bluetooth comparison
Figure 4 shows an example of a network topology in which PMP and mesh topologies are
used to cover a large metropolitan area.
April 2008
Figure 4. Network Topology
13
Wi-Fi is a way to connect to the Internet wirelessly - no phone jack required. Wi-Fi hotspots are
locations where you can find a Wi-Fi connection.
14
http://www.javvin.com/protocolWiMAX.html
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The use of WMAN in reality
WMAN is a very powerful tool for linking all high schools in around 50 villages; it lets teachers,
stuff and students in touch between themselves, farmers can communicate with agricultural
experts, health care professionals at villages can consult specialist at the Main Hospital etc.
MANs bring people into a community and assist them with social, educational and career
challenges.
A Local Area Network or LAN is simply a way of connecting computers together within a single
organization, and usually in a single site (which may comprise many buildings such as a college
campus). A LAN can be considered to be the same as an intranet, although the term intranet is
often used to include the computers, servers and the software systems attached to it as well 15.
We have wired LANs and wireless LANs.
The basic distinction between them is their construction where wired LANs are connected
through wires and wireless LANs via radio links or infrared light.
In this part of the project we will be concentrated in wireless LANs.
How it started?
WLAN technology and the WLAN industry date back to the mid-1980s when the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) first made the RF spectrum available to industry. During the
1980s and early 1990s, growth was relatively slow. Today, however, WLAN technology is
experiencing tremendous growth. The key reason for this growth is the increased bandwidth
made possible by the IEEE 802.11 standard16.
Wireless LAN is a type of local area network that uses high frequency radio waves to
communicate between computers, peripherals, and networking devices.
These wireless devices needs wireless card which will send and receive signals. Nowadays
laptops come with cards already installed.
A wireless LAN comprises a number of "access points" linked into the main campus network
backbone. An access point is a piece of equipment which acts as a bridge between the wireless
parts of the LAN and the wired parts. They are radio transmitters and receivers which
communicate with the computers in range and with the LAN backbone.
Typically only one or two access points will be needed in a room (depending on the size of the
room, the expected number of users and its construction 17.It permits data rates up to 54Mbps for
coverage indoor spots. An access point communicates with devices equipped with wireless
network adaptors; it connects to a wired Ethernet LAN via an RJ-45 port. Access point devices
typically have coverage areas of up to 300 feet (approximately 100 meters). This coverage area
is called a cell or range18.
Wireless LAN uses electromagnetic airwaves to communicate information from one point to
another without relying on any physical connection. Electromagnetic airwaves for transmitting
signals can be radio waves which simply perform the function of delivering energy to a remote
receiver and infrared waves which are cheaper to install and also some devices have already
installed infrared ports.
A wireless LAN can be used as an extension to or as an alternative for a wired LAN, a stand-
alone network, or as a group access point to the Internet.
So, wireless LANs will be used in conjunction with wired LANs to maximize the benefits.
Wireless devices can be simply a part of the traditional wired LAN as we see in the figure 5.
15
Franklin, Tom Wireless Local Area Network 2001
April 2008
16
17
18
12 | P a g e
Figure 5. Basic wireless LANs
It is a flexible data communication system; it transmits and receives data over the air,
minimizing the need for wired connections. Also It is very important cause it combines data
connectivity with user mobility.
This leads to a number of benefits which can be economic and educational. Economic
benefits in the aspect of setting wireless network in the buildings or places where is very difficult
to lay cables and where drilling walls is very expensive, making rooms flexible and extend
coverage to new areas etc.
Also educational benefits for students who are computing with wireless connectivity this
means new methods into classrooms and new educational possibilities for exploring. Furthermore
they can be accessed from anywhere, so users with access to a LAN can share applications and
devices anywhere in LAN.
Who mostly needs wireless LAN?
Wireless mostly needs those who cannot run wires through the environment or those who live
in places where wires cannot be set up, companies that need common shared facilities, those
who will use temporary offices for example for campaign where is bad to involve money in LAN
infrastructure and than to leave that environment, its ideal thing for travelers and commuters
which have to be connected
One important issue for Wireless LANs is their cost. It will depend on the infrastructure already
in that place, the configuration of the campus including the buildings, the building materials that
they are constructed from and of course the coverage that the LAN is expected to provide 19.
So far WLANs have been installed in universities, airports, and other major public places.
Their use is inevitable. Decreasing costs of WLAN equipment has also brought it to many homes.
April 2008
Large future markets are estimated to be in health care, corporate offices and the downtown
area of major cities.
Today wireless LANs are becoming more widely recognized as general purpose connectivity
alternative for a broad range of business customers.20
19
20
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Introduction-Wireless-Networking-Part1.html
13 | P a g e
So, we mentioned above so many impressing things about wireless LANs. But nothing in this
world is perfect, and so is LAN. It also has a number of disadvantages.
As disadvantages we can mention:
 Security
Wired LANs are more secure than Wireless ones. As we now the signal produced y Wireless
LAN will pass through walls which means that hackers does not even need to be inside the
premises to access LAN, and be inside the firewall. Also its easier to monitor the traffic on the
network and so acquire user names and passwords.
 Standards still evolving

Standards are still rapidly evolving and sometimes they are not compatible with each other
because there are many organizations from many countries which have been defining various
standards.
 Network cards
Network cards for wireless Networks are more expensive than those for wired
networks. For example we can mention that the card for Ethernet start at £ 10 and wireless
cards start at around £ 60. Even
that the price is going down everyday more it still they cannot be as cheap as wired cards cause
they are more complex ones.
 Interference from other devices

Wireless LANs frequencies are part of unlicensed spectrum which is shared among many
devices. These include cordless telephones, garage door openers, microwave cookers and
Bluetooth. Till now it doesn’t seems as great problem but as we see the number of wireless
devices is increasing and this may be a serious problem in the future.
Wireless WAN has been utilizes since the mid 1980s and it is a communications network
utilizing devices such as telephone lines, satellite dishes, antennas, and microwaves to span a
larger geographic area than can be covered by a local area network.
Wireless WANs are used to give Internet connectivity over a much broader coverage area. It
allows users to have access to the Internet, e-mail and corporate applications and information
even while away from their offices or home.
Wireless WANs use existing cellular telephone networks, so there is also the option of making
voice calls over a wireless WAN. Both cellular telephones and wireless WAN PC Cards have the
ability to make voice calls as well as pass data traffic on wireless WAN networks.
A WWAN differs from a WLAN since it uses cellular network technologies such as GPRS /
CDMA2000 / GSM / CDPD / Mobitex to transfer data. These cellular technologies are offered
regionally, nationwide, or even globally and are provided by a wireless service provider such as:
AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless, Sprint PCS or Verizon for a monthly usage fee21.
Although wireless LANs and wireless WANs may appear to be competing technologies, they
are far more useful as complementary technologies. Used together, a user would have the best of
both technologies, offering high-speed wireless access in a campus area, and access to all their
data and applications with high-speed cellular access from anywhere with wireless WAN network
coverage.
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WWAN today and tomorrow22
21
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWAN
22
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWAN/ Microsoft - Wireless WAN Interface
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Today Longhorn
Embedded Radio Modules

PC Cards
Device Types PC Cards
Cell Phones
Cell Phones
NDIS using custom OIDs

Driver Model WWAN NDIS Interface
Modem Emulation
Custom configuration software Extensible Native WWAN UI

Complicated OOB configuration Easy OOB configuration
Features No integration with WLAN Enables WLAN-WWAN Roaming
Difficult to get Windows logo Easy to get Windows logo
No test tools provided Test tool included with beta
Table 2. WWAN today and tomorrow
With wireless WAN, customer satisfaction is up and support costs are down. WWAN brought
many benefits to many companies and satisfaction to the employers as we see from the
quotation.
“ The wireless WAN has dramatically improved the way we

service our customers. HP provides on-site
technical support faster than ever before — and at
less cost. “
Bob Floyd23
Vice president-Service Delivery
Operations America Technology Services
Comparing Wireless LAN with Wireless WAN
Now that we know the basic concepts for Wireless LAN and Wireless WAN we can make a
comparison between them. A wireless wide area network (Wireless WAN), covers a much more
extensive area than wireless LANs. Coverage is generally offered on a nationwide level with
wireless network infrastructure provided by a wireless service carrier.
While wireless LANs are used to allow network users to be mobile within a small fixed area,
wireless WANs are used to give Internet connectivity over a much broader coverage area, for
mobile users such as business travelers or field service technicians.
We can compare them in these fields:
1) Speed
 802.11b wireless LAN standard transfers data at speeds of up to 11 Mbps, with typical
rates of between 1–4 Mbps, decreasing as more users share the same wireless
LAN connection. The next version, 802.11a, is supposed to transfer data at speeds of up
to 54 Mbps24.
April 2008
- Wireless WAN speeds differ depending on the technology used. GPRS networks offer a
maximum user data rate of over 115 kbps if all eight timeslots in a cell are allocated for
data transmission, (one timeslot can provide between 9 and 21 kbps 25)
23
http://www.sprint.com/business/resources/CaseStudy_HP.pdf
24
White paper ; Wireless LANs vs. Wireless WANs ; 2002 November 18; Sierra Wireless
25
White paper ; Wireless LANs vs. Wireless WANs ; 2002 November 18; Sierra Wireless
15 | P a g e
2) Data security
Security is one of the most important features when using a wireless network. Security is
one of the biggest strengths for cellular wireless networks (WWANs) and one of the
biggest weaknesses in 802.11 networks (WLANs). Security can be increased on wireless
LANs by using shared key authentication. This shared key must be delivered through a
secure method other than the 802.11 connection.
3) Hotspots
Hotspots are wireless LANs available to the public in a location, like an airport, coffee
shop, or city neighborhood. These (hotspots) enable users to access the network either
free of charge, or for a fee paid to the network operator.
4) Costs
Since wireless LANs operate in the unlicensed frequency range, there is no service cost
for using a private wireless LAN. There will be a monthly Internet service provider cost for
accessing the Internet through your wireless LAN access point
For cellular wireless WANs, the wireless network is acting as your Internet service
provider by providing access to the Internet over their wireless network. The wireless
provider therefore charges a monthly subscription rate to their network, similar to a
wireless phone subscription.
As a great SOLUTION is to WLAN and WWAN work together.

Used together, a user would have the best of both technologies, offering high-speed wireless
access in a campus area, and access to all their data and applications with high-speed cellular
access from anywhere with wireless WAN network coverage.
April 2008
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Wireless Standards
All standard that are developed for Wireless Network have one author, it is the IEEE or
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. IEEE is a non-profit, technical professional
association of more than 360,000 individual members in approximately 175 countries that is an
authority in technical areas such as computer engineering and telecommunications.
Below in this chapter we will describe more details about WLAN IEEE 802.11 Standard
especially its architecture and subsets. Thereafter we will talk about characteristics for WPAN
IEEE 802.15 and WMAN IEEE 802.16.
IEEE standard 802.11
IEEE Standards are documents that are developed within the Technical Committees of the
IEEE Societies and the Standards Coordinating Committees of the IEEE Standards Board. The
standards developed within IEEE represent a consensus of the broad expertise on the subject
within the Institute as well as those activities outside of IEEE that have expressed an interest in
participating in the development of the standard.
The figure below enables us to show the relationship between the IEEE standard 802.11 (that
is part of a family of standards for local (WLAN) and metropolitan area networks (WMAN)) and
other members of the family:
Figure 6. IEEE 802.11(for local WLAN) and WMAN
Wireless LAN standard defines the protocols and compatible interconnection of data
communication tools by means of the air, infrared or radio in a LAN using the carrier sense
multiple access protocol with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) medium sharing mechanism. MAC
or the medium access control supports operation under control of an access point as well as
between independent stations. Power management to reduce power consumption in mobile
stations, and a point coordination function for time bounded transfer of data, verification,
association, and re-association services and an optional encryption/decryption procedure are
April 2008
includes by the protocols.
The standard includes the definition of the management information base (MIB) using Abstract
Syntax Notation 1 (ASN.1) and specifies the MAC protocol in a formal way, using the
Specification and Description Language (SDL). Both ASN.1 and SDL source code have been
added on a floppy diskette.
17 | P a g e
The main purpose of this standard is to provide wireless connectivity to automatic machinery,
equipment, or stations that require rapid deployment, which may be manageable or hand-held, or
which may be mounted on moving vehicles within a local area (this is used in games). This
standard also offers regulatory bodies a resource of standardizing access to one or more
frequency bands for the purpose of local area communication.
Architecture of IEEE 802.11 standard
One most important part of Wireless LAN Standard is the architecture of IEEE 802.11,
because it describes the components that interact to provide a wireless LAN that supports
location mobility transparently to its upper layers.
The fundamental construction Block of an IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN is the Basic service set
or BSS because all radio-related functions are performed in the BSS, constricts of base station
controller (BSC) and the base transceiver station (BTS). BSC provides all the control functions
and physical links between the MSC (mobile services switching center) and BTS whereby
handles the radio interface to the mobile station.
In figure 1 show two BSS, each of which has two stations that are members of the BSS. It is
useful to think of the ovals used to represent a BSS as the exposure area within which the
member stations of the BSS may stay behind in communication. If a station moves out of its BSS,
it can no longer directly communicate with other members of the BSS.
Figure 7.
The independent BSS as an ad hoc network
Firstly, let we say few words about ad hoc network (including the definition) and them we will
describe the independent BSS as an ad hoc network.
“An ad-hoc (sometimes known as a "spontaneous") network is a local area network or other
small network, especially one with wireless or temporary plug-in connections, in which some of
the network devices are part of the network only for the duration of a communications session or,
April 2008
in the case of mobile or portable devices, while in some close proximity to the rest of the network.
In Latin, ad hoc exactly means "for this," further meaning "for this purpose only," and as a result
usually temporary.”
The independent BSS or IBSS is the most basic type of IEEE 802.11 LAN standard. When
IEEE 802.11 stations are able to communicate directly is possible IBSS. A minimum IEEE 802.11
LAN may consist of only two stations. In figure 1 shows two IBSS. This type of operation is often
18 | P a g e
referred to as an ad hoc network, for the reason that this type of standard is often formed with no
pre-planning, for only as long as the LAN is needed.
Distribution system concepts
For some networks, the physical limitations agree on the direct station-to-station distance that
may be supported, this distance is sufficient. For some others networks this distance is not
constant, it is dynamic (increased reporting is required).
The architectural component used to interconnect BSS is the distribution system (DS). Instead
of existing competition, a BSS may also form a component of an extended form of network that is
built with multiple BSS. The distribution system mediums (DSM) are separates from the wireless
medium logically IEEE 802.11 standard. It’s coherent that each logical medium is used for
different component of course for purposes of architecture. The distribution system enables
mobile device support by providing the logical services necessary to handle address to
destination mapping and seamless integration of multiple BSS.
An access point (AP) is a station (STA) that provides access to the DS by providing DS
services in addition to acting as a station.
As a result, data move between a BSS and the DS via an AP. The addresses used by an AP
for communication on the WM and on the DSM are not necessarily the same.
Figure 8.
The IEEE 802.11 subsets
The IEE 802.11 wireless LAN standard inland has 9 subsets. Those subsets or substandard
are used because Wireless LAN works with different frequency range, signals and some others
characteristics that we will describe bellow for each subset.
802.11a
IEEE 802.11a operates in the 5-GHz frequency range (5.125 to 5.85 GHz) with a maximum
54Mbit/sec. signaling rate. The 5-GHz frequency band isn't as crowded as the 2.4-GHz frequency
April 2008
because it offers considerably more radio channels than the 802.11b and is used by smaller
number applications. It has a shorter range than 802.11g, is essentially newer than 802.11b and
isn't well-matched with 802.11b.
802.11b
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Operates in the 2.4-GHz Industrial, Scientific and Measurement (ISM) band (2.4 to 2.4835
GHz) and provides signaling rates of up to 11Mbit/sec. This is a very commonly used frequency.
Microwave ovens, cordless phones, medical and scientific equipment, as well as Bluetooth
devices, all work within the 2.4-GHz ISM band.
802.11e
Ratified in late September of 2005, the 802.11e quality-of-service specification is designed to
guarantee the quality of voice and video traffic. It will be particularly important for companies
interested in using Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) phones.
802.11g
Similar t o 802.11b, but this standard supports signaling rates of up to 54Mbit/sec. It also
operates in the heavily used 2.4-GHz ISM band but uses a different radio technology to boost
overall throughput.
802.11i
Sometimes called Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA 2), 802.11i was ratified in June 2004. WPA
2 supports the 128-bit -and-above Advanced Encryption Standard, along with 802.1x
authentication and key management features.
802.11k
Predicted for ratification in mid-2006, the 802.11k Radio Resource Management standard will
provide measurement information for access points and switches to make wireless LANs run
more efficiently. It may, for example, better distribute traffic loads across access points or allow
dynamic adjustments of transmission power to minimize interference.
802.11n
The Standard for Enhancements for Higher Throughput is designed to raise effective WLAN
throughput to more than 100Mbit/sec. Final ratification is expected in late 2006.
802.11r
Expected to be ratified in mid to late 2006, the 802.11r Fast Roaming standard will address
maintaining connectivity as a user moves from one access point to another. This is especially
important in applications that need low latency and high quality-of-service standards such as
voice-over-WLAN.
802.11s
This standard will deal with mesh networking. It is predicted to be ratified in mid-2008.
A wireless personal area network (WPAN) has its standard as wireless LAN, developed by
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association (IEEE-SA). The name of
this standard is IEEE standard 802.15, it was approves in 2002. The first version of this standard,
802.15.1 was adapted from the Bluetooth specification and is completely compatible with
Bluetooth 1.1.
April 2008
Parameters for wireless communications among portable digital devices including notebook
computers, peripherals, cellular telephones, beepers, and consumer electronic devices are
familiar and usually used by Bluetooth. The specification also allows for connection to the
Internet.
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The IEEE 802.15 Working Group proposes two general categories of 802.15, called TG4 (low
rate) and TG3 (high rate). The TG4 version provides data speeds of 20 Kbps or 250 Kbps. The
TG3 version supports data speeds ranging from 11 Mbps to 55 Mbps. Added skin contain the use
of up to 254 network devices, dynamic device addressing, support for devices in which latency is
critical, full handshaking, security supplies, and power management. There will be 16 channels in
the 2.4-GHz band, 10 channels in the 915-MHz band, and one channel in the 868-MHz band.
Plans of IEEE are to refine the 802.15 specification to work with the Specification and
Description Language (SDL), particularly SDL-88, SDL-92, and SDL-2000 updates of the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recommendation Z.100.
IEEE 802.16 is a Wireless Metropolitan area network standard for 10 to 66 GHz published by
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, approves in 2002. It addresses the "first-mile
and last-mile" connection in wireless metropolitan area networks.
Inland this standard is created a platform that enables to build a broadband wireless industry
using high-rate systems that install quickly without extensive metropolitan cable infrastructures.
The IEEE 802.16 standard enables interoperability between devices from multiple manufacturers.
It also, includes a medium access control layer (MAC) that supports multiple physical layer
specifications. The physical layer is optimized for bands from 10 to 66 GHz.
Akin the Wireless LAN IEEE 802.11 standard and Wireless MAN IEEE 802.16 standard has
its subsets. IEEE 802.16a is one of them. It is advanced from principles to support multimedia
services like a videoconferencing, voice, and gaming. There also are includes optional mesh
architecture.
Wireless Home
Our focus within this chapter is to describe the concept of Wireless Home, in underway we are
going to explain more details which are in relations with mobile telecommunication.
CTIA or the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association is the international
organization that aims to represent all elements of wireless communication - cellular, personal
communications services, enhanced specialized mobile radio and mobile satellite services and
serves the interests of service providers, manufacturers and others.
"The wireless home is a terrific way to demonstrate the wireless lifestyle. Each year we
become more and more wireless in our everyday lives, and the home is a great way to
demonstrate the pervasiveness of this medium. It has a new look and feel this year that is sure to
capture the attention of everyone in attendance", said Robert Mesirow, vice president and show
director for CTIA WIRELESS.
Highlights of the Wireless Home
The car company “Chrysler” will demo a crash-proof wireless-enabled car of the future.
Thanks to 75 MHz of spectrum recently allocated by the FCC for dedicated short range
communications, an in-board unit will communicate wirelessly with roadside units and alert the
driver if he/she is in danger of drifting off the road. Research to develop this cooperative
April 2008
communication network between vehicles and the road is being conducted under the U.S.
Department of Transportation's Intelligent Transportation Program, in partnership with the
automotive industry and state departments of transportation. This smart car can also transmit
anonymous traffic data to traffic operation centers and deliver real-time information to news
outlets and other drivers.
21 | P a g e
Use of this technology maximizes efficiency and reduces costs for the consumer. Accenture
will demonstrate smart metering with a series of networked intelligent meters and appliances that
allow utility companies to better monitor energy usage
Wireless technology is just scratching the service of what is possible in kitchens today!
Samsung's Internet refrigerator is the "brains" of the kitchen.
In the powder room, Accenture will display an online medicine cabinet that integrates
smart labels, face recognition, voice synthesis and flat panel displays. This display will be used to
recognize members of a household and in return, display a list of personalized health reminders
such as allergy alerts, doctor's appointments and medication reminders. Because it is connected
to the Internet, all of this information can be shared securely with physicians and pharmacists
from the comfort and the convenience of your home. In the same time with the device, you can
monitor vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse rate, cholesterol and blood sugar, and it will
even send a warning if you pick up the wrong medication.
For sure that for every parent is very important the safety and security of children. Because of
this fact, Mobile Guardian comes into play, providing operators with an end-to-end solution that
blocks unwanted, unauthorized and harmful content and contact from mobile phones. On display
in the child's bedroom, visitors will experience how mobile operators can take advantage of fully-
integrated age verification, content access controls, content filtering and usage controls; and how
this product allows all aspects of mobile service to be controlled directly by subscribers, parents
and administrators from Web-based or handset-based interfaces.
Also from Accenture this year is a media transformation prototype -- a novel approach to
media storage that replaces the CD/DVD format by almost any shape or form. In the family room,
this device will enable music, movies, video games and other interactive media to be embedded
into standardized forms smaller than a credit card or other creative shapes such as concert
tickets, T-shirts, booklets or figurines.
The Samsung i830 world phone is an international favorite that can be used virtually
anywhere your travels may take you with its dual mode GSM/CDMA functionality. Also on display
in the living room, the i830 is packed with Windows(R) Pocket PC applications, Bluetooth wireless
technology, advanced speech recognition, speakerphone, MP3 player, built-in QWERTY
keyboard, and EVDO connectivity for faster data transfer. Motorola's C51 Communication System
is a 5.8 GHz digital expandable, cordless phone system that connects to a Bluetooth mobile
phone and has audio/video monitoring capabilities. A camera located at the front door integrates
with the phone system and enhances any security system.
The home office is where wireless technology first made its entry into the home, but
technology for this important room certainly hasn't stopped evolving! The Kyocera KR1 Mobile
Router creates a wireless broadband network and functions like an access point supporting
multiple computers and devices with high-speed wireless data services. VeriSign's Backup Plus is
an over-the-air, mobile phone data backup and restore solution that empowers and protects the
mobile lifestyle. Developed for mass-market devices, Backup Plus stores your valuable mobile
data such as contacts, pictures, video, and music to a secure VeriSign server where you can
manage your data directly from a phone or online "virtual locker."
As the premiere global event representing the complete wireless, mobile computing and
wireless Internet industry and the largest wireless show in the world, CTIA WIRELESS 2006
brings together all industries within the communications ecosystem and all those affected by
wireless technology for three days of intense learning and networking.
April 2008
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Wireless Mesh Network
Until now, there were mentioned many types of the wireless networks, but certainly not the
most interesting one of them, wireless mesh network.
This type of network, as the name says, is “mesh networking implemented over a Wireless
LAN.” 26 The mesh networking is not a thing which is new. That is a smarter and an efficient way
of combining two components (ex: computers) for transmitting data, voice and other stuffs. This
type of continuous connection is established with hopping from node to node. A better definition
stands from Tomas Krag and Sebastian Büettrich, who defined it as a “network that employs one
of two connection arrangements, full mesh topology or partial mesh topology. In the full mesh
topology, each node is connected directly to each of the others. In the partial mesh topology
nodes are connected to only some, not all of the other nodes”. 27
Let’s go back where we start, about the Wireless mesh networks. Wireless mesh networks are
networks which are similar to Internet, except that are smaller. There “are ’multihop’ systems in
which devices assist each other in transmitting packets through the network, especially in
adverse conditions. You can drop these ad hoc networks into place with minimal preparation, and
they provide a reliable, flexible system that can be extended to thousands of devices.” 28
With this kind of networking we are in the benefit, because information from one node is
transmitted just to the other next node, but every one of them is linked with many others, and not
just with one. So, if a node is off (from damage), her work is done by her neighbors, whose job is
to find another route for transmitting the same data. It implies that Wireless mesh networking is
reliable and resilient.

Figure 9. Nodes organized in a mesh network
Those nodes play the role of mesh routers and mesh clients. They operate not only as a host,
but also as a router. The connection between nodes is established automatically and that mesh
connectivity is maintained among them-selves. That’s why when mentioning Wireless mesh
network, we mean about network, which is self-configured and self-organized.
April 2008
The reasons for using the Wireless mesh networks aren’t in small numbers. In the most
important ones, we are numbering:
26
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_mesh_network
27
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/wireless/2004/01/22/wirelessmesh.html
28
http://www.surfability.com/ITC/mesh.php
23 | P a g e
 “Price: 802.11 radios have become quite cheap, but the radios are often still among the
most expensive elements of such network. The fact that each mesh node runs both as a
client and as a repeater potentially means saving on the number of radios needed and
thus the total budget.
 Ease and simplicity: If you have a box that is pre-installed with wireless mesh
software and uses standard wireless protocols such as 802.11b/g, the setup is extremely
simple. Since routes are configured dynamically, it is often enough to simply drop the box
into the network, and attach whatever antennas are required for it to reach one or more
existing neighboring nodes (assuming that we can solve the issue of IP address
allocation).
 Organization and business models: The decentralized nature of mesh networks
lends itself well to a decentralized ownership model wherein each participant in the
network owns and maintains their own hardware, which can greatly simplify the financial
and community aspects of the system.
 Network robustness: The character of mesh topology and ad-hoc routing promises
greater stability in the face of changing conditions or failure at single nodes, which will
quite likely be under rough and experimental conditions.
 Power: The substrate nodes of a mesh network – possibly excepting those nodes that
maintain an up-link to the Internet – can be built with extremely low power requirements,
meaning that they can be deployed as completely autonomous units with solar, wind, or
hydro power. (A side comment: Piggybacking mesh networks on projects that primarily
aim at energy production might be a very feasible strategy – with every panel or windmill,
a node. Power generating units are typically connected to points of infrastructure and
human presence. This makes them valid locations for network nodes. As a secondary
benefit, the presence of integrated network nodes within power networks may aloe for
better monitoring and management.)
 Integration: Mesh hardware is typically small, noiseless, and easy encapsulated in
weatherproof boxes. This means it also integrates nicely outdoors as well as in human
housing.
 Reality fit: Reality rarely comes as a star, ring or a straight line. In difficult terrain – be
that urban or remote – where not every user can see one or few central points, chances
are she can see one or more neighboring users. “ 29
How is created this kind of network?! It’s very easy; “using a series of special 802.11b Access
Points (MeshAPs) that create a single, scalable wireless network. The gateway MeshAPs (that is,
the MeshAP that is connected to the internet) can obtain its internet access from WiFi, local
broadband, dial-up modem, ISDN or even a self contained GSM/GPRS module for really
unconnected locations.”30 Later one, in order we want the network we have to become bigger in
size, we have to add just another MeshAP. Built around standard 802.11b (WiFi) Hardware,
access to the networks is similar, and that with a standard WiFi network card.
“Conventional nodes (e.g., desktops, laptops, PDAs, PocketPCs, phones, etc.) equipped with
wireless network interface card (NICs) can connect directly to wireless mesh routers. Customers
without wireless NICs can access WMNs by connecting to wireless mesh routers through, for
example, Ethernet. Thus, WMNs will greatly help the users to be always-on-line anywhere
anytime. Moreover, the gateway/bridge functionalities in mesh routers enable the integration of
WMNs with warious existing wireless networks such as cellular, wireless sensor, wireless-fidelity
(Wi-Fi), worldwide inter-operability for microwave access (WiMAX), WiMedia networks.
Consequently, through an integrated WMN, the users of existing network can be provided with
April 2008
otherwise impossible services of these networks.” 31
29
30
http://www.surfability.com/ITC/mesh.php
31
I.F.Akyildiz, X. Wang, W. Wang: “Wireless mesh networks: a survey”, 1. Introduction, available
online(from 1 January 2005)
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Today’s network technology is filled up with many protocols, standards and products, including
the Wireless mesh networks. The importance differs from one to another. But, all they try to
manage one job, and that is better communication rules between sides.
Different approaches are review hereinafter:

 “AODV is a routing protocol for ad-hoc networks designed with mobile wireless devices in
mind. It is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 Mobile Mesh protocol contains three separate protocols, each addressing a specific
function:
1. Link Discovery
2. Routing
3. Border Discovery
The Mobile Mesh software is covered by the GNU General Public License (Version
2).
 TBRPF, or Topology Broadcast based on Reverse-Path Forwarding, is a proactive,
link-state routing protocol designed for mobile as-hoc networks, which provides hop-
by-hop routing along minimum hop paths to each destination. It seems it is patent-
protected unless it becomes an IETF standard.
 OSPF is a link-state routing protocol. It is designed to be run internal to a single
Autonomous System. Each OSPF router maintains an identical database describing
the Autonomous System’s topology. From this database, a routing table is calculated
by constructing a shortest-path tree.
 GNU Zebra is free software that manages TCP/IP-based routing protocols. It is
released as part of the GNU Project, and is distributed under the GNU General Public
License. It supports BGP-4 protocol as described in RFC1771 (A Border Gateway
Protocol 4) s well as RIPv1, RIPv2, and OSPFv2.
 LocustWorld develops a free bootable CD solution based on the AODV protocol,
and also develops and sells a complete ready-to-deploy MeshBox running its
software, most (but not all) of which is available under the GPL. The Mesh Box and
mesh software have been used in a number of community networks in the UK.
 4G MeshCube. The German company 4G Mobile Systems has developed a tiny
MeshCube running Debian Linux on a MIPS processor, using MITRE Mobile Mesh
routing software. This is a ready-to-deploy gateway with both a wireless and a wired
interface. With a power consumption of 4W (and potentially lower), it is ideal for
deployment with an autonomous sustainable power source.”32
As a conclusion: “Clearly, wireless mesh networks are gaining traction. The promise of more
complete coverage, faster speed, strong reliability, ease of deployment and a lower cost than
many existing options make wireless mesh networks a very attractive and affordable alternative.
As city governments, metropolitan areas and businesses evaluate mesh networks, keep in mind
they’re best suited for large indoor and outdoor spaces where cabling doesn’t exist and the
design of the network is the most critical factor for completing a successful implementation.” 33
April 2008
32
33
http://www.dominopower.com/issues/issue200507/00001406003.html
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Figure 10. An example of a WMN in a city
We can freely say that this technology is promising a lot for the generations that come. In the
USA, “most of the interest in this technology has come from municipalities wanting to provide
citywide data networking to police, firefighters and other public employees. Some cities and
grassroots organizations are offering Internet access via mesh topology; the city of Philadelphia is
planning an ambitious project of this sort. Cities often can mount the required equipment on light
poles throughout area.”34 With Philadelphia, are starting to joint the Wireless mesh network also
Taipei, Tempe, etc., and this is not the end. But, “to strengthen the market penetration and secure
the success of WMNs, more research is needed.”35
Wireless Networks Software

Fixing problems wireless technology need some extra tool that maybe indirect tool. This more
to see what is happening to the radio signal or data’s that are passing between adapter and
access point or between adapters in one “ad hoc” network.
Of course to manage these tests, die-hard techies and serious radio frequency engineers will
use high tech equipment that cost like expensive test equipment—signal generators, spectrum
analyzers, and network packet sniffers/analyzers—to assess the environment of and around a
wireless network installation. This means that for most of us is difficult to pay such cost for
highly specialized electronic equipment we will use only once or twice.
Practically wireless networking is not as logical or measurable as tests you may perform on a
hard drive or serial I/O port. In these cases you will not find diagnostic programs, but instead,
metering software that provides some visualizations of wireless signals. However there are a few
April 2008
examples of adapter card–specific signal strength and network availability monitors that provide a
good relative indication of signal strength, but as you get into network design and reliability, you
need something more absolute than a poor/weak, good, or excellent indication. In fact, what is
34
http://www.baselinemag.com/article2/0,1540,1858551,00.asp
35
I.F.Akyildiz, X. Wang, W. Wang: “Wireless mesh networks: a survey”, 18. Conclusion, available
online(from 1 January 2005)
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needed is something that will tell you in known absolute values which signals exist nearby, and
how strong they are
Fortunately, many programmers took it upon themselves to find out how these new wireless
devices work and pulled out some very valuable data. They have found ways to present us the
information that will help to make sense of this invisible connection between computers and
networks.
The results are several programs that can help to see and somehow understand what is going
on in one wireless networking environments. Herewith should be underlined that most of those
programs are for Linux systems. All this results are coming to us through the features, functions,
and admitted limitations of what a wireless network adapter can reveal to us. Saying that the
world of Linux is a good ground for some of the deepest and most profound network and internet
innovation, this does not mean that Windows and Macintosh users are not left in the dark.
Wireless may be the one thing, next to the Internet, that brings these separate and distinct
platforms together for the good of all. It is not about replacing wires with invisible energy fields. It
is that all at once, three distinct computing platforms are thrust into working together at the same
time. Through wireless and all that it promises for networking and applications outside of pure
computing, users of these platforms must configure and exchange a variety of common
information in order to establish a common networking ground. It is no longer AppleTalk versus
NetBIOS, TCP/IP versus IPX/SPX, or variants and workarounds in between, but purely the same
technology and the same terms applicable to all platforms. The interaction of users with wireless,
signal integrity, wireless security and failure analysis bring these platforms together.
In the same time the tools used to monitor and analyze wireless and security is not in same
level available for all platforms. In this direction the most known applications for determining
wireless network security levels, AirSnort and WEPCrack, are available only for Linux/UNIX
platforms. This fact makes all Windows and Mac networks system administrators, who do not
know to use Linux, to try to learn it quickly or to hire a consultant from outside to help them to
assess the security for their networks. Of course hiring this type of consultants has usually high
cost. But, AirSnort and WEPCrack could be labeled as tools that have been designed only for the
purpose of hacking into someone’s wireless network. But in order to assess security, you need
something or someone to try to breach it. Better you using these tools on yourself and tightening
up security than someone unknown, with motives unknown, trying to breach your network’s
borders.
UNIX/Linux
It can deal with the operating system just so much before becoming frustrated at the lack of
concise step-by-step documentation to get you quickly to the point where a new device, feature,
or program simply functions. For Linux to be viable, some degree of detailed technical support
must exist with or for the user, this more for wireless applications. In terms of realizing the user-
friendly attributes that make an operating system approachable and practical ore at least tolerable
to work with, UNIX systems have far to go. Most of us do not want to GUnzip, untar, compile, link,
debug, decipher log files, decipher and edit obscure and esoteric configuration file parameters,
learn C and shell scripting to be able to read and extract salient bits of command parameters, and
do so over and over again for 12 to 24 hours, only to fail to get a simple wireless network card or
two to work. Linux and UNIX in general, need more user-friendly tools, at least in the context of
wireless networking, before it can make a dent in the Windows market. In reality, it is need more
time to find information on the internet to get various fragments of information that finally can help
getting a wireless adapter to work with Linux. There is quit big need for manual about steps
through UNIX system configuration for the masses. These are not religious or philosophical
April 2008
issues, abiding respect for UNIX experts and the many great things about UNIX-based systems,
but this genre of operating system is still about five years behind the DOS-to-Windows, plug-and-
play, auto recovery, goof protection progress that has been made in the WinTel (Windows+Intel)
market recently. However, there are ways to get Linux to do at least one thing it is good at with
wireless devices—routing, firewall, and access control. This can be done without immersing
yourself in the struggles of getting this card or that to be recognized and automatically configured
27 | P a g e
at boot time, using external wireless bridges or access points connected to an otherwise
ubiquitous Ethernet card in the Linux system.
While you avoid the trials and tribulations of configuring Linux for wireless, you will not be able
to use AirSnort, WEPCrack, or the other low-level sniffing tools with an external wireless device,
but the practical goal is wireless + Linux, leaving the sniffing and packet analysis to those with
more time on their hands.
If you have accomplished getting a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) or personal
computer (PC) card-based wireless adapter to work with Linux, you are probably familiar with
many of the tools and discussion groups available that helped get you through the experience
and allowed you to play with wireless all you wanted.
Apple Macintosh
The lack of information and easy, logical accessibility to essential system and feature
configuration that would make it about 110 percent easier to do many common, expected things
with a Macintosh operating system, is a concern for many users as well. Common, expected
things in this context, mean being able to install, troubleshoot, and support Ethernet connections.
To become familiar with the user interface, control panels, program installations there is a need to
maintain about 10 Mac G3s, G4s, and a few iBooks. But there is a lot missing from the Mac. For
all the easy-to-use hype, at least is expected one complete panel of “idiot lights” to tell us what is
happening or not with these systems. Even settle for a simple Link LED indicator for the Ethernet
connection I acceptable, but apparently that is asking too much. OS X is the best thing to happen
to Apple since it first hit the market. Maybe there is hope, only because OS X offers a full range of
UNIX-based network troubleshooting tools—at least PING and TRACEROUTE— without having
to scrounge for, download, and install several different third-party tools to provide these features
to OS 9.
Microsoft Windows
Although Microsoft Windows is in advantage for personal and business computing, the
number of wireless-specific tools available for Windows falls well behind Linux. This shortfall does
not prevent you from using Windows for access control or as a gateway for a wireless network.
Windows for desktops provides Internet connection sharing. Windows 2000 can act as a remote
access server to a LAN or the Internet, and will host RADIUS and other forms of access control
and user authentication.
Summary (about Wireless Standard)
Wireless networking support provided in the current operating systems, and the software that
comes with your network card, can help on easily jump in on the basics of the wireless wave. For
more intense wireless projects, you will find the software and information links provided here to
be invaluable in getting you farther along into a robust and secure wireless infrastructure.
Expensive and precise test equipment from Agilent (formerly Hewlett-Packard’s test equipment
division), Tektronix, Anritsu, IFR, or Motorola are the only solution in case you need to know more
about the signals floating around in the wireless spectrum, because no amount of software for
any operating system will help you. If you need more specific information about a particular
network product, technology, or problem, consult any of the Web sites and list servers listed, or
use your favorite Web search engine. If you feel the prospect of implementing a wireless network
April 2008
is way over your head, you can probably find a suitable local vendor to help you design and build
a network to suit your needs. Of course on the internet you will be amazed at the wealth of
specific data available.
28 | P a g e
Wireless Networks Security
With the good, always comes the other part: the bad. Our job is to face with it, because if we
close our eyes, that wont disappears.
We all agree that wireless technology, in many cases is making benefits to people, for the
reason that is making connection among them, also in places that wires cannot. But, undoubtedly
it comes with many risks, and those in good number. It is a thing which is vulnerable to human
hacking or biological bugs; that is, the network users. Vulnerability doesn’t come just from the
humans, but also from the other sources of wireless signals, but especially humans.
The first and the most important one of them is its security. “The term “wireless security” may
seem a contradiction in terms. After all, how can any data sent into the open air be secure?” 36
Almost every day we hear about some tries to access to some network, from someone interested
for information; a modern thief, who doesn’t want to besmirch his hands, but he seats in front of
his computer, time on his hands and a lot of nerves while trying to decode some banks accounts.
Often, they gain their goal. Those network stakes, will right we can say that are raised with
wireless.
“Suddenly, one no longer needs physical presence to log data: shy bother trying to smuggle
equipment onsite when you can crack from your own home or office two blocks away with a high-
gain antenna?”37
The balance between making an easy connection for an average user and a safety one is not
an easy job. We haven’t done any work if we couldn’t made a simpler form of checking the e-mail
from any user, and on the other side we have the most cryptographically sound method on the
planet for authenticating a user to the system. Thus, the balance must be found, or saying with
another words, we should try to make maximum security but with minimum problems in
communication between users of the network.
There are many threats that come to the computers in network, which the NIST handbook An
Introduction to Computer Security generically classifies in nine categories ranging from errors and
omissions to threat to personal privacy.” 38 The risks that comes from these threats, is harmless
for the people, and of course for their data (information).
“NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-26, Security Self-Assessment Guide for Information
Technology Systems, states that information must be protected from unauthorized, unanticipated,
or unintentional modification. Security requirements include the following:
 Authenticity – A third party must be able to verify that the content of a message has not
been changed in transit.
 Nonrepudiation – The origin of the receipt of a specific message must be verifiable by a
third party.
 Accountability – The actions of an entity must be traceable uniquely to that entity.” 39
Wireless networks, like a new way of making connections between two sides, is plenty with
risks. Those are equal to the sum of the risks of the operating a wired network (as in operating a
network in general) plus the new risks introduced by weaknesses in wireless protocols.
“There are a couple of reasons why wireless networks are currently less secure than their
wired counterparts. First off, there is the fact of their physical nature. They ate wireless,
broadcasting a signal out over an area. Any computer within this area with the correct equipment
can be considered to be ‘connected to the network’.
No wires equal easier access to the network for everyone. This also makes one of the most
popular ‘hacking’ tactics vastly easier: ‘packet sniffing’, or capturing data sent over the network to
April 2008
analyze it for information. Anyone on range can receive all traffic sent over the wireless network.
36
http://www.jiwire.com/wi-fi-security-introduction-overview.htm
37
Rob Flickenger, Building Wireless Community Networks, Chapter 3. Network Layout – 3.3 Security
Considerations, First Edition, O’Reilly, January 2002
38
The NIST Handbook, Special Publication 800-12, An Introduction to Computer Security
39
T. Karygiannis and L. Owens, Wireless Network Security – 802.11, Bluetooth and Handheld Devices,
NIST, Technology Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Special Publication 800-48
29 | P a g e
Figure 11. 802.11. Architecture
Secondly, current security methods for the most widely available wireless technology,
802.11b, are either easy to defeat or difficult to implement.” 40
Threats and vulnerabilities that come next are some of the more salient ones of the wireless
systems:
 “All the vulnerabilities that exist in a conventional wired network apply to wireless
technologies.
 Malicious entities may gain unauthorized access to an agency’s computer or voice (IP
telephony) network through wireless connections, potentially bypassing any firewall
protections.
 Sensitive information that is not encrypted (or that is encrypted with poor cryptographic
techniques) and that is transmitted between two wireless devices may be intercepted and
disclosed.
 Denial of service (DoS) attacks may be directed at wireless connections or devices.
 Malicious entities may steal the identity of legitimate users and masquerade as them on
internal or external corporate networks.
 Sensitive data may be corrupted during improper synchronization.
 Malicious entities may deploy unauthorized equipment (e.g., client devices and access
points) to surreptitiously gain access to sensitive information.
 Data may be extracted without detection from improperly configured devices.
 Viruses or other malicious code may be corrupt data on a wireless device and be
subsequently introduced to a wired network connection.
 Malicious entities may, through wireless connections, connect to other agencies for the
purposes of launching attacks and concealing their activity.
 Interlopers, from inside or out, may be able to gain connectivity to network management
controls and thereby disable or disrupt operations.
 Malicious entities may use a third party, untrusted wireless network services to gain
access to an agency’s network resources.
April 2008
 Internal attacks may be possible via as hoc transmissions.”41

The 802.11b networks can be secured (normally, not 100% percent) in two ways: by WEP
(wireless encryption protocol) and MAC addressing filter.
40
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1489
41
T. Karygiannis and L. Owens, Wireless Network Security – 802.11, Bluetooth and Handheld Devices,
NIST, Technology Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Special Publication 800-48
30 | P a g e
With the packets encryption at the MAC layer, an access point-to-point (peer-to-peer) group
can associate only clients who know the “secret key”. Others can see those packets in the
network traffic, but ‘unfortunately’ they are encrypted.
This encryption key employs a 40-bit, shared RC4 PRNG (Pseudo-Random Number
Generator) algorithm from RSA Data Security. There are manufacturers that have implemented
their own proprietary extensions to WEP. They (e.g., Agere and Cisco) have included 128-bit
keys and dynamic key management. Because they are belong and defined by the 802.11b
standard, in practice it is shown that these cards from different manufacturers that use these
extensions, interoperate.
MAC address filtering is another way that people have tried to secure their networks over and
above the 802.11b standards. The MAC address of a network card is a 12 digit hexadecimal
number that is unique to each and every network card in the world. Because each card has its
own individual address, if you limit access to the AP to only those MAC addresses of authorized
devices, you can easily shut out everyone who should not be on your network. 42 But, also and this
has its disadvantages, and as the biggest one is the management aspect of it.
But we must have in minded that although these difficulties, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t
use this kind of networking. There are some basic precautions that we have to take, in order to
make more difficult for curiosity seekers to get into our personal information. The following are
some steps, which are mentioned by Tony Bradley:
 “Change the System ID: Devices come with a default system ID called the SSID
(Service Set Identifier) or ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier). It is easy for a hacker
to find out what the default identifier is for each manufacturer of wireless equipment so
you need to change this to something else. Use something unique- not your name or
something easily guessed.
 Disable Identifier Broadcasting: Announcing that you have a wireless connection to the
world is an invitation for hackers. You already know you have one so you don’t need to
broadcast it. Check the manual for your hardware and figure out how to disable
broadcasting.
 Enable Encryption: WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)
encrypt your data so that only the intended recipient is supposed to be able to read it.
WEP has many holes and is easily cracked. 128-bit keys impact performance slightly without
a significant increase in security so 40-bit (or 64-bit on some equipment) encryption is just as
well. As with all security measures there are ways around it, but by using encryption you will keep
the casual hackers out of your systems. If possible, you should use WPA encryption (most older
equipment can be upgraded to be WPA compatible). WPA fixes the security flaws in WEP but is
still subject to DOS (denial-of-service) attacks.
 Restrict Unnecessary Traffic: Many wired and wireless routers have built-in firewalls.
They are not the most technically advanced firewalls, but they help create one more line
of defense. Read the manual for your hardware and learn how to configure your router to
only allow incoming or outgoing traffic that you have approved.
 Change the Default Administrator Password: This is just good practice for ALL
hardware and software. The default passwords are easily obtained and because so many
people don’t bother to take the simple step of changing them they are usually what
hackers try first. Make sure you change the default password on your wireless router /
access point to something that is not easily guessed like your last name.
 Patch and Protect Your PC’s: As a last line of defense you should have personal
April 2008
firewall software such as Zone Alarm Pro and anti-virus software installed on your
computer. As important as installing the anti-virus software, you must keep it up to date.
New viruses are discovered daily and anti-virus software vendors generally release
updates at least once a week. You also must keep up to date with patches for known
42
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/security.ars/3
31 | P a g e
security vulnerabilities. For Microsoft operating systems you can use Windows Update to
try and help keep you current with patches.”43
“Spurred by the insecurities and management issues exposed with WEP as it was
standardized in 802.11b, the IEEE formed Task Force 802.11i to write a good standard for
wireless security. The 802.11i standard is a work in progress, but enough has been done to figure
out what much of it will be. Wireless implementations are divided into two groups, legacy and
new. Legacy networks are those which were put in place before the .11i standard was ratified,
and new networks are those put in place after it is ratified. Both groups use 802.1X as the means
of handling credential verification, but the encryption method differs. 802.11i also specifies that
only EAP standards which handle dynamic key generation may be used.
To conform to 802.11i legacy networks will be required to use 104 bit WEP, and also use
Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP, formerly known as WEP2) and Message Integrity Check
(MIC). Both of these technologies were developed by Cisco as proprietary means of
strengthening WEP. Though they are available today, these are only available on all Cisco
networks, and then not on all platforms. TKIP addresses the IV attacks on WEP by encrypting
everything before it is run through the WEP machine, essentially adding another layer of
encryption to the packet. MIC adds stronger integrity checking than a simple CRC check to
prevent attackers from changing messages after transmission.” 44 For the Wireless Technology,
scientists haven’t given the final word yet. “New tools, methodologies, and technologies are
Wireless Network Security being introduced regularly to implement, enhance, detect, combat,
secure, and add value to this resource. The most vulnerable part of your network may not be the
limitations of technology, and are no technical. In addition to the available solutions for the
technology at hand, it is important to remember that many security issues are biological or human
in nature. Vulnerability includes using simple passwords instead of those that are more difficult to
guess or reproduce; using default SSIDs or passwords; sharing passwords with others; leaving
passwords on “sticky notes” next to system; and of course disgruntled employees taking data
away from the network on paper, diskettes, CDs, or transmitting by e-mail or file transfer protocol
(FTP). The easiest pickings are had when you have direct and obvious access to the information
you want. So limiting access to information on a need-to-know basis is also crucial. “ 45
Societal Implications of Wireless Connectivity
“As a rule, technological innovations force a society to reevaluate its core principles and
sometimes make significant, often irreversible, cultural adjustments to accommodate the new
technology. Wireless networking is uniquely poised to change the world in a relatively short
period of time, insofar as it engenders an unprecedented cultural situation in which users are
constantly connected to each other with mobile devices through the Internet or ad hoc peer-to-
peer networks.
In Smart Mobs (2002), Howard Rheingold considers many of the implications of such a
situation envisioning a “wireless commons” in which every person, object and place is connected
to the Web and assigned a unique URL, transmitting and receiving information constantly across
the network. In this dense (and mostly invisible) web of data, roaming human nodes in the
network will be able to retrieve and share information about everything, everywhere, effortlessly.
On the positive side, Rheingold views such a network as a means of dissolving barriers between
people and fostering the formation of communities, both of divergent segments of the population
who stand to benefit from each other’s knowledge, and of like-minded individuals who choose to
convene for social purposes or for spur-of-the moment, cooperative political action. Both
April 2008
functions are critical for effective knowledge management. Rheingold cites several feats of
political coordination enabled by wireless computer connectivity, including the 1999 World Trade
Organization protests in Seattle and the ongoing demonstrations by bicycling “Critical Mass”
protesters. On a more mundane level, the process of arranging one’s social or business calendar
43
T. Bradley, Introduction to Wireless Network Security, http://netsecurity.about.com/mbiopage.htm
44
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/security.ars/5
45
Jim Aspinwall, ‘Installing, Troubleshooting, and Repairing Wireless Networks’, McGraw-Hill, 2003, USA
32 | P a g e
is streamlined when friends and colleagues can keep tabs on each other’s whereabouts, and
communicate across the network instantly. As Rheingold points out, however, this omniscience
comes with a price. Being permanently tied into a network requires one to relinquish a privilege
that people in this country have traditionally held very dear: privacy. If information flows freely
across the network, it has the potential to be seen by anyone. Information can be intercepted over
networks, whether by a nosy family member, a malevolent thief, or a government authority.
Already, the prevalence of personal data theft has created calls for governmental regulation of
data brokers and massive network security initiatives (Zetter, 2005). Many people are wary of any
technology that has the ability to make our private lives public. With that in mind, Rheingold
suggests that more powerful encryption technology, along the lines of the Wireless Encryption
Protocol (WEP), may be the only way that users will be able to maintain any semblance of privacy
in the new wireless world.
Philip Agre in his essay “Welcome to the Always On World,” (2001) presents a few more
social discomforts that can, and have, resulted from ubiquitous human networking. Among them
are: 1) constant interruptions – the “always on” mentality can distract people from their tasks; 2)
divided attention – when people are constantly paying attention to maintaining their social
networks and communications devices, they have little attention to devote to individual personal
relationships; 3) addiction – some people become addicted to information in a networked
environment, constantly checking their email, blogs, message boards, etc., because they fear
they might miss out on something important; 4) boundaries – when people give each other tacit
permission to keep track of each others affairs, social boundaries collapse, causing what can be
perceived as an invasion of each other’s privacy (Agre, 2001). These concerns have been
manifested in use of wireless technology, and as wireless computing becomes more ubiquitous,
they will only grow more intense. Therefore, it is incumbent upon people in this age to approach
the use of new technology with a critical eye. People should be able to ask, “What are the
implications of using this technology? Does it make my life more manageable or more
complicated? Are its benefits worth its consequences?” Certainly, wireless networking will change
the very fabric of our society, but we as societal participants have the opportunity to make
decisions regarding just how this change will take place.
The Politics of Wireless Networking
The adoption of wireless networking technology comes with many political considerations as
well. One concern is how it affects the so-called “digital divide.” Some people view wireless
networks as opening up new opportunities for learning and participation in society for people who
are at a disadvantage either through lack of material resources or information illiteracy. A
counterargument posits, however, that building a wireless network into our society’s core will only
serve to alienate those without access to Internet service, laptops, PDAs, or wearable devices.
According to Metcalfe’s Law, the addition of people to the network will increase the network’s
value, while Reed’s Law suggests that adding a new group of people will increase its value even
more. In short, a wireless society stands to benefit from the inclusion of all citizens, especially
those who would otherwise be excluded.
One response to this issue has been the creation of low-cost or free public wireless networks
to ensure that all citizens have access to the Internet. Sponsored by libraries, philanthropists and
city or state governments, these projects have created much controversy and a series of territorial
disputes, in part because broadband Internet service providers feel they should be able to charge
people for wireless service without fear of competition from the government. Due to their strong
lobbying power in Congress, the broadband companies have posed a formidable challenge to
April 2008
municipalities, and several states are considering bills to outlaw municipal wireless projects.
(Tanner, 2005) While corporations think that they should control the networks, others think that
networks should remain uncontrolled and subject to the will of the people. Still others argue for
more government involvement. Rheingold (2002) discusses the case of government projects, like
California’s Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) that
use wireless networks as a security infrastructure in case of a catastrophic event. In part because
wireless networks lack the physical constraints of wired networks, the question of who has the
33 | P a g e
right to exercise control over them is a difficult one that will need to be decided in the near
future.”46
We live in exciting times, when hosts of emerging wireless technologies promise radical
change in our modes of perception, interaction, democratic participation, and time and
information management. As new technology is developed, we will witness even greater change,
which hopefully will benefit society, rather than harm it. In the meantime, we have an obligation to
approach that technology with a certain degree of criticality. “
April 2008
46
H. Nodler, A World Without Wires: The future of Wireless Networking, Knowledge Management
Systems, Dr. Don Turnbull, May 3, 2005
34 | P a g e
Conclusion
Increasing the security of wireless networking is becoming essential and necessity. This
because the wireless networks have the undesirable property that all data transmitted is
broadcast to all wireless clients on the network. This leaves open the possibility of eavesdropping
on private information and it appears as perfect opportunity for hackers to use it for their own
benefit.
However there are improvements that have occurred in both confidentiality and
authentication, by including the 802.11 wireless standards. This standard is a protocol for
encryption in wireless networks called WEP. Basically this was a huge improvement over plain-
text communication. Above mentioned standard it also served as a catalyst for hackers who
wished to gain access the data that are being transmitted through a wireless network. This secure
data included bank transactions, e-commerce sales, and several others. Later on several
weaknesses were discovered in the WEP protocol that allowed hackers to decode data.
In the same time the computer security community reaches by improving some of the
known weaknesses in the WEP protocol. Also, the most secure networks do not use a single pre-
shared key, because most of the weaknesses with WEP involved capture vast amounts of data
encrypted with a single key. As substitute for this they use a protocol that provides user with a
session key after authenticates each of them. But, if single user keeps a session open for a long
time, it is likely that an attacker could discover the session key. Even if the case when the session
key is compromised, the attacker will only have the ability to read the messages for the remainder
of that session.
Wireless Network use will continue to grow and become more important over the next
five years.
One of the most common questions about wireless is, How far will it go?
As with most answers about technical things, it depends. 802.11b was designed with native,
unmodified, unenhanced devices to extend the length of a 10BaseT Ethernet wire by 300 meters.
This equals 985 feet, about a city block, or 0.18 miles. Unobstructed, unimpeded with line-of-
sight, 802.11b will do just that and probably more. But who is going to hold their laptops above
their heads or mount an access point itself on a rooftop to communicate digitally?
Who knows what will happen after 10 years…New standards will be created, old standards will
die off…
It is the choices of today which will inevitably help to shape the emerging world of wireless
tomorrow.
April 2008
35 | P a g e
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www.comsoc.org/dl/pcm/mesh_cfp.htm
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http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/ wireless/2004/01/22/wirelessmesh.html
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36 | P a g e
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http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid40_gci837226,00.html
• http://shop.ieee.org/ieeestore/product.aspx?product_no=SP1131
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William A. Arbaugh, Narendar Shankar, and Y.C. Justin Wan, "802.11 Wireless Network.pdf",
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31 Franklin, Tom Wireless Local Area Network 2001
32 http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Introduction-Wireless-Networking-
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37 | P a g e
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34 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWAN/ Microsoft - Wireless WAN Interface
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%20Fledderus.pdf
37 http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=41852
38 http://www.bitpipe.com/rlist/term/WLAN.html?src=ggbp74185i&CMP=KNC-
GoogleAdwords&HBX_PK=wireless+LAN&HBX_OU=50
39 http://www.sss-mag.com/wlan.html
Part1.html
Part2.html
42 http://www.wirelessdevnet.com/channels/bluetooth/features/bluetooth.html
43 http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/columns/article.php/2195771
44 http://www.javvin.com/protocolWiMAX.html
45 http://www-run.montefiore.ulg.ac.be/Research/Topics/index.php?topic=Mobile
46 http://www.verilan.com/news/wilan.shtml
47 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_PAN
48 http://www.sprint.com/business/resources/CaseStudy_HP.pdf
49 http://www.holtmann.org/lecture/bluetooth/Bluetooth.pdf
50 Introduction to 802.11 Wireless Networks standard; CyberScience laboratory; May 2003
51 Aspinwall, Jim Installing, troubleshooting and repairing wireless networks USA 2003:McGraw-
Hill
April 2008
52 Karygiannis,Tom ; Owens.Les ;Wireless Network Security 802.11, Bluetooth and Handheld

Devices, Gaithersburg,November 2002.
53 Tanenbaum, Andrew S ; Computer Networks
54 White paper ;HP Broadband Wireless notebooks: integrated high-speed

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wireless connectivity
58. Franklin, Tom Wireless Local Area Network, 2001
59. White paper; Wireless LANs vs. Wireless WANs; 2002 November 18; Sierra Wireless
Abbreviations List
PDA – Personal digital assistance
WPAN – Wireless Personal Area Network
WLAN – Wireless Local Area Network
WMAN – Wireless Metropolitan Area Network
PC – Personal Computer
DNS – Domain Name System
Mbps – Mega bit per second
POS – Personal Operating Space
SIG – Special Interest Group
IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
RF – Radio frequency
Wi-Fi – Wireless Fidelity
MMDS – Multichannel multipoint distribution service
GSM – Global System for Mobile Communications
CDPD – Cellular Digital Packet Data
CDMA – Code Division Multiple Access
ISM – Industrial, Scientific and Medical
VoIP – Voice-over Internet Protocol

April 2008
DSL – Digital Subscriber Line
SC – Single-Carrier
SS – Subscriber Station
FCC – Federal Communications Commission

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GPRS – General Packet Radio Service

April 2008
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Glossary
Ad-hoc
“An ad-hoc network (sometimes known as a "spontaneous") is a local area network or other small
network, especially one with wireless or temporary plug-in connections, in which some of the
network devices are part of the network only for the duration of a communications session or, in
the case of mobile or portable devices, while in some close proximity to the rest of the network. In
Latin, ad hoc exactly means "for this," further meaning "for this purpose only," and as a result
usually temporary.”
PDA
Personal Digital Assistant is a term for any small mobile hand held device that provides
computing and information storage retrieval capabilities for personal or business use, often for
keeping schedule calendars and adress book information handy.
WPAN
Wireless Personal Area Network; personal area means up to 10 meter radius. Example:
Bluetooth, IEEE 802.15
WLAN
A wireless LAN or WLAN is a wireless local area network that uses radio waves as its carrier: the
last link with the users is wireless, to give a network connection to all users in the surrounding
area. Areas may range from a single room to an entire campus. The backbone network usually
uses cables, with one or more wireless access points connecting the wireless users to the wired
network.
WMAN
Wireless Metropolitan Area Network: A regional wireless computer or communication network
spanning the area covered by an average to large city.
WWAN
WWAN stands for Wireless wide area network. Like WLAN i.e, wireless LAN WWAN works but
on a wider scale. The architectural details about WWAN can be obtained from any site describing
or defining wireless network
IP addresses
A unique number identifying every computer on the Internet (like 62.162.99.55)
DNS
A computer program running on a web server, translating domain names into IP addresses
Access point (AP)

April 2008
A wireless network interface device, acting as or replacing the function of the hub or switch in a
wired network, to allow wireless network cards in client systems to connect to a LAN or the
Internet.
IEEE
41 | P a g e
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. is a nonprofit, technical professional

association of more than 360,000 individual members in approximately 175 countries that is an
authority in technical areas such as computer engineering and telecommunications.
Radio Frequency (RF)

Electro-magnetic waves used in radio communications to carry information.
WiFi
Wireless fidelity is the generic term for 802.11 technology
WiMax
Popular name of the 802.16 wireless metropolitan-area network standard that's currently being
developed. WiMax, which will have a range of up to 31 miles, is primarily aimed at making
broadband network access widely available without the expense of stringing wires (as in cable-
access broadband) or the distance limitations of Digital Subscriber Line. There are two flavors of
WiMax: 802.16-2004 or 802.16d, for fixed implementations, and 802.16e, for mobile service
2G
Most common type of wireless telephone communication today. It allows slow data
communication, but its primary focus is voice.
3G
3G stands for the third generation of wireless communication technology. It refers to pending
improvements in wireless data and voice communications through any of a variety of proposed
standards. The immediate goal is to raise transmission speeds to 2Mbit/sec.
Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)

Code Division Multiple Access is a digital cellular technology that uses spread spectrum
techniques that, instead of separating users by frequency, separates them through the use of
digital frequency codes across the full available spectrum. Competes with GSM and TDMA
CDMA2000
CDMA2000 is a radio transmission technology for the evolution of narrowband cdmaOne/IS-95 to
3rd-generation adding up multiple carriers.
ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical)

Industrial Scientific and Medical bands were originally created for the purpose of short range
connectivity between equipment used in these fields of application.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

April 2008
A government agency in the United States. The FCC’s recent limitations on EMI have greatly
affected digital electronic systems and power supplies in design and production
VoIP
42 | P a g e
Voice over Internet Protocol is a system for delivering digitized voice communications across IP
networks. VoIP technology allows phone calls to be made between compatible handsets or on
computers with appropriate software.
ETSI (The European organization)

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) is a standardization organization
of the telecommunications industry (equipment makers and network operators) in Europe, with
worldwide projection. ETSI has been successful in standardizing the GSM cell phone system.
Bluetooth
A short-range radio technology aimed at simplifying communications among various devices. It is
most often used for nonnetwork/Internet applications, such as remote controls, wireless headsets,
mice and keyboards, and printers.
GPRS
General Packet Radio Service technology runs at speeds up to 115Kbit/sec., compared with the
9.6Kbit/sec. of older GSM systems. It enables high-speed wireless Internet and other
communications such as e-mail, games and applications. It supports a wide range of bandwidths
and is an efficient use of limited bandwidth. It's particularly suited for sending and receiving small
amounts of data, such as e-mail and Web browsing, as well as large volumes of data.
GSM
Global System for Mobile Communications is a digital cellular system based on TDMA
narrowband technology, which gives users access to time slots on the same frequency bands. It
allows up to eight simultaneous communications on the same frequency. It competes with CDMA
CDPD
Cellular Digital Packet Data technology is used by telecommunications carriers to transfer data to
users via unused analog cellular networks. If one part of the network -- a specific geographic area
or "cell" -- is overused, CDPD can automatically reallocate network resources to handle extra
traffic.
Gateway
The Internet protocol (IP) address of the router, switch, cable, or digital subscriber line (DSL)
modem through which your PCs gain access to the Internet or foreign (nonlocal) networks.
Mobitex
Mobitex is a packet-switched, narrowband PCS network, designed for wide-area wireless data
communications. It was developed in 1984 by Eritel, an Ericsson subsidiary, a nd there are now
over 30 Mobitex networks in operation worldwide
April 2008
AT&T Wireless
AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. was, before October 26, 2004, the third-largest wireless telephone
carrier in the United States, based in Redmond, Washington, and trading on the New York Stock
Exchange under the stock symbol, AWE. Formerly part of AT&T Corp., as of January 1, 2004, the
largest single shareholder of AT&T Wireless was Japan's NTT DoCoMo.
43 | P a g e
Sprint PCS
Sprint Corporation is one of the world's largest telecommunication companies. It is a global
communications provider and a major competitor in the American cellular phone market, through
its Sprint PCS service based on CDMA and PCS, and local telephone service in some smaller
markets. It is also a Tier 1 internet service provider under the name SprintLink.
Verizon
Verizon Communications is a New York City-based local exchange telephone company formed
by the merger of Bell Atlantic, a former Bell Operating Company, and GTE, which was the largest
independent local-exchange telephone company in the U.S., with presence in most all of the
continental United States and Hawaii.
NDIS
Network Driver Interface Specification - definition of interface between the local network operating
system and the network adapter.
CSMA/CA
Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance is the principle medium access method
employed by IEEE 802.11 WLANs. It is a "listen before talk" method of minimizing (but not
eliminating) collisions caused by simultaneous transmission by multiple radios. IEEE 802.11
states collision avoidance method rather than collision detection must be used, because the
standard employs half duplex radios - radios capable of transmission or reception, but not both
simultaneously.
MAC
Every wireless 802.11 device has its own specific Media Access Control address hard-coded into
it. This unique identifier can be used to provide security for wireless networks. When a network
uses a MAC table, only the 802.11 radios that have had their MAC addresses added to that
network's MAC table are able to get onto the network.
Abstract Syntax Notation (ASN)

An OSI language used to define datatypes for networks. It is used within TCP/IP to provide
conformance with the OSI model.
Distribution system (DS)

Means a distribution network, together with the connection assets associated with the distribution
network, which is connected to another transmission or distribution system.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

April 2008
CTIA
The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association is the international organization that
aims to represent all elements of wireless communication - cellular, personal communications
services, enhanced specialized mobile radio and mobile satellite services and serves the
interests of service providers, manufacturers and others.
44 | P a g e
Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Its
organizational structure includes divisions based on client industry types and employee
workforces. Industry divisions, referred to as Operating Groups, include Products,
Communications and High Technology,
QWERTY
The name QWERTY for our typewriter keyboard comes from the first six letters in the top
alphabet row(The one below the numbers). It is also called the Universal Keyboard. It was
invented by CLSholes who put together the prototypes of the first commercial typewriter back in
the 1860`s. The keyboard arrangement was considered important enough to be included on
Shole`s patent granted in 1878, some years after the machine was put into production
EVDO
Evolution Data Only,Evolution Data Optimized, often abbreviated as EVDO, EV-DO, EvDO,
1xEV-DO or 1xEvDO is a wireless radio broadband data protocol being adopted by many CDMA
mobile phone providers in Japan, Korea, Israel, the United States, and Canada as part of the
CDMA2000 standard
GUnzip,
WinTel
Wintel is a colloquial, often pejorative, term used to describe desktop computers of the type
commonly used in homes and businesses since the late 1980s.
NIST
NIST in the Department of Commerce’s Technology Administration was established by Congress
to assist industry in the development of technology needed to improve product quality, modernize
manufacturing processes, ensure product reliability, and facilitate rapid commercialization of
products based on new scientific discoveries.
TKIP
In computing, TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) is a security protocol defined in IEEE
802.11i specifications for WiFi networks to replace WEP. TKIP was designed to replace WEP
without replacing legacy hardware. This was necessary because the breaking of WEP left WiFi
networks without viable link-layer security.
April 2008

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Wireless Network Research project

Fig 1. Wired network components replaced by wireless network component

The wireless networks components

It is consisted of two types of equipment:

Figure 2. Typical Range of 802.11 WLAN

Use of Wireless Networks in real-life

Wireless Network Technology: Overview and Applications

WMAN technologies enable users to establish wireless connections between multiple

0-10 Personal Area Network

0-100 Local Area Network

0-10000 Wide Area Network

Wireless Mesh Network

Connectivity and Bandwidth

Future WLAN Applications

Future WPAN Applications

Types of Wireless Networks

1. System interconnection (Bluetooth)

System interconnection is all about interconnecting the components of a computer using

Figure 3. Examples of Bluetooth and their connection

Another type of wireless networks is Wireless Metropolitan Area Network – WMAN.

Parameters 802.16a (WiMAX) 802.11 (WLAN) 802.15 (Bluetooth)

Frequency Band: 2-11GHz 2.4GHz Varies

Range ~31 miles ~100 meters ~10meters

Data transfer rate: 70 Mbps 11 Mbps - 55 Mbps 20Kbps - 55 Mbps

Number of users: Thousands

Figure 4. Network Topology

The use of WMAN in reality

Figure 5. Basic wireless LANs

Who mostly needs wireless LAN?

 Standards still evolving

 Interference from other devices

WWAN today and tomorrow22

Embedded Radio Modules

NDIS using custom OIDs

Custom configuration software Extensible Native WWAN UI

Table 2. WWAN today and tomorrow

“ The wireless WAN has dramatically improved the way we

Comparing Wireless LAN with Wireless WAN

As a great SOLUTION is to WLAN and WWAN work together.

IEEE standard 802.11

Figure 6. IEEE 802.11(for local WLAN) and WMAN

includes by the protocols.

Architecture of IEEE 802.11 standard

The independent BSS as an ad hoc network

Distribution system concepts

The IEEE 802.11 subsets

IEEE standard 802.15

IEEE standard 802.16

Highlights of the Wireless Home

Wireless Mesh Network

reliable and resilient.

otherwise impossible services of these networks.” 31

Different approaches are review hereinafter:

Figure 10. An example of a WMN in a city

Wireless Networks Software

Summary (about Wireless Standard)

Wireless Networks Security

Figure 11. 802.11. Architecture

 Internal attacks may be possible via as hoc transmissions.”41

Societal Implications of Wireless Connectivity

The Politics of Wireless Networking

1. Call for Papers Wireless Mesh Networking

2. O'Reilly Network -- Wireless Mesh Networking

3. PC Magazine Wireless Mesh Networks 1 &