Deploying High Capacity Wi-Fi Networks

John DiGiovanni

Agenda
Wi-Fi Market Background and Dynamics

High Capacity Wi-Fi Networks

Channel Planning Architecture Issues

Conclusions and Other Considerations

Standards Overview
IEEE 802.11
RF frequency band: 900MHz and 2.4GHz Non-overlapping channels: 3 Ratified in 1997 Data Rates: 1 and 2Mbps RF frequency band: 2.4GHz Non-overlapping channels: 3 Ratified in 1999 Data Rates: 1, 2, 5.5, 11Mbps RF frequency band: 2.4GHz Non-overlapping channels: 3 Ratified in 2001 Data Rates: 1, 2, 5.5, 11, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54Mbps RF frequency band: 5GHz Non-overlapping channels: 23 Ratified in 1999 Data Rates: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54Mbps

802.11b

802.11g Backward Compatible to 802.11b

802.11a No Backward Compatibility

Lessons in Networking
Ethernet Evolution Wi-Fi Evolution
Wi-Fi Hits Critical Inflection Point Current architectures cant support the demand Transition from coverage to capacity needed

Connection Growth

100Base-T 802.11i 10Base-T

L2 Switching

802.11b/a 802.11g

802.11

WLAN Array
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Connectivity

Capacity

Connectivity

Capacity

Traditional Wi-Fi Client Growth and Evolution

Migration to Multi-mode
2.4GHz does not support future WLAN needs 802.11a client shipments surpass 802.11b/g only clients this year Chipset suppliers are shipping b, b/g & a/b/g solutions for mobile phones
90 80 70 60 Millions 50 40 30

New Client Sales

New Client Shipments

Other Data Points

Chip makers driving a/b/g adoption Less interference Huge push beginning 2005 50M+ a/b/g chips forecast in 2006 Price delta b/g vs. a/b/g < $6

20 10 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

.11b .11b/g

10.17 29.43

8.39 34.33

7.40 25.47

7.04 11.91

7.22 7.46

6.52 4.89

3.04 3.81

.11a/b/g
.11a/b/g/n Total % w/ 802.11a

16.89
0.00 56.49 30%

33.57
0.00 76.30 44%

52.50
5.93 91.30 58%

66.90
17.69 103.53 65%

71.94
33.65 120.26 60%

68.90
55.52 135.83 51%

63.78
81.48 152.11 42%

Wi-Fi Cellular Phones

Market Penetration
Motorola leading the transition to 802.11a/b/g for Hybrid Phones Chipsets from Texas Instruments Atheros & Broadcom shipping 802.11a/b/g and 802.11b chipsets for Hybrid Phones Expect 802.11b/g phones to transition to 802.11a/b/g similar to laptops

Handset Proliferation
Motorola CN620 (a/b/g) Motorola SRP-81 (b/g) UT Starcom F1000 (b) NEC N900iL (b)

VoWi-Fi Application Areas

Business users will push Wi-Fi into the carpeted enterprise Healthcare Verticals Manufacturing
Source: Infonetics 05

High Capacity Wi-Fi Networks

Channel Planning Architecture Challenges

Channel Overview: 802.11b/g

11 channels are available in the U.S. for 802.11b/g

Ch# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

2.4GHz ISM Band

Ch# 1

11

Only 3 channels are non-overlapping

Channel Overview: 802.11a

12 channels for 802.11a
Ch# 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 149 153 157 161

5GHz UNI Band

FCC has approved 11 more channels

Ch# 100 104 108 116 120 112 124 128 132 136 140

23 non-overlapping channels are now available for 802.11a Only 3 non-overlapping channels for 802.11b/g remain

Wireless Capacity Comparison

802.11a Capacity
23 channels * 54Mbps = 1.24Gbps of 54Mbps per channel RF capacity
23 channels

802.11g Capacity
3 channels * 54Mbps = 162Mbps of RF capacity

54Mbps per channel 3 channels

802.11b Capacity
3 channels * 11Mbps = 33Mbps of RF capacity

11Mbps per channel

3 channels

Frequency Re-Use and Cell Planning

Number of 802.11b/g channels available = 3

6 11 1

Frequency Re-Use and Cell Planning

Number of 802.11b/g Channels Available = 3 Distance to Cell with Same Channel is Less than a Single Cell
6 11 1 6 11 1 6 6 11 1 6 1 6 11 6 11 1 6

Inter-cell Interference from Other Cells on the Same Channel

Bleed-over retards higher data rates Greatly reduces overall network capacity

Frequency Re-Use and Cell Planning

Number of 11a Channels Available = 12 Distance to Cell with Same Channel is at Least Two Cells
161 48 36 149 56 1 153 157 60 56 1 52 36 149 40 161 48 153

Inter-cell Interference from Cells on the Same Channel will be Low Allows for Full Wireless Capacity for Every Cell

Capacity and Cell Size

Typical Advice
Add more Access Points Turn down Transmit Power

Issues
Access Points dont control clients range Other Access Points will hear clients

Increases Collision Domain Area Elevated Noise Floor Lowers Performance

Other Speed Bumps

Hidden Node
Station on the far side of the cell doesnt hear another station Transmissions collide forcing retries RTS-CTS helps overhead causes 30% (approximately) reduction in through-put

Multi-path
Same signals arriving at different times Forces packet retransmissions More clients and Access Points increases the issue

Simultaneous Channel Use is the Only Way to Maximize Capacity

Deploying High Capacity Wi-Fi Networks

Current Architecture Suitability

Traditional Fat Access Point Deployments
Too many devices Expensive to deploy Hard to manage Poor roaming capabilities

Thin Access Points + WLAN Switch Infrastructure

Even more devices and equipment Still hard to deploy More Expensive Easier to manage Does not scale Better roaming
Catalyst 1900 SERIES
10BaseT 100BaseT

SYSTEM

RPS
1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x 8x 9x 10x 11x 12x A Bx

STAT UTL FDUP MODE

Current Architecture Suitability Current Architectures Proprietary TDMA-based Products

Multiple Access Points - single channel and BSSID Creates a single, large collision domain Transparent roaming at the expense of capacity Lowest capacity architecture for data Does not work well with standard APs

Integrated High Count Radio Solutions

Simultaneous operation on all available channels Switch + Multiple Integrated Access Points Fewer devices to deploy and manage Sectorized coverage best for channel reuse Stations roam less

Other Considerations
What about Voice and Security?

Voice Over Wi-Fi You Cant Stop It.

Voice over Wi-Fi Challenges

802.11b Prominent Client Devices Moving to a/b/g
Channel allocation, planning and usage Capacity-constrained Efficient power Use

Quality of Service
Shared medium and limited available bandwidth QoS Standards Compliance and Certifications 802.11e / WMM now available for voice Mapping QoS priorities through the wired network

Location
Voice requires universal coverage and bandwidth to support it E911 and location-specific authentication come into play

Deploy for Voice and Data

Design for Capacity Not Just Coverage
Over provision for wireless (same as for wired) Use all available 802.11a/b/g channels simultaneously Reuse channels as often as possible Deploy for 54Mbps everywhere Keep cell sizes small Minimize simultaneous users per cell

Optimize for Voice

Fewer users at higher data rates = less contention/latency Small cells & higher rates = lower Tx power & faster Tx time = longer battery life Insist on standards-based QoS (802.11e / WMM) Use VLANs and SSIDs to map wired VoIP to VoWLAN Minimize roaming domains through WLAN switching

Build a Wi-Fi Network to do more than ONE THING!

Security Issues
Different Client Types in the Campus Environment
Not standardized difficult to enforce Technical solutions are available Authentication 802.1x Encryption 802.11i

Recommendation
If possible, enforce 802.1x and WPA2 or 802.11i VPN is a good alternative but lots of overhead Web Page Redirect For UN/PW Over SSL

Rogue Access Point Detection

Often Forgot About Large Security Hole 24/7 Scanning of the RF Needed

Summary
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Coverage is so 90s its all about capacity. Get thee to 5GHz. Voice is coming be prepared. Simultaneous Channel Use Per Cell Maximizes Capacity. Technical White Papers on Capacity and Wi-Fi Sectorization Exist

Thank You
John DiGiovanni

Director, Marketing john.digiovanni@xirrus.com www.xirrus.com