WLAN Fundamentals

Nirav dsouza Siddharth suttraway 6002 6042

What is a Wireless LAN

A wireless local area network(LAN) is a flexible data communications system implemented as an extension to, or as an alternative for, a wired LAN.

Using radio frequency (RF) technology, wireless LANs transmit and receive data over the air, minimizing the need for wired connections.

Thus, combining data connectivity with user mobility.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Wireless LAN and its Practical Uses

Benefits of Wireless LAN

Productivity, convenience, and cost advantages

Installation speed and simplicity. Installation flexibility. Reduced cost-of-ownership. Mobility. Scalability.

Benefits of Wireless LAN

Installation speed and simplicity

No cable to pull. Eliminates current architecture obstacles. Few transmitters/receivers for multiple for users.

Benefits of Wireless LAN

Installation flexibility

The network goes where wires cannot. Not constrained by expensive walls. Easy to add more computers and devices.

Benefits of Wireless LAN

Reduced cost-of-ownership

Mobile devices are less expensive than computer workstations. Can Run Errands and stay in touch. No need to build wiring closets.

Benefits of Wireless LAN

Mobility

Access to real-time information. Supports productivity. Provides service opportunities. Promotes flexibility.

Benefits of Wireless LAN

Scalability

Spans a variety of topologies. Configurations are easily changed. Works over great distances. Effective for wide range of user communities.

Small number of users with local needs.

Full infrastructure networks roaming over a broad area.

http://www.WirelessLAN.com

Disadvantage of Wireless LAN

Cost

Wireless network cards cost 4 times more than wired network cards. The access points are more expensive than hubs and wires.

Signal Bleed Over

Access points pick up the signals of adjacent access points or overpower their signal.

Disadvantage of Wireless LAN

Environmental Conditions

Susceptible to weather and solar activity. Constrained by buildings, trees, terrain. Slower bandwidth. Limit to how much data a carrier wave can transmit without lost packets impacting performance.

Less Capacity

http://www.Compaq.com

Wireless LAN Applications

Medical Professionals Education

Temporary Situations
Airlines Security Staff Emergency Centers

Repeater, HUB, Bridge & Switch

REPEATER, HUB, BRIDGE AND SWITCH

Repeater, Hub, Bridge & Switch

Repeater
A repeater receives a signal, regenerates it, and passes it on. It can regenerate and retime network signals at the bit level to allow them to travel a longer distance on the media. It operates at Physical Layer of OSI The Four Repeater Rule for 10-Mbps Ethernet should be used as a standard when extending LAN segments. This rule states that no more than four repeaters can be used between hosts on a LAN. This rule is used to limit latency added to frame travel by each repeater.

Repeater, Hub, Bridge & Switch

Hub
Hubs are used to connect multiple nodes to a single physical device, which connects to the network. Hubs are actually multiport repeaters. Using a hub changes the network topology from a linear bus, to a star. With hubs, data arriving over the cables to a hub port is electrically repeated on all the other ports connected to the same network segment, except for the port on which the data was sent.

Repeater, Hub, Bridge & Switch

Bridge
Bridges are used to logically separate network segments within the same network. They operate at the OSI data link layer (Layer 2) and are independent of higherlayer protocols. The function of the bridge is to make intelligent decisions about whether or not to pass signals on to the next segment of a network. When a bridge receives a frame on the network, the destination MAC address is looked up in the bridge table to determine whether to filter, flood, or copy the frame onto another segment Broadcast Packets are forwarded

Repeater, Hub, Bridge & Switch

Switch
Switches are Multiport Bridges. Switches provide a unique network segment on each port, thereby separating collision domains. Today, network designers are replacing hubs in their wiring closets with switches to increase their network performance and bandwidth while protecting their existing wiring investments. Like bridges, switches learn certain information about the data packets that are received from various computers on the network. Switches use this information to build forwarding tables to determine the destination of data being sent by one computer to another computer on the network.

Repeater, Hub, Bridge & Switch

Switches: Dedicated Access

Hosts have direct connection to switch Full Duplex: No collisions Switching: A-to-A and B-to-B simultaneously, no collisions
A C B

switch

Switches can be cascaded to expand the network

B A

Introduction to IEEE 802.11 Protocol

Why Standard?

Multi Vender inter operability Protects customer investment Economies of scale

What is 802.11?

802.11 is an IEEE standard for MAC and Physical Layer for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN Standard

In response to lacking standards, IEEE developed the first internationally recognized wireless LAN standard IEEE 802.11

IEEE published 802.11 in 1997, after seven years of work

Most prominent specification for WLANs Scope of IEEE 802.11 is limited to Physical and Data Link Layers.

802.11 Versions

802.11

- 1997

Maximum data rate: 2Mbps 2.4Ghz band Indoor Range: 20 meters

Outdoor Range: 100 meters

Wide range of Physical layers

802.11a

1999

Maximum data rate: 54Mbps 5.1 - 5.8Ghz band Indoor range: 35 meters Outdoor range: 120 meters 54 Mbps

802.11 Versions

802.11b

1999

Maximum data rate: 11Mbps 2.4Ghz band Indoor Range: 38 meters

Outdoor Range: 140 meters

11 Mbps

802.11g

2003

The current industry adopted specification Maximum data rate: 54Mbps 2.4Ghz band (backwards compatible with 802.11b) Indoor range: 38 meters Outdoor range: 140 meters 54 Mbps

What is WiFi?

A trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance Founded in 1999 as WECA (Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance). More than 300 companies

WiFi certification warrants interoperability between different wireless devices

Ensures correct implementation IEEE 802.11 Tests the wireless components to their own terms of reference

Physical Media Defined by Original 802.11 Standard

Frequency-hopping spread spectrum
Operating in 2.4 GHz ISM band Lower cost, power consumption Most tolerant to signal interference

Direct-sequence spread spectrum

Operating in 2.4 GHz ISM band Supports higher data rates More range than FH or IR physical layers

Infrared
Lowest cost Lowest range compared to spread spectrum Doesnt penetrate walls, so no eavesdropping

Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum

Signal is broadcast over seemingly random series of radio frequencies Signal hops from frequency to frequency at fixed intervals Receiver, hopping between frequencies in synchronization with transmitter, picks up message Advantages
Efficient utilization of available bandwidth Eavesdropper hear only unintelligible blips Attempts to jam signal on one frequency succeed only at knocking out a few bits

Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum

Each bit in original signal is represented by multiple bits in the transmitted signal

Spreading code spreads signal across a wider frequency band

DSSS is the only physical layer specified for the 802.11b specification
802.11a and 802.11b differ in use of chipping method 802.11a uses 11-bit barker chip

802.11b uses 8-bit complimentary code keying (CCK) algorithm

Basic Service Set (BSS)

Extended Service Set (ESS)

Distribution System

Portal

Authentication

Authentication
Prove identity to another station. Open system authentication Shared key authentication

Security Problem

A rogue AP

A sends B responds with a text A encrypt and send back B decrypts and returns an authentication management frame.

SSID of ESS Announce its presence with beaconing A active rogue reach higher layer data if unencrypted.

May authenticate any number of station.

CSMA/CD vs. CSMA/CA

CSMA/CD CSMA/Collision detection

For wire communication

No control BEFORE transmission

Generates collisions Collision Detection-How? For wireless communication Collision avoidance BEFORE transmission Why avoidance on wireless?

CSMA/CA CSMA/Collision Avoidance

Difference in energy/power for transmit & receive

Difficult to distinguish between incoming weak signals, noise, and effects of own transmission

Authentication Frame Sequence

Station
Authentication Request 1 (authentication Type) Authentication Response 1 Challenge Text Authentication Request 2 Encrypted packet Authentication Response 2 Pass/Fail

AP

RTS CTS Frame Sequence

Station
RTS

AP

CTS

Data

ACK

Comparison