By Vaishali Gatty

What is Wireless Communication ?

Transmitting voice and data using

electromagnetic waves in open space (atmosphere)

Mobile communication Two aspects of mobility:

user mobility: users communicate (wireless) anytime, anywhere, with

anyone device portability: devices can be connected anytime, anywhere to the network

Wireless vs. mobile

Examples stationary computer notebook in a hotel wireless LANs in historic buildings Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) The demand for mobile communication creates the need for integration of wireless networks into existing fixed networks

Applications
Vehicles transmission of news, road condition, weather, music via DAB/DVB-T personal communication using GSM/UMTS position via GPS local ad-hoc network with vehicles close-by to prevent accidents, guidance system, redundancy vehicle data (e.g., from busses, high-speed trains) can be transmitted in advance for maintenance
Emergencies early transmission of patient data to the hospital, current status, first diagnosis replacement of a fixed infrastructure in case of earthquakes, hurricanes, fire etc. crisis, war, ...

traffic

UMTS, WLAN, DAB, DVB, GSM, cdma2000, TETRA, ...

Personal Travel Assistant, PDA, Laptop, GSM, UMTS, WLAN, Bluetooth, ...

 Military communications (robustness and speed of deployment critical) Search and Rescue operations (same reasons) Sensor networks Networks in historical buildings where placing wires is not an option Wireless LANs in conferences, where placing wires would be a nuisance Networks of satellites Vehicular communications

Wireless networks in comparison to fixed networks

Higher loss-rates due to interference Restrictive regulations of frequencies Low transmission rates Higher delays, higher jitter
connection setup time with GSM in the second range, several hundred

milliseconds for other wireless systems

Lower security, simpler active attacking

radio interface accessible for everyone, base station can be simulated,

thus attracting calls from mobile phones

Always shared medium

secure access mechanisms important

Wireless transmission
The wireless spectrum Signals, antennas Signal propagation and Physical impairments Spread spectrum

Wireless Spectrum (1)

Broadcast TV VHF: 54 to 88 MHz, 174 to 216 MHz UHF: 470 to 806 MHz

30 MHz

300 MHz FM Radio 88 to 108 MHz

3 GHz

30 GHz

Digital TV 54 to 88 MHz, 174 to 216 MHz, 470 to 806 MHz

Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 9

Wireless Spectrum (2)

3G Broadband Wireless 746-794 MHz, 1.7-1.85 GHz, 2.5-2.7 GHz

30 MHz

300 MHz Cellular Phone 800-900 MHz

3 GHz

30 GHz

Personal Communication Service (PCS) 1.85-1.99 GHz

Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 10

Wireless Spectrum (3)

Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11b/g) 2.4 GHz Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11a) 5 GHz

30 MHz

300 MHz Bluetooth 2.45 GHz

3 GHz

30 GHz

Local Multipoint Distribution Services (LMDS) 27.5-31.3 GHz

Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 11

Signals (1)
Physical representation of data Function of time and location Classification continuous time/discrete time continuous values/discrete values analog signal = continuous time and continuous values digital signal = discrete time and discrete values Signal parameters of periodic signals: Period T, Frequency f=1/T, Amplitude A, Phase shift

Sine wave as special periodic signal for a carrier:

s(t) = At sin(2 ft t + t)

Wave length: = c/f, where c is the speed of light c 3x108m/s

Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 12

Signals (2)

Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 13

Signals (3) Different representations of signals

amplitude (amplitude domain)
frequency spectrum (frequency domain) phase state diagram (amplitude M and phase in polar
A [V]

coordinates)
t[s]

A [V]

Q = M sin

I= M cos

f [Hz] Digital signals need infinite frequencies for perfect transmission modulation with a carrier frequency for transmission (analog signal!)

Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 14

Antennas: isotropic radiator Radiation and reception of electromagnetic waves,

coupling of wires to space for radio transmission Isotropic radiator: equal radiation in all directions (three dimensional) - only a theoretical reference antenna Real antennas always have directive effects (vertically and/or horizontally) Radiation pattern: measurement of radiation around an antenna
y z y x
Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 15

ideal isotropic radiator

Antennas: simple dipoles

Real antennas are not isotropic radiators but, e.g., dipoles

with lengths /4 on car roofs or /2 as Hertzian dipole shape of antenna proportional to wavelength
/4 /2

Example: Radiation pattern of a simple Hertzian dipole

y y z

x
side view (xy-plane)
Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 16

z
side view (yz-plane) top view (xz-plane)

simple dipole

Antennas: directed and sectorized

Often used for microwave connections or base stations
y z for mobile phonesy (e.g., radio coverage of a valley) x side view (xy-plane) z side view (yz-plane) z z top view (xz-plane) x

directed antenna

sectorized antenna

top view, 3 sector

Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 17

top view, 6 sector

Signal propagation ranges

Transmission range communication possible low error rate Detection range detection of the signal possible no communication possible Interference range signal may not be detected signal adds to the background noise
Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 18

sender

transmission
distance detection interference

Signal propagation
Propagation in free space always like light (straight line)
Receiving power proportional to 1/d in vacuum much more in real

environments (d = distance between sender and receiver) Receiving power additionally influenced by
fading (frequency dependent) shadowing reflection at large obstacles refraction depending on the density of a medium scattering at small obstacles

diffraction at edges

shadowing reflection Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc

Networks: Introductions 19

refraction

scattering

diffraction

Physical impairments: Fading (1)

power

long term fading

short term fading

Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 20

Physical impairments: Fading (2)

Strength of the signal decreases with distance between transmitter and

receiver: path loss

Usually assumed inversely proportional to distance to the power of 2.5 to 5

Channel characteristics change over time and location (e.g., due to

mobility) long term (slow) fading: slow changes in the average power received (e.g., due to distance to sender, obstacles between transmitter and receiver) Short term (fast) fading: quick changes in the power received (e.g., due to scatterers in the vicinity of the transmitter)
signal paths change different delay variations of different signal parts
Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 21

different phases of signal parts

Physical Impairments: Noise

Unwanted signals added to the message signal May be due to signals generated by natural

phenomena such as lightning or man-made sources, including transmitting and receiving equipment as well as spark plugs in passing cars, wiring in thermostats, etc. Sometimes modeled in the aggregate as a random signal in which power is distributed uniformly across all frequencies (white noise) Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) often used as a metric in the assessment of channel quality
Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 22

Physical Impairments: Interference

Signals generated by communications devices

operating at roughly the same frequencies may interfere with one another
Example: IEEE 802.11b and Bluetooth devices,

microwave ovens, some cordless phones CDMA systems (many of todays mobile wireless systems) are typically interference-constrained

Signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) is another

metric used in assessment of channel quality

Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 23

Multipath propagation
Signal can take many different paths between sender and

receiver due to reflection, scattering, diffraction

LOS pulses multipath pulses

signal at sender signal at receiver

Time dispersion: signal is dispersed over time interference with neighbor symbols, Inter Symbol Interf. (ISI) The signal reaches a receiver directly and phase shifted distorted signal depending on the phases of the different parts
Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Introductions 24

 Frequencies from 3KHz to 1GHz Radio wave Omni directional Susceptible to interference from other antennas Need not be aligned Can penetrate walls

Used for long distance communication using sky

wave propagation AM Radio , FM etc. Low data rate because of narrow bandwidth

Microwaves
Frequencies between 1 and 300GHz
Unidirectional so antennas need to be aligned No interference with other antennas.

Very high frequency microwaves cannot penetrate wall.

Uses Line of sight propagation. High data rate is possible.

Terrestrial Microwave used for long haul telecommunications and short

point-to-point links requires fewer repeaters but line of sight use a parabolic dish to focus a narrow beam onto a receiver antenna 1-40GHz frequencies higher frequencies give higher data rates main source of loss is attenuation distance, rainfall also interference

Satellite Microwave

satellite is relay station receives on one frequency,

amplifies or repeats signal and transmits on another frequency e.g.. uplink 5.925-6.425 GHz & downlink 3.7-4.2 GHz typically requires geo-stationary orbit height of 35,784km spaced at least 3-4 apart Typical uses television long distance telephone private business networks global positioning

Infrared
Frequencies between 300 GHz to 400 THz.
Can not penetrate walls. Used for short-range communication in a closed area

using line-of-sight propagation. Infrared modulate no coherent infrared light no licenses required typical uses TV remote control IrDA port

Satellite communications
It is a combination of nodes, some of which are

satellites , that provides communication from one point on the Earth to another Orbit: satellite needs an orbit to travel round the Earth Footprint: the area where the signal from the satellite is received.