Wireless networking

Unit objectives
Identify the hardware components
needed to create a wireless
connection
Differentiate between the various
communications standards used in
wireless networks
Install and configure a wireless
network connection

Topic A
Topic A: Wireless network devices
Topic B: Wireless networking
standards
Topic C: Wireless configuration
Wireless
Technologies and systems that dont
use cables for communication
Examples
Public radio
Cellular telephones
One-way paging
Satellite
Infrared
Private, proprietary radio
Wireless networks LAN or WAN
Wireless connections
Can link devices
Methods
Infrared
Radio
Bluetooth
Infrared and Bluetooth
Create wireless connection between two
devices
Radio technology
Forms larger wireless network
Infrared
Uses pulses of invisible infrared light
to transmit signals
Low-speed, line-of-sight connection
Cant pass through obstructions or
around corners
9600 bps to 4 Mbps data rate
10-20 feet maximum range
Devices must aim their transceivers at
each other (line-of-sight technology)
continued
Infrared, continued
No more than a 45 degree angle
Most popular form: Infrared Serial
Data Link technology
Serial connection
1.5 Mbps
20 foot range
Often found on
laptops and PDAs

Radio
Signals sent over electromagnetic
radio waves
Can pass through most nonmetallic
obstructions and around corners
Not a line-of-sight technology
Offers moderate- to high-speed local
and wide area connections
Most common technologies:
802.11b
802.11g
continued
Radio, continued
10 Mbps
Sometimes called RF technologies
RF stands for radio frequency
RF devices have antennae
Bluetooth
Short-distance radio (up to 10 meters)
Developed by the Bluetooth Special
Interest Group
Includes over 1,000 companies
Siemens, Intel, Toshiba, Motorola, and
Ericsson
Enables devices to discover other
Bluetooth devices within range
Devices self-configure and begin
communicating

continued
Bluetooth, continued
Shouldnt need to configure
communication parameters
Bluetooth devices have antenna often
hidden inside the device

Bluetooth
address
Wireless communications
Enables users to
Make Internet connection while traveling
Connect to network while moving about
house or office
Important technology for
Mobile devices
Internet access in remote locations
Three types of wireless links
Indoor point-to-multipoint LANs
Outdoor point-to-point links
Outdoor point-to-multipoint links
Indoor point-to-mulitpoint LANs
Outdoor point-to-point links
Outdoor point-to-multipoint links
Wireless connection components
Requires
Wireless network card in the computer
Wireless router or wireless access point
device on the network
Router or WAP broadcasts radio
signals
Wireless network cards pick up the
broadcasts
Wireless NICs
Wireless access points
Wireless speeds
Distance and data rate affected by
Obstructions within building
Environment noise
Recommend wireless LAN access points
within 60 to 90 meters of wireless clients
IEEE speed Data rate Distance (meters)
High 4.3 Mbps 40 to 125
Medium 2.6 Mbps 55 to 200
Standard 1.4 Mbps 90 to 400
Standard low 0.8 Mbps 115 to 550
WAP placement
Informal site survey
Temporary installation WAPs
Use wireless client to test signal
Use actual locations for clients
Formal site survey
Use field-strength measuring equipment
Install test antenna in the estimated WAP
locations
Strength of test signal at various points within
the range the WAP will service
Move test antenna to obtain the best possible
signal for the wireless coverage area

Activity A-1
Examining wireless devices
Topic B
Topic A: Wireless network devices
Topic B: Wireless networking
standards
Topic C: Wireless configuration
Standards
Frequency bands divisions
Military
Broadcasters
Amateur radio operators
Broadcast signal is a security issue
IEEE standards 802.1x and 802.11

802.1x standard
Port-based, authentication framework
for access to Ethernet networks
Designed for wired Ethernet networks
Applies to 802.11 WLANs
Requires three roles in authentication
process
Device requesting access
Authenticator
Authentication server
Allows multiple authentication
algorithms
Is an open standard
802.11 standard
Operates in the 2.4 through 2.5GHz
band
Used for wireless networks
OSI Data Link layer
Two ways to configure a network
Ad-hoc
Infrastructure
Places specification on Physical and
MAC layers
Access point
Transparent bridge between wireless
clients and wired network
Includes
At least one interface to connect to the
existing wired network
Transmitting equipment to connect with
wireless clients
IEEE 802.1D bridging software



802.11 WLAN standards
802.11a
802.11b
802.11c
802.11d
802.11e
802.11F
802.11g


802.11h
802.11i
802.11j
802.11k
802.11l
802.11m
802.11n
Wireless protocols
Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)
IEEE 802.11b: 11 Mbps; 2.4 GHz band
IEEE 802.11g: 20+ Mbps; 2.4 GHz band;
transmission range of up to 35 meters
Experience interference from other
common household devices
Bluetooth
Short-range: about 100 meters or less
Low speeds: 721 Kbps

continued
Wireless protocols, continued
802.11a
Improved version of original Wi-Fi
54 Mbps; 5 GHz band
Indoor range of up to 35 meters
Not compatible with 802.11b devices
WiMAX (IEEE 802.16 Air Interface
Standard)
Point-to-multipoint broadband access
10-66 GHz licensed
2-11 GHz unlicensed
70 Mbps
31 miles; direct line-of-site
LAN technologies
IEEE 1394
FireWire (Sony) and iLink (Apple)
Main use: video and graphics transfers
Serial protocol
FireWire 400: 100 to 400 Mbps
FireWire 800: up to 800 Mbps
USB
Bidirectional serial interface
Main use: connect peripheral devices
USB 1.1: 1 to 12 Mbps
USB 2.0: 480 Mbps
Wi-Fi
Called AirPort. 802.11b
Frequency range of 2.4 GHz
Distance range of about 100 meters
Up to 11 Mbps
Range depends on type of signal
obstructions between transmitter and
receiver
802.11b popular and inexpensive network
solution
Many cordless phones use the 2.4-GHz
frequency and can interfere with 802.11b
network
Bluetooth
Standard for short-range wireless
communication and data
synchronization between devices
Transmitters and receivers are
application-specific integrated circuits
(ASICs)
Can transmit data at rates as high as
721 Kbps
Up to three voice channels available
Easy to configure
802.11a/802.11g
802.11a
5.0-GHz band
Isnt compatible with 802.11b
50 meters max between AP and client
Faster than 802.11b
Doesnt encounter interference from 2.4
MHz devices
802.11g
2.4-GHz band
Backwards compatible with 802.11b
54 Mbps

WiMAX
Worldwide Interoperability of
Microwave Access
Wireless DSL and T1-level service
Emerging Wide Area and Metropolitan
Area Networks technology standard
Enables 802.16e devices to roam
between current wireless hot spots
Coverage measured in square miles
Doesnt rely on line-of-sight for
connection
Activity B-1
Comparing wireless networking standards
Topic C
Topic A: Wireless network devices
Topic B: Wireless networking
standards
Topic C: Wireless configuration
WLAN security risks
Devices can be lost or stolen
Session hijacking
Man-in-the-middle attacks
Rogue AP
WAP no default security
Broadcasts make breaking in easy
IEEE and WECA developed standards
for user authentication and media
access control
Additional risks
Detectable radio-frequency traffic
Data is passed in clear text form
Encryption isnt always strong
WEP
One-way authentication mechanism
One-way open broadcast client
connection
Wardriving
Warchalking
WLAN security components
Access control
Turn off SSID broadcasts
Enable a MAC filter on your AP
Encryption
Clients and AP use same encryption
scheme
Clients must possess correct encryption
key
Wireless encryption systems vary in
ability to keep data secure
continued
WLAN security, continued
Authentication
Server authenticates clients
Stronger access control protection than
SSID hiding or MAC filtering
Should still use encryption
Isolation
Segregates network traffic
Two types: wireless client isolation (AP
isolation) and network isolation
Network isolation through custom routing
Isolation through your general network
design and firewall configuration
Transmission encryption
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
Personal
WPA2
WPA Enterprise
RADIUS
802.11i
802.1x authentication

Activity C-1
Identifying the technology used to
implement WLANs
Wireless access point configuration
Assign a service set identifier (SSID)
Clients use the SSID to distinguish
between WLANs
AP typically broadcasts the SSID
Broadcasts identify the security
mechanisms to enable clients to auto-
configure connections
Securing your AP
Set most secure encryption method
compatible with clients
Change AP default admin passwords
Change default SSID
Disable SSID broadcasts
Separate wireless network from wired
network
Put wireless network in an Internet-
access only zone or DMZ
continued
Securing your AP, continued
Disable DHCP within WLAN
Enable MAC address filtering on AP
Enable 802.1x
Periodically survey site with wireless
sniffing tool
Activity C-2
Configuring a wireless access point
(instructor demo)
Wireless clients
Submit its credentials to the Authenticating
server
Secured or 802.1x authenticated
connections
Wireless AP issues a challenge to the client
AP sets up restricted channel allowing client to
communicate only with RADIUS server
RADIUS server accepts only trusted AP
connections
RADIUS server validates the client credentials
Transmits client master key to wireless AP
Wireless Auto Configuration
Dynamically selects wireless network
connection attempt
Based on
Configured preferences
Default settings
Wireless Zero Configuration
Windows Vista
Windows XP
Windows 2000 with download
Automatically configures address items:
TCP/IP settings,
DNS server addresses
IAS server addresses
Auto Configuration, continued
IEEE 802.1x authentication defaults
Infrastructure before ad hoc mode
Computer authentication before user
authentication.
If NIC is preconfigured with WEP shared
key, attempts to perform IEEE 802.11
shared key authentication; otherwise NIC
reverts to open system authentication
Windows CE wireless clients
Windows CE .NET palm-top
computers include Wireless Zero
Configuration
Manual configuration options similar to
those found on Windows Vista and
Windows XP
Supports 802.11a and Native Wireless
Fidelity (Wi-Fi)
Non-.NET palm-tops wireless
configuration is like Windows 2000

Activity C-3
Configuring a wireless client
(instructor demo)
Unit summary
Identified the hardware components
needed to create a wireless
connection
Differentiated between the various
communications standards used in
wireless networks
Installed and configured a wireless
network connection