What is Wi-Fi

• Wi-Fi- an acronym for Wireless Fidelity

• Uses 802.11 networking standards- 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g,

802.11n

• Wi-Fi is a wireless technology that uses radio frequency to transmit

data through air.
 How WiFi Works
•A computer's wireless adapter translates data into a radio signal
and transmits it using an antenna.

•A wireless router receives the signal and decodes it. The router
sends the information to the Internet using a physical, wired
Ethernet connection.

•The process also works in reverse, with the router receiving

information from the Internet, translating it into a radio signal and
sending it to the computer's wireless adapter.

•Provides NLOS capability

 Brief History
802.11 Release Freq. Bandwidt Type Max net Range Indoor Range Modulati Range
Protocol (GHz)- h throughp bit rate Approx Outdoor on Coonfigur
Unlicense (MHz ut (Mbit/s) Approx ation
d (Mbit/s)

----- Jun 1997 2.4 20 0.9 2 DSSS

802.11a Oct 1999 5 20 27 54 50ft/15meters 100ft/30met OFDM

ers
802.11b Oct 1999 2.4( 20 5 11 150ft/45 meters 300 ft/90 DSSS Point to
2.400– meters Multipoint
2.500)

802.11g Jun 2003 2.4 20 22 54 150ft/45 meters 300 ft/90 OFDM,

meters DSSS

802.11n Sep 2009 2.4 20/40 144 600 150feet 375feet OFDM
/5(MIMO) DSSS

802.11y Nov 2008 3.7 20 23 54 OFDM

Wireless local area network standards

 Brief History-Contd
• Uses 802.11 networking standards
• They transmit at frequencies of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.
• They use 802.11 networking standards, which come in several
flavors:
– 802.11a transmits at 5 GHz and can move up to 54 megabits of data per
second. It also uses orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), a
more efficient coding technique that splits the radio signal into several sub-
signals before they reach a receiver. This greatly reduces interference.

– 802.11b is the slowest and least expensive standard. For a while, its cost
made it popular, but now it's becoming less common as faster standards
become less expensive. 802.11b transmits in the 2.4 GHz frequency band of
the radio spectrum. It can handle up to 11 megabits of data per second, and
it uses complementary code keying (CCK) modulation to improve speeds.
 Contd….
– 802.11g transmits at 2.4 GHz like 802.11b, but it's a lot faster -- it can
handle up to 54 megabits of data per second. 802.11g is faster because
it uses the same OFDM coding as 802.11a.

– 802.11n is the newest standard that is widely available. This standard

significantly improves speed and range. For instance, although 802.11g
theoretically moves 54 megabits of data per second, it only achieves
real-world speeds of about 24 megabits of data per second because of
network congestion. 802.11n, however, reportedly can achieve speeds
as high as 140 megabits per second. The standard is currently in draft
form -- the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) plans
to formally ratify 802.11n by the end of 2009.
 Requirements for WiFi

• A wireless device with WiFi

• A wireless access point (WAP)
• A wired internet connection
 What is an access point
• Is a device that allows wireless communication devices to connect
to a wireless network using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or related standards.
The WAP usually connects to a wired network, and can relay data
between the wireless devices (such as computers or printers) and
wired devices on the network.
Wi-Fi-technical Aspects cal Aspects
modulation schemes
• 802.11b was the first widely accepted one, followed by 802.11g and
802.11n.
• 802.11i amendment provides security standards for 802.11
standards.
• 802.11n uses MIMO technology
 802.11b

• 802.11b and 802.11g use the 2.4 GHz ISM band

• Since they use frequencies belonging to ISM band they will suffer interference
microwave ovens, cordless telephones and Bluetooth devices.
• To control interference they use spread spectrum modulation
• Modulation Scheme: DSSS
• Range 2.4000–2.4835 G
• Center frequency-2.4-2.450G
• No of Channels:13 Nos
• Bandwidth-22MHz
• Space b/w 2 frequencies-5MHz

Availability of channels is regulated by country, constrained in part by how each country

allocates radio spectrum to various services

Note:
• The industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio bands were originally reserved internationally for
the use of RF electromagnetic fields for industrial, scientific and medical purposes other than
communications. In general, communications equipment must accept any interference generated by
ISM equipment
 802.11b WiFi Channels

Channel
 802.11b WiFi Channels
• In the United States and Canada there are 11 channels available for use in the
802.11b 2.4GHz WiFi Frequency range. This standard is defined by the IEEE.
• There are only 3 non-overlapping channels available in the 802.11b standard. These
are Channels 1,6, and 11. For WiFi access points that are located near each other it
is recommended that they each use one of the above non-overlapping channels to
minimize the effects of interference.
 802.11a
• Uses OFDM for air interface
• Uses Forward Error correction code (FEC)
• Because of high carrier frequency , the overall range of coverage is
reduced.
• 802.11a signals are absorbed more readily by walls and other solid
objects in their path due to their smaller wavelength and, as a result,
cannot penetrate as far as those of 802.11b
• 12 or 13
• 802.11a is not interoperable with 802.11b as they operate on
separate bands, except if using equipment that has a dual band
capability
• The near absence of other interfering systems (microwave ovens,
cordless phones, baby monitors) give 802.11a significant aggregate
bandwidth and reliability advantages over 802.11b/g.
 802.11a
• 5.47 to 5.725
• Bandwidth:20MHz
• 52 OFDM sub carriers, 48 are for data and 4 are pilot sub carriers
• carrier separation of 0.3125 MHz
• Coding Schemes: BPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM or 64-QAM

Data Rate M
(Mbps)
• Used in point to multipoint configuration

• Access point communicates via an omni-directional antenna with

one or more nomadic or mobile clients that are located in a
coverage area around the access point

• Indoor range is 30 m at 11Mbps and 90 m (300 ft) at 1 Mbit/s

• overall bandwidth is dynamically demand shared across all the

users on a channel

• High-gain external antennas can be used in fixed point-to-point

arrangements which may give ranges up to 8 kilometers (5 miles)
and also at ranges up to 80–120 km (50–75 miles)
 802.11n

• Coupling MIMO architecture with wider bandwidth channels

offers increased physical transfer rate over 802.11a (5 GHz)
and 802.11g (2.4 GHz
• Data encoding: Higher data rates is achieved through Spatial
coding.
• Spatial coding increases data throughput via spatial
multiplexing and increase range by exploiting the spatial
diversity, through techniques such as Alamouti coding.
MCS Spatial Modulation Coding Data Rate
Index Streams Type Rate 20 MHz 40 MHz
channel channel

800ns GI 400ns GI 800ns GI 400ns GI

0 1BPSK 1/2 6.5 7.2 13.5 15
1 1QPSK 1/2 13 14.4 27 30
2 1QPSK 3/4 19.5 21.7 40.5 45
3 116-QAM 1/2 26 28.9 54 60
4 116-QAM 3/4 39 43.3 81 90
5 164-QAM 2/3 52 57.8 108 120
6 164-QAM 3/4 58.5 65 121.5 135
7 164-QAM 5/6 65 72.2 135 150
8 2BPSK 1/2 13 14.4 27 30
9 2QPSK 1/2 26 28.9 54 60
10 2QPSK 3/4 39 43.3 81 90
11 216-QAM 1/2 52 57.8 108 120
12 216-QAM 3/4 78 86.7 162 180
13 264-QAM 2/3 104 115.6 216 240
14 264-QAM 3/4 117 130 243 270
15 264-QAM 5/6 130 144.4 270 300
... ... ... ... ... ... ...
31 464-QAM 5/6 260 288.9 540 600
 Adaptive Modulation

• Adaptive modulation is a term denoting

the ability of a radio to change its
modulation scheme
on the fly to adapt to varying signal
conditions
 Wireless Solutions

Point to Multipoint Connectivity Point to Point Connectivity

•In Point to Multipoint connections •connections between two sites to

access point are installed high in achieve high data transfer speeds.
the tower above the city or on some •useful to create backbone link from
high building and then point the some distant radio access point to
client antennas to this access point. main Internet source
 Wi-Fi Hot Spots
• A hotspot is a venue that offers WiFi access
• A WiFi hotspot is a wireless access point that provides Internet access to
– wireless network devices in public locations such as downtown centers,
cafes, airports and hotels.
• Hotspots are often found at
– restaurants,
– train stations,
– airports,
– libraries,
– coffee shops,
– bookstores,
– fuel stations, department stores, and other public places
Wi-Fi hotspot
Simple Wireless Network for Home
and Small Office
 How to use Wi-Fi
• The public can use a laptop, WiFi phone, PDA’s or other suitable
portable device to access the Internet

• Many schools and universities have wireless networks in their

campus.
 Wi-Fi Connectivity
• Requirements to use WiFi
– Most new laptops and many new desktop computers come with built-in
wireless transmitters.
– If the laptop doesn't, a wireless adapter that plugs into the PC card slot
or USB port has to be used. Desktop computers can use USB adapters,
or an adapter that plugs into the PCI slot inside the computer's case can
be used. These adapters can use more than one 802.11 standard.

Wireless adapters can plug into a computer's PC card slot or USB port.
• After installation the wireless adapter and the drivers that allow it to
operate, the computer should be able to automatically discover
existing networks.
• This means that when you turn your computer on in a WiFi hotspot,
the computer will inform you that the network exists and ask
whether you want to connect to it. If you have an older computer,
you may need to use a software program to detect and connect to a
wireless network.
 Building Wi-Fi Network
• A Wi-Fi hotspot is created by installing an access point

• An access point acts as a base station

• When Wi-Fi enabled devices like laptops, PDA’s detects a hotspot

then the device can connect to the network
Building Wi-Fi Network…..
 What can you do with it?
-Applications
• Quick/easy temp network access

• The main attractive feature of this technology that it provides

wireless broad connection within a specific geographic boundary

• Provides easy connections to internet and business networks while

traveling through Wi-Fi hotspots.
 Why Wi-Fi
• Setup Cost-Reduced Cabling required

• Flexibility-Quick and easy to setup in temp or permanent space

• Mobility/Freedom-can work from any location within a specified

geographical area.

• Low installation cost

 Disadvantages
• Security-Exposed to high risks

• Speed-Slower than cable

• Range-Limited coverage
– Travels best in open space
– Reduced by walls, glass, water etc
 Wi-Fi Topologies
• WiFi technology offers two operating modes
1. Ad hoc" mode
2. Infrastructure" mode

"Ad hoc" mode, a peer-to-peer mode making it possible to connect

two computers equipped with wireless adapters to one another;

– E.g. If you have two or more computers equipped with

wireless adapters (WiFi cards), it is possible to easily connect
them in a network by setting up a so-called "ad hoc" network,
that is, a computer-to-computer network, without using an
access point.
"Infrastructure" mode, making it possible to connect computers to a
wired network using a device called an "access point", sometimes
abbreviated AP.
• It requires an access point

• The association of target machines with the infrastructure network is

generally simpler

• Possible for mobile computers to access the internet

 Is the data secured?
• Wi-Fi is an “open” standard-
– the access points are open i.e. the resources (network) is
shared among a number of users.

How is it Open?

• We set up our home network and leave it open

• We go to an Internet cafe, an airport, a hotel, and use their wireless.

Hence data /message is not encrypted
• Anyone can access the network within the range and so the traffic
can be seen to and from..

• data /message is not encrypted

• IP address is not secured-i.e. anyone can get access to your IP

address and hence can be used for illegal purposes
 WiFi-Security/Solution
• Two common options for encryption:
1. WEP
2. WPA

WEP stands Wired Equivalent Privacy (1997-2003)-It provided security to

IEEE 802.11 wireless networks

By 2003 Wi-Fi Alliance came up with another security algorithm Wi-Fi Protected
Access (WPA), -it is a subset of 802.11i amendment
 WiFi-Security
• Use a strong password :a sufficiently strong password avoids
cracking of the password.

• Don’t broadcast your SSID :the “name” given to your wireless

network. Hiding the name of the router so that people don't see it.

• Use good wireless encryption: WEP is not exactly “good”

encryption. With a freely available tool like air crack, you can sniff
wireless traffic protected by WEP and crack security on that network
in a matter of minutes

• Data Encryption-WEP,WPA

• Restrict access by MAC address: Restricting the MAC addresses

allowed to connect to the network
• Shut down the network when it’s not being used

• Shut down your wireless network interface, too.

• Monitor your network for intruders

• Cover the bases: Have some kind of good firewall running, whether on a
wireless router or on a laptop which is used to connect to wireless networks
away from home

• Don’t waste your time on ineffective security measures.

 Points
• Sectored antennas also called as high gain antennas transmit further and
listen better.
• Limitations in Omnidirectional antennas:
– No of users get reduced
– Cell size,channel reuse,hidden nodes, multipath
How do hubs, switches, routers,
and access points differ?