Why Every Engineer Needs WLAN

Packet Analysis
How to solve 10 common Wi-Fi problems by
dissecting packets
Jay Botelho
Director of Product Management
WildPackets
jbotelho@wildpackets.com
Follow me @jaybotelho
WildPackets, Inc.

www.wildpackets.com

Critical Elements of a
Packet Analysis Solution

Performance
Multi-channel analysis
Visualization
Analysis modules
High-quality decodes

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10 Common Problems
Verifying device capabilities
Networks
Clients

Verifying device
configuration
Poor configuration choices

Connection issues
Authentication

Poor VoFi quality

Identifying network
bottlenecks
Chatty clients (let me count
the ways)
Probe requests
Inefficient network utilization

Roaming
Sticky clients
Roaming latency

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Verifying Device Capabilities

Network capabilities Beacons
Client capabilities Probe Requests

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Verifying Device Configuration

QoS enabled/disabled
Beacon intervals
CTS frames sent out with 10,000 microsecond
duration field (viewed as duration attack)

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Connection Issues
Authentication EAPOL Key Exchange
The AP sends a nonce-value to
the STA (ANonce)

The STA sends its own noncevalue (SNonce) to the AP

together with a MIC, including
authentication

The AP sends the GTK and a

sequence number together
with another MIC

The STA sends a confirmation

to the AP
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Poor VoFi Quality

RTP packets (g.711)
Jitter, packet loss, latency
Relative packet timing

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Identifying Network Bottlenecks

Chatty clients (let me count the ways)
Probe requests
Probe Requests to all SSIDs, not just current one, flooding
device with responses

Inefficient network utilization

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Chatty Client - Unassociated

http://www.sniffwifi.com/2012/04/phones-on-wlan.html

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Chatty Client - Associated

http://www.sniffwifi.com/2012/04/phones-on-wlan.html

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Inefficient Network Utilization

http://www.sniffwifi.com/2014/05/why-are-you-slowing-down-my-wifi-apple.html

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Inefficient Network Utilization (cont.)

http://www.sniffwifi.com/2014/05/why-are-you-slowing-down-my-wifi-apple.html

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Roaming Issues
Sticky clients
Clients make poor roaming
decisions
Look for: signal strength,
data rates, etc.

Roaming latency
Criteria for determining
latency depends on your
perspective

http://revolutionwifi.blogspot.com/2012/12/wi-fi-roaming-analysis-part-3-measuring.html
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 WildPackets, Inc.

Additional Resources
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2012/04/phones-on-wlan.html
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2014/07/i-guess-apple-wireless-routers-dont.html
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2014/05/why-are-you-slowing-down-my-wifi-apple.html
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2013/12/iphones-be-chatty.html
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2013/09/a-fish-in-desert-chomecast-sniffed.html
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2013/08/eighteen-seconds-of-very-chatty-iphone.html
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2012/08/testing-mobility-with-omnipeek.html
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2011/11/how-do-i-know-if-it-really-links-me.html
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2011/11/tell-me-whys-tell-me-sweet-little-whys.html
http://www.sniffwifi.com/2011/11/what-is-wrong-with-this-wifi-and-what.html
http://sc-wifi.com/2013/08/27/troubleshooting-done-motorola-style/
http://sc-wifi.com/2012/11/12/tag-vendor-specific-nintendo/
http://www.wifikiwi.com/cwap/a-sticky-problem-wi-fi-clients-that-wont-roam/
http://revolutionwifi.blogspot.com/2012/12/wi-fi-roaming-analysis-part-3-measuring.html
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Thank You!

WildPackets, Inc.
1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 500
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
(925) 937-3200
WildPackets, Inc.

www.wildpackets.com