CWNA Guide To Wireless LAN's Second Edition - Chapter 2

CWNA Guide to Wireless
LANs, Second Edition
Chapter Two
Wireless LAN Devices and Standards
Objectives
• List WLAN devices and describe their basic
functions
• Explain the different types of communication
standards and why standards are important
• List the three major wireless standards and
regulatory agencies and their functions
• Describe the different IEEE WLAN standards
CWNA Guide to Wireless LANs, Second Edition 2

WLAN Devices: Wireless Network
Interface Card
• Network interface card (NIC): Connects computer
to network so that it can send and receive data
• Wireless NICs perform same function, but without
wires
• When wireless NICs transmit:
– Change computer’s internal data from parallel to
serial transmission
– Divide data into packets and attach sending and
receiving computer’s address
– Determine when to send packet
– Transmit packet

Interface Card (continued)
Figure 2-1: Network interface card for a wired network

Figure 2-2: Wireless NICs for desktop computers: (a) PCI network
interface card, (b) standalone USB device, (c) USB key fob
Figure 2-3: Wireless NICs for laptop computers: (a) CardBus card;
(b) Mini PCI card
• For smaller devices, several options:
– CardBus or Type II PC Card
• May require a sled
– CompactFlash (CF) card: Consists of small circuit
board containing flash memory chips and dedicated
controller chip
• Small and consume little power
– SDIO (Secure Digital I/O) or SDIO NOW! Card:
Provides high-speed data input/output with low
power consumption

• A movement towards integrating wireless NICs
– Would eliminate need for external wireless NICs
• Software drivers necessary to allow wireless NIC
and operating system (OS) to interface
– Windows XP and PDA OSs have built-in drivers

WLAN Devices: Access Point
• Three major parts:
– Antenna and radio transmitter/receiver
– RJ-45 wired network interface
– Special bridging software
• To interface wireless devices to other devices
• Two basic function:
– Base station for wireless network
– Bridge between wireless and wired networks

(continued)
Figure 2-6: An access point acts as a bridge between the wireless

network and a wired network
(continued)
• Range depends on several factors:
– Type of wireless network supported
– Walls, doors, and other solid objects
• Number of wireless clients that single AP can
support varies:
– Theoretically over 100 clients
– No more than 50 for light network use
– No more than 20 for heavy network use
• Power over Ethernet (PoE): Power delivered to
AP through unused wires in standard unshielded
twisted pair (UTP) Ethernet cable
WLAN Devices: Remote Wireless
Bridge
• Bridge: Connects two network segments together
– Even if they use different types of physical media
• Remote wireless bridge: Connects two or more
wired or wireless networks together
– Transmit at higher power than WLAN APs
– Use directional antennas to focus transmission in
single direction
– Delay spread: Minimize spread of signal so that it
can reach farther distances
– Have software enabling selection of clearest
transmission channel and avoidance of noise and
interference
Bridge (continued)
Figure 2-8: Point-to-point remote wireless bridge

Bridge (continued)
Figure 2-9: Point-to-multipoint remote wireless bridge

Bridge (continued)
• Four modes:
– Access point mode: Functions as standard AP
– Root mode: Root bridge can only communicate
with other bridges not in root mode
– Non-root mode: Can only transmit to another bridge
in root mode
– Repeater mode: Extend distance between LAN
segments
• Placed between two other bridges
• Distance between buildings using remote wireless
bridges can be up to 18 miles at 11 Mbps or 25
miles transmitting 2 Mbps
Bridge (continued)
Figure 2-10: Root and non-root modes

Bridge (continued)
Figure 2-11: Repeater mode

WLAN Devices: Wireless Gateway
• Combines wireless management and security in
single appliance
– Authentication
– Encryption
– Intrusion detection and malicious program protection
– Bandwidth management
– Centralized network management

Understanding Standards
• Standards make it easier to purchase and use wide
variety of products
• Wireless technology based on standards
– Standards help ensure different products from
different vendors function in same capacity

The Need for Standards
• Standards for telecommunications have been
essential since very beginning
– Without standards telecommunications would
essentially be impossible
• Some IT professionals believe that standards have
stifled growth in the field
– Waiting for standards to catch up to changes slows
down process of change and development
• In reality, standards have proven to be more
beneficial than harmful

Advantages and Disadvantages of
Standards
Table 2-1: Advantages and disadvantages of standards

Types of Standards
• De facto standards: Common practices that the
industry follows for various reasons
– Ranging from ease of use to tradition to what
majority of users do
– Usually established by success in marketplace
• De jure standards: Official standards
– Controlled by organization or body that has been
entrusted with that task
– Process for creating these standards can be very
involved

Types of Standards (continued)
• One complaint against de jure standards is amount
of time it takes for a standard to be completed
• Consortia: Usually industry-sponsored
organizations that want to promote a specific
technology
– Goal is to develop a standard that promotes
organization’s specific technology in little time

Enforcing Standards
• Marketplace itself enforces some standards
– Standards created by consortia often regulated by
marketplace
• De jure standards often enforced by outside
regulatory agency
– Ensure that participants adhere to prescribed
standards
– Must have power to enforce standards and
effectively punish those who refuse to abide by them

Wireless Standards Organizations and
Regulatory Agencies
• Three primary standard-setting and regulatory
bodies that play major role in wireless LAN
technology
– Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE)
– Wi-Fi Alliance
– U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE)
• Establishes standards for telecommunications
– Also covers wide range of IT standards
• World’s largest technical professional society
– 37 Societies and Councils
– Publish technically focused journals, magazines, and
proceedings
– Work on over 800 standards
• Best known for its work in establishing standards
for computer networks
– Project 802
Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (continued)
Table 2-2: Current IEEE 802 committees

Wi-Fi Alliance
• Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance
(WECA): Consortium of wireless equipment
manufacturers and software providers formed to
promote wireless network technology
– Three goals:
• Encourage wireless manufacturers to use IEEE
802.11 technologies
• Promote and market these technologies to consumers
at home, and in small and large organizations
• Test and certify that wireless products adhere to the
IEEE 802.11 standards

Wi-Fi Alliance (continued)
• WECA changed name to Wi-Fi Alliance in 2002
– Reflected name of certification that it uses (Wi-Fi) to
verify that products follow IEEE standards
– Only products that pass Wi-Fi Alliance tests may be
referred to as Wi-Fi Certified
• Wi-Fi Alliance now allows businesses to apply to be
registered as a Wi-Fi ZONE
– Qualifies them to be placed in online database of
wireless hotspot locations
• Can be accessed through Alliance’s Web site

Federal Communications Commission
(FCC): Responsibilities
• Primary regulatory agency for wireless
communications in U.S. and territorial possessions
– Independent government agency
– Directly responsible to Congress
• Broad range of responsibilities
– Develop and implement regulatory programs
– Process applications for licenses and other filings
– Analyze complaints
– Conduct investigations
– Take part in congressional hearings
FCC: Regulating the Radio Frequency
Spectrum
• FCC regulates radio frequency spectrum
– Entire range of all radio frequencies
– Spectrum divided into 450 different bands
– U.S. obligated to comply with international spectrum
allocations
• FCC license normally required to send and receive
on a specific frequency
– License-exempt spectrum or unregulated bands:
Bands that are available nationwide to all users
– Created to foster development of new devices

Spectrum (continued)
Table 2-3: Common radio frequency bands

• Two unregulated bands used for WLANs
• Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band
• Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure
(U-NII) band: Intended for devices that provide
short-range, high-speed wireless digital
communications
• Negative features of unregulated bands:
– Devices from different vendors may attempt to use
same frequency
• Can cause interference and unpredictability

Table 2-4: Unlicensed bands

Types of Wireless LANs
• Since late 1990s, IEEE has approved four
standards for wireless LANs:
– IEEE 802.11
– IEEE 802.11b
– IEEE 802.11a
– IEEE 802.11g
• IEEE 802.11n expected to be approved by 2006

IEEE 802.11
• Specified that wireless transmission could take
place via infrared (IR) or radio signals
• Infrared Transmissions:
– Can send data by the intensity of the infrared light
wave
– Light spectrum: All types of light
– Infrared light: Can be used for wireless
transmissions
• Invisible
– Emitter: Device that transmits a signal
– Detector: Device that receives a signal

IEEE 802.11 (continued)
Figure 2-13: Directed transmission

Figure 2-14: Diffused transmission

• Infrared Transmissions (continued):
– Advantages:
• Does not interfere with other communications signals
• Not affected by other signals
• Does not penetrate walls
– Disadvantages:
• Lack of mobility
• Limited range
• Confined to indoor use
• Slow transmission speed

• Radio Wave Transmissions:
– Radio waves can penetrate through objects
• Provides mobility
– Radio waves travel longer distances
– Can be used indoors and outdoors
– Radio waves can travel at much higher speeds than
infrared transmissions
– IEEE 802.11 standard outlining radio wave
transmissions has become preferred method for
wireless LANs

IEEE 802.11b
• 802.11 standard’s 2 Mbps bandwidth not sufficient
for most network applications
• 802.11b amendment added two higher speeds (5.5
Mbps and 11 Mbps) to original 802.11 standard
– Uses ISM band
• Supports wireless devices up to 115 meters (375
feet) apart
– Radio waves decrease in power over distance
– 802.11b standard specifies that, when devices out of
range to transmit at 11 Mbps, devices drop
transmission speed to 5.5 Mbps

IEEE 802.11a
• IEEE 802.11a standard specifies maximum rated
speed of 54 Mbps
– Also supports 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9,and 6 Mbps
transmissions using U-NII band
• 802.11a and 802.11b published at same time
– 802.11a came to market later due to technical issues
and high production cost
• Range of 802.11a is less than that of 802.11b

IEEE 802.11g
• Effort to combine best features of 802.11a and
802.11b
– Data transfer rates to 54 Mbps
– Support devices up to 115 meters apart
• 802.11g standard specifies that devices operate
entirely in ISM frequency

Projected IEEE 802.11n
• Currently in evaluation stage
• Top speed of 802.11n standard will be anywhere
from 100 Mbps to 500 Mbps
• Ratification may not occur until 2006
– Devices based on standard may appear prior to that
• 802.11 pre-N

Summary
• Wireless LAN devices are in many respects similar
to those found in a wired network; the main
difference is that wireless devices use an antenna
or other means to send and receive signals instead
of a wired connection
• An access point (AP) is both the base station for
the wireless network and a bridge to connect the
wireless network with the wired network
• A remote wireless bridge is a wireless device
designed to connect two or more wired or wireless
networks together

Summary (continued)
• Standards ensure that devices from one vendor will
interoperate with those from other vendors, and
create competition between vendors
• There are three regulatory bodies that play a major
role in wireless LAN technology: the IEEE, the Wi-
Fi Alliance, and the FCC
• There currently are three standards or types of
wireless LANs: IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, and
IEEE 802.11g

CWNA Guide To Wireless LAN's Second Edition - Chapter 2

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CWNA Guide to Wireless

LANs, Second Edition

CWNA Guide to Wireless LANs, Second Edition 2

CWNA Guide to Wireless LANs, Second Edition 3

Figure 2-1: Network interface card for a wired network

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CWNA Guide to Wireless LANs, Second Edition 8

CWNA Guide to Wireless LANs, Second Edition 9

Figure 2-6: An access point acts as a bridge between the wireless

Figure 2-8: Point-to-point remote wireless bridge

Figure 2-9: Point-to-multipoint remote wireless bridge

Figure 2-10: Root and non-root modes

Figure 2-11: Repeater mode

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Table 2-1: Advantages and disadvantages of standards

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Table 2-2: Current IEEE 802 committees

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Table 2-3: Common radio frequency bands

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Table 2-4: Unlicensed bands

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Figure 2-13: Directed transmission

Figure 2-14: Diffused transmission

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