Wireless LAN Overview Abdus Salam ICTP February 2003

Wireless LAN Overview Abdus Salam ICTP, February 2003 Presented by Ermanno Pietrosemoli Latin American Networking School - ULA Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003

Wireless LAN Overview • Wireless networks where borne as LANs, but for developing countries applications they are more useful as MANs or even WANs • The enormous success of this technology has led to a dramatic price reduction of the equipment, from $750 in 1992 to $60 in 2002 Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003

Wireless LAN Overview Agenda • • • DSSS Channel Allocation Access Point Modes and Types Clients Types 802. 11 Standards 802. 11 Terminology Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 3

Wireless LAN Overview • DSSS popularity has eclipsed FHSS, although the latter may be more resistant to interference • We will focus on DSSS Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 4

Channel Overlapping Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003

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Access Point Modes • Root Mode • Repeater Mode • Bridge Mode Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 10

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• Repeater and Bridging Functions Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 18

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Chipset Manufacturers Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 30

Client Devices Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 31

Client Devices Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 32

Client Devices Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 33

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Common options that most wireless residential gateways include are: • • • Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPo. E) Network Address Translation (NAT) Port Address Translation (PAT) Ethernet switching Virtual Servers Print Serving Fail-over routing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server and Client • Configurable Firewall Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 38

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Enterprise Gateway Features Enterprise wireless gateways do have features, such as Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), that are not found in any access points. RBAC allows an administrator to assign a certain level of wireless network access to a particular job position in the company. If the person doing that job is replaced, the new person automatically gains the same network rights as the replaced person. Having the ability to limit a wireless user's access to corporate resources, as part of the "role", can be a useful security feature. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 40

Enterprise Gateway Features Class of service is typically supported, and an administrator can assign levels of service to a particular user or role. For example, a guest account might be able to use only 500 kbps on the wireless network whereas an administrator might be allowed 2 Mbps connectivity. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 41

Configuration and Management of EG Enterprise wireless gateways are installed in the main the data path on the wired LAN segment just past the access point(s) They are configured through console ports using telnet, internal HTTP or HTTPS servers, etc. Centralized management of only a few devices is one big advantage of using enterprise wireless gateways. An administrator, from a single console, can easily manage a large wireless deployment using only a few central devices instead of a very large number of access points. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 42

Configuration and Management of EWG Enterprise wireless gateways are normally upgraded through use of TFTP in the same fashion as many switches and routers on the market today. Configuration backups can often be automated so that the administrator won't have to spend additional management time backing up or recovering from lost configuration files. Enterprise wireless gateways are mostly manufactured as rack-mountable 1 U or 2 U devices that can fit into your existing data center design. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 43

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UNII Bands Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 45

UNII Middle Band The middle UNII band is bound by 5. 25 GHz and 5. 35 GHz and is specified at 250 m. W of output power by the FCC. The power output specified by IEEE for the middle UNII band is 200 m. W. This power limit allows operation of devices either indoors or outdoors and is commonly used for short outdoor hops between closely spaced buildings. In the case of a home installation, such a configuration might include an RF link between the house and the garage, or the house and a neighbor’s house. . Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 46

UNII Upper Band The upper UNII band is reserved for outdoor links and is limited by the FCC to 1 Watt of output power. This band occupies the range of frequencies between 5. 725 GHz and 5. 825 GHz, and is often confused with the 5. 8 GHz ISM band. The IEEE specifies the maximum output power for this band as 800 m. W, which is plenty of power for almost any outdoor implementation, except for large campuses or long-distance RF links. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 47

Power Limits Pt. MP links have a central point of connection and two or more non-central connection points. Pt. MP links are typically configured in a star topology. The central connection point may or may not have an omnidirectional antenna It is important to note that when an omnidirectional antenna is used, the FCC automatically considers the link a Pt. MP link. Regarding the setup of a Pt. MP link, the FCC limits the EIRP to 4 Watts in both the 2. 4 GHz ISM band upper 5 GHz UNII band. The power limit set for the intentional radiator (the device transmitting the RF signal) in each of these bands is 1 Watt. If the transmitting wireless LAN devices are adjustable with respect to their output power, then the system can be customized to the needs of the user. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 48

Power Limits Suppose a radio transmitting at 1 Watt (+30 d. Bm) is connected directly to a 12 d. Bi omnidirectional antenna. The total output power at the antenna is about 16 Watts, which is well above the 4 Watt limit. The FCC stipulates that for each 3 d. Bi above the antenna's initial 6 d. Bi of gain, the power at the intentional radiator must be reduced by 3 d. B below the initial +30 d. Bm. For our example, since the antenna gain is 12 d. Bi, the power at the intentional radiator must be reduced by 6 d. B. This reduction will result in an intentional radiator power of +24 d. Bm (30 d. Bm – 6 d. B), or 250 m. W and an EIRP of 36 d. Bm (24 d. Bm + 12 d. Bi), or 4 Watts. Clearly this rule can become confusing, but the end result must be that the power at the intentional radiator must never be more than 1 Watt and the EIRP must never be above 4 Watts for a Pt. MP connection. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 49

Power Limits Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 50

Power Limits Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 51

Power Limits Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 52

Power Limits Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 53

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IEEE 802. 11 g provides the same maximum speed of 802. 11 a, coupled with backwards compatibility for 802. 11 b devices. This backwards compatibility will make upgrading wireless LANs simple and inexpensive. IEEE 802. 11 g specifies operation in the 2. 4 GHz ISM band. To achieve the higher data rates found in 802. 11 a, 802. 11 g compliant devices utilize Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation technology. These devices can automatically switch to QPSK modulation in order to communicate with the slower 802. 11 b- and 802. 11 - compatible devices. With all of the apparent advantages, 802. 11 g’s use of the crowded 2. 4 GHz band could prove to be a disadvantage. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 57

Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) promotes and tests for wireless LAN interoperability of 802. 11 b devices and 802. 11 a devices. WECA’s mission is to certify interoperability of Wi-Fi™ (IEEE 802. 11) products and to promote Wi-Fi as the global wireless LAN standard across all market segments. As an administrator, you must resolve conflicts among wireless LAN devices that result from interference, incompatibility, or other problems. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 58

Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 59

European Telecommunications Standards Institute Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 60

European Telecommunications Standards Institute The website for ETSI is www. etsi. org Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 61

Wireless LAN Association The Wireless LAN Association's mission is to educate and raise consumer awareness regarding the use and availability of wireless LANs and to promote the wireless LAN industry in general. The Wireless LAN Association (WLANA) is an educational resource for those seeking to learn more about wireless LANs. WLANA can also help if you are looking for a specific wireless LAN product or service. WLANA has many partners within the industry that contribute content to the WLANA directory of information. It is this directory, along with the many white papers and case studies that WLANA provides, that offer you valuable information for making your own decisions about wireless LAN implementation. The website for WLANA is www. wlana. org Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 62

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Bluetooth Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 65

Bluetooth Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 66

Bluetooth Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 67

Bluetooth Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 68

The website for Ir. DA is www. irda. org Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 69

Locating a Wireless LAN Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 70

Service Set Identifier Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 71

Beacons (short for beacon management frame) are short frames that are sent from the access point to stations (infrastructure mode) or station-to-station (ad hoc mode) in order to organize and synchronize wireless communication on the wireless LAN. Beacons serve several functions, including the following: Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003 72

Time Synchronization Beacons synchronize clients by way of a time-stamp at the exact moment of transmission. When the client receives the beacon, it changes its own clock to reflect the clock of the access point. Once this change is made, the two clocks are synchronized. Synchronizing the clocks of communicating units will ensure that all timesensitive functions, such as hopping in FHSS systems, are performed without error. The beacon also contains the beacon interval, which informs stations how often to expect the beacon. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003

FH or DS Parameter Sets Beacons contain information specifically geared to the spread spectrum technology the system is using. For example, in a FHSS system, hop and dwell time parameters and hop sequence are included in the beacon. In a DSSS system, the beacon contains channel information. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003

SSID Information Stations look in beacons for the SSID of the network they wish to join. When this information is found, the station looks at the MAC address of where the beacon originated and sends an authentication request in hopes of associating with that access point. If a station is set to accept any SSID, then the station will attempt to join the network through the first access point that sends a beacon or the one with the strongest signal strength if there are multiple access points. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003

Traffic Indication Map (TIM) The TIM is used an as indicator of which sleeping stations have packets queued at the access point. This information is passed in each beacon to all associated stations. While sleeping, synchronized stations power up their receivers, listen for the beacon, check the TIM to see if they are listed, then, if they are not listed, they power down their receivers and continue sleeping. . Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003

Supported Rates With wireless networks, there are many supported speeds depending on the standard of the hardware in use. For example, an 802. 11 b compliant device supports 11, 5. 5, 2, & 1 Mbps speeds. This capability information is passed in the beacons to inform the stations what speeds are supported on the access point. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003

Passive Scanning Passive scanning is the process of listening for beacons on each channel for a specific period of time after the station is initialized. These beacons are sent by access points (infrastructure mode) or client stations (ad hoc mode), and the scanning station catalogs characteristics about the access points or stations based on these beacons. The station searching for a network listens for beacons until it hears a beacon listing the SSID of the network it wishes to join. The station then attempts to join the network through the access point that sent the beacon. Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003

Active Scanning Active scanning involves the sending of a probe request frame from a wireless station. Stations send this probe frame when they are actively seeking a network to join. The probe frame will contain either the SSID of the network they wish to join or a broadcast SSID. If a probe request is sent specifying an SSID, then only access points that are servicing that SSID will respond with a probe response frame. If a probe request frame is sent with a broadcast SSID, then all access points within reach will respond with a probe response frame. The point of probing in this manner is to locate access points through which the station can attach to the network. Once an access point with the proper SSID is found, the station initiates the authentication and association steps of joining the network through that access point. . Pietrosemoli, ICTP Feb. 2003