F17 NET3900

Wireless Networks – Module 1

Introduction
Marvin Krym
krymm@algonquincollege.com
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Wireless Networks

This course is focussed on Personal Area Networks

Wireless Local Area Networks. - 1-10 meters (approx)
- Eg. Bluetooth, Zigbee
- Std: IEEE 802.15

Local Area Networks

- 50-100 meters (approx)
- Eg. Wi-Fi
- Std: IEEE 802.11

Metropolitan Area Networks

- 10-20 Kilometers (approx)
- Eg. WiMAX
- Std: IEEE 802.16

Wide Area Networks

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Organizations
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
– Role: Development of 802.11 WLAN Standards
– Reference: http://standards.ieee.org/about/get/802/802.11.html

• Wi-Fi Alliance
– Role: Writes compliance and interoperability standards; Tests and certifies that
Wi-Fi products comply with standards
– Certification Programs: Wi-Fi baseline; Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA
&WPA2™); Wi-Fi Multimedia™ (WMM); Wi-Fi Certified n
– Reference: http://www.wi-fi.org

• FCC (Federal Communications Commission)

– Role: Regulation and Licensing of RF Spectrum
– Reference: http://www.fcc.gov/

• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

– Spectrum Management
– Role: Regulation and Licensing of RF Spectrum
– Reference: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/home
– Note: Wi-Fi Spectrum is Unlicensed but Regulated.

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Standards

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802 Standards (Examples)

IEEE 802.1 Bridging and Management

IEEE 802.2 Logical Link Control

Data Link
IEEE 802.3 IEEE 802.11 IEEE 802.15
MAC MAC MAC
IEEE 802.3 IEEE 802.11 IEEE 802.15
Physical PHY PHY PHY

Physical Wireless Wireless

Ethernet LAN PAN

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Principle Standards

Included in course
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11
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Approx. Wi-Fi Product Evolution

802.11ac
“Gig-Fi”
1000+ Mbps
1000
Max PHY Rate - Mbps

802.11n
600 Mbps

802.11n
450 Mbps

802.11n
300 Mbps
802.11
DRAFT n
150 Mbps
802.11a 802.11g
Prime 802.11b
54 Mbps 54 Mbps
2 Mbps 11 Mbps

1997 1999 2003 2006 2009 2011 2012/3 2013+

Product Availability

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802.11 Standards Definitions
• STA – Wireless Station
– A STA is a wireless device that contains an 802.11 conformant MAC
and PHY interface (a Wi-Fi protocol stack)
– Example Stations: Laptop computers, Wi-Fi adapters, Smartphones

• AP – Access Point
– An Access Point is a wireless device that contains (1) a Wi-Fi protocol
stack and (2) a connection to the Distribution System.
– Commercial APs include much more functionality

• BSS – Basic Service Set

– A set of stations (one or more) that have successfully associated and
synchronized (i.e. via Beacon) to an Access Point

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802.11 Standards Definitions
• DS – Distribution System
– The infrastructure used to interconnect basic service sets (BSSs)
– A Distribution System may be wired or wireless

• BSSID – BSS Identifier

– BSSID is the identifier of the BSS.
– It is the MAC address of the Access Point’s Radio
– One BSSID per Virtual Access Point (AP)

• SSID – Service Set Identifier

– A logical name used to identify the wireless network
– The SSID is broadcast in the Beacon from each AP

• BSA – Basic Service Area

– The area serviced by an Access Point, defined by the Signal Strength
– The RF coverage extends beyond the BSA
– Often called a “cell”

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802.11 Standards Definitions
• ESS – Extended Service Set
– Two or more basic service sets (BSSs) interconnected by the Distribution
System
– In an ESS, the SSID is the same for each BSS but the BSSIDs are
different and unique

• ESSID – Extended Service Set Identifier

– A logical name used to identify the ESS
– The ESSID is broadcast in the Beacon from each AP

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Example

DS – Distribution System

AP
BSS AP

STA
STA

STA – Wireless Station

AP – Access Point
DS – Distribution System
BSA – Basic Service Area
BSS – Basic Service Set
ESS – Extended Service Set
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Example – Infrastructure BSS

DS – Distribution System

AP
AP

STA
STA

Basic Service Set

Basic Service Set BSSID = ab:42:4c:7f:3e:af
BSSID = ab:42:4c:55:d3:19 SSID (ESSID) = networklab
SSID (ESSID) = networklab
ESSID = networklab

BSS – Basic Service Set

BSSID – BSS ID
SSID / ESSID – Service Set ID

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802.11 Standards Definitions

• IBSS - Independent BSS
– Is a self-contained wireless network
– Frame exchange is peer to peer
– No access to a distribution system
– Also known as an ad hoc network
– Always referred to as IBSS Smartphone
– The first station transmits a beacon if it doesn’t Wireless
hear the beacon from other stations Laptop
Independent
BSS

• BSS - Infrastructure BSS Distribution System

– Station synchronization and connectivity is by i.e. Wired Ethernet
way of an Access Point
– All frame exchanges are via an Access Point Access
– BSSs interconnect via the Distribution System Point
– Always referred to as BSS

Infrastructure
BSS

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Product Types

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Consumer vs Enterprise Wi-Fi Features
Consumer: Enterprise:
• Base 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac • Base 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
• Dual Radio • Dual Radio
• Security • Fast Mobility
– WPA2 Access • Advanced Security
• Per AP GUI Management – WPA2 Access
• Simple Traffic Management – Intrusion detection & prevention system
• Advanced Traffic Management
– Quality of Service Queueing
– Call Admission Control
– Network Load Balancing
• Auto RF Configuration
• Centralized Management
• Resiliency Features
• Virtual APs & VLANs
• Secure Guest Access
• Location Services
• Spectrum Management
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Network Topologies
Bridge / Backhaul Network
- point to point
- point to multipoint

Root Bridge
Non-Root Bridge

Mesh Network
- Eg. Train Wi-Fi by BelAir, Ottawa
- Wi-Fi Access & Wi-Fi Distribution
- Wi-Fi AP-to-AP link

Internet of Everything
- Hyperconnected World

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RF Bands and Channels

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RF Components
EIRP
Radio
Waves
Intentional
Radiator (IR)

Conducted
Output Power (PIR)
Data Data
Transmitter Antenna Receiver
Cable

Intentional Radiator (IR)

• “A device that intentionally generates and emits radio frequency energy by radiation or
induction”
• Includes all components from the transmitter up to but excluding the antenna
Conducted Output Power (PIR)
• Output RF Power from the IR into the antenna
EIRP – Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power
• Highest RF signal strength radiated from the antenna

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Wi-Fi Spectrum
• Regulated but Unlicensed Spectrum
ISM Band
ISM Band UNII Band 150 MHz
83.5 MHz 675 MHz

2.4 2.4835 5.15 5.725 5.875 Frequency

(GHz)
5.825

• ISM – Industry, Scientific and Medical

• Uses 2.4 GHz Band
• Used by Wi-Fi, microwave ovens, baby monitors, video cameras, cordless phones
• Regulated by Industry Canada and FCC in USA

• UNII – Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure

• Uses 5 GHz Band
• Used for Wi-Fi communications
• Regulated by Industry Canada and FCC in USA
• Partial overlap with RADAR bands used at airports

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Wi-Fi Channels in the 2.4GHz ISM Band
ch1 ch2 ch3 ch4 ch5 ch6 ch7 ch8 ch9 ch10 ch11

ISM Channel Wi-Fi Channel

Spacing = 5 MHz Bandwidth = 20-22 MHz

Band Name Range (GHz) Channels

ISM 2.4 – 2.4835 1,6,11 (typical)

• ISM channels are 5 MHz apart

• Wi-Fi Channel Requirements is 20 – 22 MHz
• Therefore: Only Channels 1,6,11 should be used
• These are called non overlapping channels
• While all channels are available for use, only non overlapping channels
should be used with Wi-Fi to prevent adjacent channel interference

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Wi-Fi Channels in the 5.0 GHz UNII Band

Band Name Range (GHz) Channels

UNII – 1 5.15 – 5.25 36,40,44,48
UNII – 2 5.25 – 5.35 52,56,60,64
UNII – 2 extended 5.47 – 5.725 100,104,108,112,
116,136,140
UNII – 3 5.725 – 5.825 149,153,157,161
(165 ISM)

• UNII is partitioned into 3 sub-bands

• Only every fourth channel is available according to the standard
• This ensures that used channels are 20 MHz apart
• This matches the Wi-Fi channel spacing which uses this band
• Therefore all available channels are non-overlapping

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UNII Band Channels

Ref: CWNA: Certified Wireless Network

Administrator Official Study Guide; 3rd Ed
May 2012

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More about Access Points
Dual Band Access Points
- An Access Point can have 1 (ISM band) or 2 radios (UNII and ISM bands)
- Each radio has a different BSSID
- The radios have overlapping floor coverage

5 GHz Radio 2.4 GHz Radio

Virtual Access Points

- A physical Access Point can be partitioned into logical APs by the software
- Each Access Point behaves as an independent AP
- Each Virtual AP can be dual band
- Each Aruba Virtual AP (VAP) has a different BSSID 5 GHz Radio 2.4 GHz Radio

Virtual AP 1 BSSID1 BSSID3

BSSID2 BSSID4
Virtual AP 2

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Wi-Fi Architectures

1 6 11 6 6 6

11 1 6 6

Multi Channel Architecture Single Channel Architecture Sectorized Array Architecture

- Cisco, Aruba, etc - Meru, Extracom - Xirrus
- Different channel per cell/BSA - Same channel per cell/BSA - Sectored Antenna System
- Reduce cell size for capacity - Spatial Reuse
(but more cells) - Channel Layer for capacity

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END

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