Wireless Communications

Mark Blunk
Hassan Mirmotahari
Wei Min, Cheng
Wing Kai, Cheng
Group 1 CIS 585, All rights
reserved.

1 - Wireless Spectrum

http://et.nmsu.edu/~etti/spring97/techtips/spectrum.html

Group 1 CIS 585, All rights

reserved.

Physical Layer Transmission

Types
Infrared light spectrum
Radio wave spectrum
Microwave spectrum

Infrared Light - Positive

Options

Inexpensive
Compatible with fiber-optic links
Not bandwidth limited
No licensing required (FCC)
Transmissions may be aimed (1 to 2 kilometers)
Transmissions may be omni-directional (30-60 feet)
Amplitude driven little interference
Range of 1-2 kilometers (approximately to 1 miles)
Highest bandwidth and throughput

InfraLAN product with infrared transmission

Infrared Light Negative

Aspects
Spectrum is shared with the sun and other lighting
sources
LAN may become useless with enough interference
Signals will not permeate opaque objects (walls,
dividers,etc)

Microwaves

Microwave - Positive
Options
Higher throughput without spread spectrum
5.8ghz band using a narrow-band transmission

RadioLAN - product using microwave transmission

Microwave Negative
Aspects
Expensive to build infrastructure
Must operate at less than 500 milliwatts (strict FCC
regulations)
Not commonly used less available knowledge pool

Radio Waves - Spectrum

Pure tone 500.0

0 Hz

1500.0 Hz

http://www.heritage.org/library/categories/regulation/tp11c1.gif

Radio Waves - Positive

Options

Commonly understood technology

Not subject to interference of light waves like infrared
Less expensive than microwave
Long-range medium several architectures exist
Commonly used larger knowledge pool

WaveLAN, BreezeNet pro, Proxim Rangelan2, &

RadioLAN

Radio Waves Negative

Aspects
Spread spectrum technology high overhead

Lower rates of data transmissions due to overhead

required

Subject to some interference causing delays in

transmission

Radio Waves Spread Spectrum

Methods

Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS)

Transmission signal is spread over an allowed band

Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS)

Splits the band into subchannels signal then hops to
transmit

Radio Waves Direct Sequence Spread

Spectrum (DSSS)

Spreads signal over a band (Example, 50 MHz)

Random Binary String Modulates the Transmission Signal
String is known as a Spreading Code
Bits are mapped out as chips and mapped back as bits
Spreading Ratio The number of chips per bit

DSSS Spreading Ratios

Higher Ratios Resist Interference Better

Lower ratios allow for use of more bandwidth
FCC dictates spreading ratios must be more than ten
IEEE 802.1 standard requires a spreading ratio of eleven
Sender & Receiver must synchronize to the spreading code
Orthogonal spreading codes allow sharing of the band between
LANs
DSSS systems use wide subchannels, limiting LANs possible
Recovery is faster with DSSS due to ability to spread the signal
over a wider band
Example Product = WaveLAN

Radio Waves Frequency Hopping

Spread Spectrum (FHSS)

Splits the band into many subchannels (1-2MHz)

Signal hops from subchannel to subchannel
Uses short bursts of data on each channel
Bursts are within a dwell time (very short time)
FCC requires at least 75 subchannels
FCC requires dwell time of no longer than
400ms
Less interference than DSSS due to hopping
Security is higher due to the hopping

Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum

(FHSS)
(Continued)

Used by military and law enforcement

Jamming is very difficult as the whole band
must be jammed
Orthogonal hopping sequence allows for colocation of multiple LANs
Allows for more co-located LANs than DSSS
Common new product method for wireless
Product Example = BreezeNet

Multipath Interference

Interference caused by signals bouncing off of physical

objects and arriving at a receiver at differing times

Multipath is a problem for all wireless modes

DHSS resists the issue by hopping to other frequencies
Anti-Multipath algorithms exist to resist the problem
Rayleigh fading is a subset of Multipath and can
completely cancel out the signal
Infrared resists Rayleigh fading due to small
wavelengths

Wireless Types
Information Sources
Pinacor.com
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/spectrum/
e

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/

End Of Module

2 -Examples of Wireless protocols

and technologies
The two main protocols and
technologies discussed in this
sections are:

Wireless ATM
Wireless Application protocol

Some background on ATM

ATM ( Asynchronous Transfer Mode) has
been advocated as an important technology
for the wide area interconnection of
heterogeneous networks
In ATM networks, the data is divided into
small, fixed length units called cells. The cell
is 53 bytes.
Each cell contain a 5 byte header which
comprises of identification, control priority
and routing information. The rest 48 bytes
are the actual data.

Background continued
ATM does not provide any error detection
operations on the user payload inside the cell,
and also provides no retransmission services,
and only few operations are performed on the
small header
ATM switches support two kinds of interfaces:
user-network interface (UNI) and network-node
interface (NNI).
UNI connects ATM end systems (hosts, routers
etc.) to an ATM switch, while an NNI may be
imprecisely defined as an interface connection of
two ATM switches together

Why Wireless ATM?

ATM provides end-to-end
communication in a WAN
environment
Companies do not have to invest in
extra equipment (i.e. routers,
switches, etc.)
ATM reduces the complexity,
improves flexibility, while providing
end-to-end connectivity

Why ATM Cont...

Due to the recent advancement of fiber,
next generation wireless networks
should be designed so as to easily fit
and co-exist with the Broadband ISDN
(Integrated Services Digital Network).
In order to avoid a serious mismatch
between wireline and wireless networks,
it is now timely to begin consideration
of broadband wireless networks with
similar service capabilities

Wireless ATM Challenges

Both wireless networks technology,
and ATM protocol are relatively new,
and there are no fixed standards being
defined for wireless ATM networks
Still in research stage and the
technology is being developed
Some wireless LANs have lower speed
and higher error rates

Modifications to ATM
The ATM cell size (53 bytes) may be too big for
some wireless LANs ( due to lower speed and
higher error rates), therefore wireless LANs
may use 16 or 24 byte payload.
The ATM header can also be compressed and
be expanded to standard ATM at the base
station
An example of ATM header compression is to
use 2 bytes containing 12-bit VCI (virtual
channel identifier) and 4 bit control ( payload
type, cell loss priority etc.)

WAP Defined
The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is
simply a protocola standardized way that a
mobile phone/unit communicates to a server
installed in the mobile phone network
Many advertising agencies and dot.coms
have announced WAP services
WAP takes a client-server approach. It
incorporates a relatively simple microbrowser
into the mobile phone, requiring only limited
resources on the phone.

WAP Cont..
This makes WAP suitable for thin clients
and early smart phones
WAP puts the intelligence in the WAP
Gateways while adding just a
microbrowser to the phones themselves
Microbrowser-based services and
applications reside temporarily on
servers, not permanently in phones

WAP Cont..
WAP is aimed at turning a mass-market mobile
phone into a network-based smart phone
A person with a WAP-compliant phone uses the
built-in microbrowser to:
1. Make a request in wireless markup language (WML), a
language derived from HTML especially for wireless network
characteristics
2. This request is passed to a WAP Gateway, which then retrieves
the information from an Internet server either in standard HTML
format or WML
3. The requested information is then sent from the WAP Gateway
to the WAP client, using whatever mobile network bearer service
is available and most appropriate

WAP Cont..
WAP has also given a significant
impetus for new players to add mobile
as a new distribution channel for their
existing products and services
For example, CNN and Nokia teamed up
to offer CNN Mobile, and Reuters and
Ericsson teamed up to provide Reuters
Wireless Services

Business Applications
Corporate applications that are being
enhanced and enabled with a WAP
interface include:

Job Dispatch
Remote Point Of Sale
Customer Service
Remote Monitoring Such As Meter Reading

Vehicle Positioning
Corporate Email

Business Applications
Cont..

Remote LAN Access

File Transfer
Web Browsing
Document Sharing/Collaborative Working
Audio
Still Images
Moving Images
Home Automation

Consumer Applications
Consumer Applications that are being enhanced
and enabled with a WAP interface include:

Simple Person to Person Messaging

Voice and Fax Mail Notifications
Unified Messaging
Internet Email
Prepayment
Mobile Commerce
Mobile Banking
Chat
Information Services

End Of Module

3 -Wireless LAN
Configurations
A Peer-to-Peer Network
Client and Access Point
Multiple Access Points and Roaming
Use of an Extension Point
The Use of Directional Antennas

A Wireless Peer-to-Peer
Network

Client and Access Point

AP as Master

Multiple Access Points and

Roaming

Use of an Extension Point

The Use of Directional

Antennas

Factors to be Considered
Range and Coverage
Throughput
Integrity and Reliability
Compatibility with the Existing Network
Interoperability of Wireless Devices
Interference and Coexistence

Factors to be Considered
Licensing Issues
Simplicity/Ease of Use
Security
Cost
Scalability
Battery Life for Mobile Platforms
Safety

EP: EP Roles as AP

EP: Preferred Master List

EP Topology: Single EP

EP Topology: Tree

EP Topology: Multi-hop
Linear

EP Topology: combination

Building Environment

Recommended Test
Equipment

Roaming Test

Site Survey Sample

Recommended Test
File Transfer
Printing
Loading Application over the
Network
Running Client/Server Application

Special Tests for WLAN

Microwave Interference
Near/Far Phenomenon
Hidden Terminal

End Of Module

4 - Wireless LAN - Products

A flexible data communication

system implemented as an
extension to, or as an alternative
for, a wired LAN

Wireless Evolution
Ethernet - the predominant LAN technology in the
wired world
First wireless LAN technologies operated in the
900MHz band & low speed (1-2Mbps)
1992, wireless LAN makers began developing
products operating in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz
frequency band
1997 IEEE released the 802.11 standard for WLAN
( infrared light, FHSS, DSSS)

Geographic Scope
SOHO - set of PCs talk to each other
(peer to peer WLAN)
Within a building or campus
Across buildings

Benefits

Mobility - access to real-time information anywhere

Installation - Simple, fast
Flexibility - move, add, change
Connectivity - go where wire cannot go
Scalability - a few PCs to full infrastructure networks of thousands of users that
allows roaming over a broad area.

Microwave spectrum

How WLAN works (1)

Independent (or peer-to-peer)

WLAN that connects a set of PCs
with wireless adapters

How WLAN works (2)

Access Point(s) link
wireless clients to the
wired network
Access Point

Product Considerations (1)

Range / Coverage - 100 to 500+ ft (walls, metal)

Throughput - 1 - 11+ Mbps (client #, range, multipath)
Interference - unlicensed RF band ( wireless product)
Coexistence - multi WLAN, multi vendor (interference)
Ease of use - transparent to users
Scalability - client #, coverage

Microwave spectrum

Product Considerations (2)

Interoperability - wired & wireless infrastructure
Network Management - add, delete, move, troubleshoot
Security - 40-bit keying standard not safe
Add-on security software
Station enable capability
Battery Life - extra power for transmit/receive
Safety - stringent government and industry regulations

Microwave spectrum

Add-on security software

by

Products
Access point
32-bit PCI

Bridge
16-bit ISA
PCMCIA slot II

Aironet products

RF Product - client adapters

Network Architecture - Supports peer-to-peer networking
and communication to wired networks via Access Points
Range at 1Mbps 1600ft (490m) open environment; 325ft
(100m) office
Range at 11Mbps 425ft (130m) open environment; 110ft
(35m) office
Encryption 40-bit WEP / 128-bit WEP
Antenna Integrated Internal antenna with diversity support,
External 2dBi dipole antenna with RP-TNC connection

RF Product - client
adapters(cont)
Device Drivers Available NDIS2, NDIS3, NDIS4,
NDIS5 ODI and Packet
System Interface PCMCIA Type II slot, 32-bit PCI
slot, 16-bit ISA slot
Receive Sensitivity - 90dBm @ 1Mbps, - 88dBm @
2Mbps, - 87dBm @ 5.5Mbps, - 84dBm @ 11Mbps
Output Power 30mW (US, Canada, ETSI)
Power Consumption Transmit: 350mA, Receive:
250mA, Sleep: under 10mA

RF Product - Access points

Network Architecture Types Complies with
IEEE 802.3 and Ethernet Blue Book
Range at 1Mbps 1800ft (550m) open
environment; 350ft (105m) office
Range at 11Mbps 400ft (120m) open
environment; 100ft (30m) office
Encryption 40-bit WEP
No. of Clients 10 - 2048

RF Product - Access points

(Cont)
Local Configuration Direct console port (Serial EIA232 DB-9 female)
Remote Configuration HTTP, Telnet, FTP, SNMP
Automatic Configuration BOOTP and DHCP Receive
Sensitivity -90dBm @ 1Mbps, -88dBm @ 2Mbps,
-87dBm @ 5.5Mbps, -84dBm @ 11Mbps s
Output Power 30mW (US, Canada, ETSI)
SNMP Compliance MIB I, MIB II

RF Product - client adapters

Device Drivers Available NDIS2, NDIS3, NDIS4, NDIS5
ODI and Packet
System Interface PCMCIA Type II slot, 32-bit PCI slot,
16-bit ISA slot
Receive Sensitivity - 90dBm @ 1Mbps, - 88dBm @
2Mbps, - 87dBm @ 5.5Mbps, - 84dBm @ 11Mbps
Output Power 30mW (US, Canada, ETSI) 4.5mW/MHz
(EIRP, Japan)
Power Consumption Transmit: 350mA, Receive: 250mA,
Sleep: under 10mA

RF Product - Wireless bridges

Data Rates Supported 1, 2, 5.5 and 11 Mbps

Range* Up to 8 Miles (13km) at 11 Mbps
Frequency Band 2400-2483.5 Mhz
Wireless Medium Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum
Media Access Protocol Carrier Sense Multiple
Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA)
Network Protocols Supported IEEE 802.3 and
Ethernet Blue Book

RF Product - Wireless bridges

(cont)
Modulation DBPSK @ 1 Mbps, DQPSK @ 2 Mbps,
CCK @ 5.5 and 11 Mbps
Operating Channels 11 channels
Simultaneous Channels Three
SNMP Compliance MIB I, MIB II
Routing Protocol RIP II IP
Bridging Protocol IEEE 802.1d Spanning Tree support
Wireless Bridges per LAN Unlimited
Maximum Users per Bridge 2048 (wireless)

Future Trend
Faster, Better and Cheaper
IEEE 802.11b standard 11Mbps WLANs at 2.4GHz band.
With optional modulation technique within the 802.11b
specification, it is possible to double the current data rate.
900MHz to 2.4GHz to 5.7GHz.
(802.11a) for equipment operating at 5.7GHz that
supports a 54Mbps data rate
Longer key length and authentication will improve
through the use of x.509 certificates

Wireless Information
Sources
http://www.wlana.com
http://www.dcbnet.com/apnotes.ht
ml#wireless
http://www.nwn.com
(NoWiresNeeded)
http://www.aironet.com

End Of Module

End Of Presentation