F 3017-COMPUTER NETWORK

LAB 7 WIRELESS CONNECTION

1.

• 802.11

The 802.11 specifications were developed specifically for Wireless Local Area Networks
(WLANs) by the IEEE and include four subsets of Ethernet-based protocol standards: 802.11,
802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.

• 802.11

802.11 operated in the 2.4 GHz range and was the original specification of the 802.11 IEEE
standard. This specification delivered 1 to 2 Mbps using a technology known as phase-shift
keying (PSK) modulation. This specification is no longer used and has largely been replaced
by other forms of the 802.11 standard.

• 802.11a

802.11a operates in the 5 - 6 GHz range with data rates commonly in the 6 Mbps, 12 Mbps,
or 24 Mbps range. Because 802.11a uses the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
(OFDM) standard, data transfer rates can be as high as 54 Mbps. OFDM breaks up fast
serial information signals into several slower sub-signals that are transferred at the same time
via different frequencies, providing more resistance to radio frequency interference. The
802.11a specification is also known as Wi-Fi5, and though regionally deployed, it is not a
global standard like 802.11b.

• 802.11b

The 802.11b standard (also known as Wi-Fi) operates in the 2.4 GHz range with up to
11 Mbps data rates and is backward compatible with the 802.11 standard. 802.11b uses a
technology known as complementary code keying (CCK) modulation, which allows for
higher data rates with less chance of multi-path propagation interference (duplicate signals
bouncing off walls).
 • 802.11g

802.11g is the most recent IEEE 802.11 draft standard and operates in the 2.4 GHz range
with data rates as high as 54 Mbps over a limited distance. It is also backward compatible
with 802.11b and will work with both 11 and 22 Mbps U.S. Robotics wireless networking
products. 802.11g offers the best features of both 802.11a and 802.11b, but as of the
publication date of this document, this standard has not yet been certified, and therefore is
unavailable.

• 802.11n

802.11n-2009 is an amendment to the IEEE 802.11-2007 wireless networking standard to

improve network throughput over the two previous standards 802.11a and 802.11g with a
significant increase in the maximum raw data rate from 54 Mbit/s to 600 Mbit/s with the use
of four spatial streams at a channel width of 40 MHz.

Since 2007, the Wi-Fi Alliance has been certifying interoperability of "draft-N" products
based on what was draft 2.0 of IEEE 802.11n specification. The Alliance has upgraded its
suite of compatibility tests for some enhancements finalized after draft 2.0. Furthermore, it
has affirmed that all draft-n certified products remain compatible with the products
conforming to the final standards.

• 802.11i

Supplemental draft standard is intended to improve WLAN security. Describe the encrypted
transmission of data between systems of 802.11a and 802.11b WLANs. Defines new
encryption key protocols including the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) and the
advanced encryption standard (AES).

• 802.11X

IEEE standard for access control for wireless and wired LANs, 802.1X provides a means of
authenticating and authorizing devices to attach to a LAN port. This standard defines the
extensible Authentication server to authenticate each user on the network.
 2.

Wlan devices:
 Access Point.
 PC Card.
 PCI Adapter.
 Router.

• Peer-to-peer /ad-hoc mode

An ad-hoc network is a network where stations communicate only peer to peer (P2P). There
is no base and no one gives permission to talk. This is accomplished using the Independent
Basic Service Set (IBSS).

A peer-to-peer (P2P) network allows wireless devices to directly communicate with each
other. Wireless devices within range of each other can discover and communicate directly
without involving central access points. This method is typically used by two computers so
that they can connect to each other to form a network.

If a signal strength meter is used in this situation, it may not read the strength accurately and
can be misleading, because it registers the strength of the strongest signal, which may be the
closest computer.

IEEE 802.11 define the physical layer (PHY) and MAC (Media Access Control) layers based
on CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance). The 802.11
specification includes provisions designed to minimize collisions, because two mobile units
may both be in range of a common access point, but out of range of each other.

The 802.11 has two basic modes of operation: Ad hoc mode enables peer-to-peer
transmission between mobile units. Infrastructure mode in which mobile units communicate
through an access point that serves as a bridge to a wired network infrastructure is the more
common wireless LAN application the one being covered. Since wireless communication
uses a more open medium for communication in comparison to wired LANs, the 802.11
designers also included shared-key encryption mechanisms: Wired Equivalent Privacy
(WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2) to secure wireless computer networks.
 • Bridge Topologies

Typically, you can connect two devices to link bridges or you can link one bridge to multiple
bridges. However, there's another topology you might consider when you deploy your own
bridging solution.

The spanning-tree topology provides path redundancy and prevents network loops. When you
use the spanning-tree algorithm, a loop-free path is computed within a layer 2 network.
Bridges and switches send and receive regular bridge protocol data units (BPDU). These
messages are used to construct a loop-free path. A loop in a network can cause duplicate
messages and network instability.

Spanning-tree blocks redundant paths. If a network segment in the spanning-tree fails, the
spanning-tree algorithm calculates the spanning-tree topology and activates the next path.

3.

a) Directional antenna

• A directional antenna concentrates energy in a narrow conic path when sending and
rejects signals outside a single direction when receiving.

b) Omnidirectional antenna

• An omnidirectional antenna transmits in a 360 arc and is capable of receiving signals

from any direction. Most 802.11b devices implement an omnidirectional antenna.

4.
i. Infrared

• using higher frequencies to carry data.

• is electromagnetic radiation of longer wavelength than light, but shorter than radio
waves radiation.

ii. Laser

• Laser is bright lighthing straight direction to get wlan.

• Lighting laser just wavelength very far.
 iii. Narrow-band radio

• As the name suggests, narrowband technology uses a specific radio frequency (in the
range of 50 cps to 64 Kbps) for data transmission.

iv. Spread Spectrum

• Originally developed for military use, spread spectrum technology allows for greater
bandwidth by continually altering the frequency of the transmitted signal, thus
spreading the transmission across multiple frequencies. Spread spectrum uses more
bandwidth than narrowband, but the transmission is more secure, reliable, and easier
to detect.