WIRELESS LAN

Authors: AbhishekChaurasia (Roll No:1) Amanpreet Singh Arora (Roll No:2) AmitKardile(Roll No:3) Asad Khan (Roll No:4) AtulBhardwaj(Roll No:5) Himangshu Das (Roll No:6)

Table of Contents
Wireless Technology overview The IEEE 802.11 WLAN Standards Secure Wireless LANs Migrating to Wireless LANs (Cutting the cord) What is Bluetooth? Bluetooth Architecture and requirements

Introduction
Wireless technology has helped to simplify networking by enabling multiple computer users to simultaneously share resources in a home or business without additional or intrusive wiring. These resources might include a broadband Internet connection, network printers, data files, and even streaming audio and video. This kind of resource sharing has become more prevalent as computer users have changed their habits from using single, stand-alone computers to working on networks with multiple computers, each with potentially different operating systems and varying peripheral hardware. Wireless networking enables the same capabilities and comparable speeds of a wired 10BASE-T network without the difficulties associated with laying wire, drilling into walls, or stringing Ethernet cables throughout an office building or home. Laptop users have the freedom to roam anywhere in the office building or home without having to hunt down a connector cable or available jack. Every room in a wireless home or office can be connected to the network, so adding more users and growing a network can be as simple as installing a new wireless network adapter. Reasons to choose wireless networking over traditional wired networks include: Running additional wires or drilling new holes in a home or office could be prohibited (because of rental regulations), impractical (infrastructure limitations), or too expensive Flexibility of location and data ports is required Roaming capability is desired; e.g., maintaining connectivity from almost anywhere inside a home or business Network access is desired outdoors; e.g., outside a home or office building Wireless LANs in the Office

Wireless LANs in the Office

An 802.11 network is the ideal solution for a network administrator in many respects. No longer is it a requirement that every workstation and conference room be wired up to hubs and switches with cables in hard-to-reach areas. Wireless networking allows for impromptu meetings in cafeterias, hallways, courtyards, or wherever inspiration strikes while providing real-time LAN connectivity for business applications such as sending e-mail, working on spread sheets on shared drives, and conducting market research.

Wireless LANs in the Home

Wireless networking has become commonplace, and with prices reduced to a fraction of what they were, it is no wonder that wireless networking products have transitioned from the office and into the home. For

the home user, a wireless network provides freedom in convenience and lifestyle to exchange words, data, and music or video with any computer across the Internet, or around the world. Home users can create a wireless network out of an existing wired network and wirelessly extend the reach of the Internet throughout the home on multiple computers, making it more convenient for everyone to get online.

History
Most credit Guglielmo Marconi, the father of radio, with the initiation of wireless technology 1894 Marconi experimented with Hertzian Waves (radio waves) to produce and detect waves over long distances 1896 Marconi established the Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company, the first radio factory 1901 St Johns, New Foundland, Marconi received the first trans-Atlantic wireless signal from Poldhu, England 1905 the first distress signal sent using Morse Code 1919 Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was incorporated, and consumer radio broadcasts for news and entertainment soon became popular During World War II the US Military used wireless signals with encryption to send battle plans and instructions US Military started the shift to radio data transmission technology 1971 network technologies met radio technologies when the first wireless Local Area Network (LAN) was established at the University of Hawaii during the experiment, ALOHANET ALOHANET used a bidirectional star topology consisting of (7) computers over (4) islands 1973 Dr Martin Cooper, Motorola Labs, invented the first personal mobile cellular telephone (weighed 2.5 lbs, 30 individual circuit boards, no display screen, 9x5x1.75, 10 hours to charge for 35 minutes of use) 1983 marked American entry into the commercial cellular service market 1987 FCC allows and encourages cellular service providers to use alternate technologies in the 800Mhz radio spectrum to prompt use of digital transmission 1990 IEEE 802 Executive Committee established the 802.11 Working Group to create a wireless LAN standard. 1997 working group approved IEEE 802.11 as the worlds first wireless LAN standard New standards are continuously being developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronical Engineers 2000: The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association merges with the Wireless Data Forum to become the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. Digital wireless users outnumber analog subscribers. Wireless subscribership in America exceeds 100 million, totaling approximately 38% of the U.S. population.

2001: November 8, FCC votes to raise CMRS spectrum limits for individual carriers from 45 MHz to 55 MHz, and subsequently eliminate cap in January 2003. The average wireless consumer uses his or her phone for 320 minutes per month. 2002: Camera phones are first introduced in the U.S. market. 2003: With the Secondary Markets Order, the FCC creates a secondary market which permits licensees to lease any amount of their spectrum. 2004: Congress enacts the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act, creating the Spectrum Relocation Fund to recover the costs associated with relocating radio communication systems from certain bands. The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association changes its name to CTIA-The Wireless Association. 2005: Wi-Fi chipset shipments top 100M annually. Subscribers use more than 1.5 trillion voice minutes and send and receive more than 81 billion SMS messages. Subscribership reaches nearly 208 million, which is approximately 69% of the total U.S. population. Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 enables Digital TV Transition and directs auctioning of 700 MHz of spectrum licenses. Auction concludes March, 2006, raising almost $19 billion for the U.S. Treasury. Spurred by the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the wireless industry, together with the American Red Cross, develops the national Text 2Help Initiative, which allows customers to donate $5 via text message in the event of a major disaster. 2006: Google announces on October 9 that it has bought YouTube for $1.65 billion. Aircell successfully bids $31.3 million for FCC air-to-ground broadband frequency license. 2007:iPhone launches, spurring dramatic handset innovation. 2008: October 13 marks the 25th anniversary of commercial wireless communications and the launch of the Wireless History Foundation. iTunes Application Store (July) and Android Market (October) open. There are more than 270 million wireless subscribers who use more than 2.2 trillion minutes; more than 1 trillion SMS messages are sent and received in the U.S. 2009: One billionth Wi-Fi chipset is sold. Palm Software Store (January), BlackBerry App World (April), Nokia Ovi Store (May), Palm App Catalog (June) and Windows Mobile Marketplace (July) app stores open. Wireless subscribers use more than 6.2 billion minutes per day and send and receive more than 5 billion SMS messages per day. There are more than 285.6 million U.S. wireless subscriber connections which is approximately 91% of the total U.S. population. 2010: In October, the Inaugural Wireless Hall of Fame dinner is held in San Francisco to induct new members and recognize previous inductees for their substantial contributions to the wireless industry.

In June, President Barack Obama signs a memorandum committing to freeing up 500 MHz of spectrum for the wireless industry. FCC proposes National Broadband Plan, recommending 500MHz of spectrum be allocated for commercial use by 2020. After the devastating January earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a record-breaking $35 million is donated via text message. First 4G handset is introduced at International CTIA WIRELESS show. 2011: August 15, 2011, the announcement is made that Google will acquire Motorola Mobility. On March 21, AT&T announces plans to acquire T-Mobile for $39 billion.

Wireless History: Timeline

Why WLAN is different?

Wireless technology is different from the wired technology mainly because of the below mentioned points. They use specialized physical and data link protocols They integrate into existing networks through access points which provide a bridging function They let you stay connected as you roam from one coverage area to another They have unique security considerations They have specific interoperability requirements They require different hardware They offer performance that differs from wired LANs.

Different WLAN Technologies

As various wireless networking technologies have advanced over time, several WLAN technologies have emerged, including: narrowband, spread spectrum, frequency hopping spread spectrum, and direct sequence spread spectrum.

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

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. Spread-spectrum communications technology was first described on paper by an actress and a musician! In 1941 Hollywood actress HedyLamarr and pianist George Antheil described a secure radio link to control torpedoes. They received U.S. Patent #2.292.387. The technology was not taken seriously at that time by the U.S. Army and was forgotten until the 1980s, when it became active. Since then the technology has become increasingly popular for applications that involve radio links in hostile environments. Typical applications for the resulting short-range data transceivers include satellite-positioning systems

(GPS), 3G mobile telecommunications, W-LAN (IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g), and Bluetooth. Spread-spectrum techniques also aid in the endless race between communication needs and radio-frequency availabilitysituations where the radio spectrum is limited and is, therefore, an expensive resource. Spread spectrum techniques can be used where there is a requirement to increase the robustness or security of a radio link. It is also a technique which can be utilised to share a radio channel (multiple access) between a numbers of users.In general Spread spectrum refers to any system where the bandwidth of the signal transmitted on the radio channel is greater that the bandwidth required to transmit the original (un-spread) information signal.The two most common types of spread spectrum transmission are frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) and direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS).

Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (2-3 MBPS)

Frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technology synchronizes the changing frequency of both the transmitter and receiver (using a narrowband carrier) to, in effect, produce a single transmission signal. This frequency hopping can occur as often as several times a second; it is constantly changing from one frequency to another, transmitting data for a certain period of time before changing frequency again. Like spread spectrum technology, FHSS technology consumes additional bandwidth, however, this is over the course of multiple carrier frequencies.

Note: a GSM mobile phone transmission uses a combination of Frequency division multiple access (FDMA, i.e. phones can operate on different frequencies) and time division multiple access (TDMA, i.e. phones operating on the same frequency transmit in different time slots), the mobile phone call is not tied to a single channel for the duration of the call, GSM uses slow frequency hopping to change the call channel frequency at regular intervals).

A frequency hopping transmission changes channel, following a pseudo random sequence, at regular intervals. The transmitter and receiver are synchronised to the same hop sequence. FHSS can be used

to increase the security of the transmission and also overcome jamming and signal fading problems. Common examples of FHSS transmissions are Wireless local area network (WLAN) cards and GSM mobile phone transmissions.

Frequency hopping systems can be classified as fast hopping or slow hopping. In a fast hopping system a single information bit will be spread over several frequency hops. In a slow hopping system several information bits are transferred per frequency hop.

Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum(11MBPS)

Direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS)technology breaks down the transmittedstream of data into small pieces across afrequency channel. A redundant bit pattern(known as a chipping code) is generated for each bit transmitted. Generally, the longer thechipping code, the more likely it is that theoriginal transmitted data will be properlyreceived. DSSS technology uses more bandwidththan FHSS, but DSSS is considered more reliableand resists interference. Because of the chippingcode, data can still be recovered without retransmission of the signal, even in the caseof damaged data bits. U.S. Robotics wirelessnetworking products utilize DSSS technology. A direct sequence transmission increases the information bandwidth by mixing the information data signal with a much higher rate pseudo random spreading (chip) sequence. Both the transmitter and receiver use the same pseudo random sequence to spread and de-spread the information signal.

DSSS can be used to increase the security of the transmission and also overcome jamming, multi-path and signal fading problems. It is also be used as a multiple access technique, e.g. Code division multiple access (CDMA), where each user utilises a different pseudo random sequence. Common examples of DSSS transmissions are Wireless local area network (WLAN) cards and IS-95 / 3G mobile phone transmissions.

Wireless LAN Frequency Usage

The 802.11b standard defines 14 frequencychannels for use with this technology. Dependingon the country a user lives in and where he or she will be installing a WLAN, there are certaingovernmental restrictions for companies offering these products and consumers or businessesdeploying these products.In North America, the FCC (FederalCommunications Commission) and IC (Industry Canada) allow manufacturers and users to use channels 1 through 11, per ETSI approval (European Telecommunications Standards Institute); most of Europe can use channels 1 through 13, while in Japan, users have all 14 channels available.

Even though there are 14 channel frequencies available for use, it should be noted that the actual channel frequency indicates the center frequency used by the transmitter and receiver for communication. An 802.11b radio signal consumes approximately 30 MHz of frequency spectrum, leaving a 5 MHz separation between center frequencies. This means that the signal extends out 15 MHz of the center frequency spectrum.

As a result, the bandwidth required for each channel signal overlaps several adjacent frequencies. This leaves the typical U.S. user with three channels available for use by access points (channels 1, 6, and 11) that are within radio range of adjacent access points.

Ad Hoc (Peer-to-Peer) Mode vs. Infrastructure Mode

The 802.11 specification defines two typesof operational modes: ad hoc (peer-to-peer)mode and infrastructure mode. In ad hocmode, the wireless network is relatively simpleand consists of 802.11 network interface cards(NICs). The networked computers communicatedirectly with one another without the use of anaccess point. In infrastructure mode, the wirelessnetwork is composed of a wireless access point(s)and 802.11 network interface cards (NICs). Theaccess point acts as a base station in an 802.11network and all communications from all of thewireless clients go through the access point.The access point also provides for increasedwireless range, growth of the number ofwireless users, and additional network security. In ad hoc mode, also known as IndependentBasic Service Set (IBSS) or peer-to-peer mode,all of the computers and workstations connectedwith a wireless NIC card can communicate witheach other via radio waves without an accesspoint. Ad hoc mode is convenient for quicklysetting up a wireless network in a meetingroom, hotel conference center, or anywhere elsesufficient wired infrastructure does not exist.

In infrastructure mode, all mobile and wirelessclient devices and computers communicate withthe access point, which provides the connectionfrom the wireless radio frequency world tothe hard-wired LAN world. The access pointperforms the conversion of 802.11 packetsto 802.3 Ethernet LAN packets. Data packets traveling from the LAN to a wireless client areconverted by the access point into radio signalsand transmitted out into the environment. Allwireless clients and devices within range canreceive the packets, but only those clients withthe appropriate destination address will receiveand process the packets.A basic wireless infrastructure with a singleaccess point is called a Basic Service Set (BSS).When more than one access point is connectedto a network to form a single sub-network, itis called an Extended Service Set (ESS).The 802.11 specification includes roamingcapabilities that allow a client computer to roam among multiple access points on differentchannels. Thus, roaming client computers withweak signals can associate themselves withother access points with stronger signals.Alternately, by setting up multiple access pointsto cover the same geographic area and byusing different non-overlapping frequencies,client workstation networking loads can bebetter balanced. A wireless LAN NIC may decideto re-associate itself with another access pointwithin range because the load on its currentaccess point is too high for optimal performance.These capabilities can have a positive impact onoverall network performance.

Roaming
There are two definitions for wireless LAN roaming

Internal Roaming: The Mobile Station (MS) moves from one access point (AP) to another AP within a home network because the signal strength is too weak. External Roaming: The MS (client) moves into a WLAN of another Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) and takes their services (Hotspot). The user can independently of his home network use another foreign network, if this is open for visitors. There must be special authentication and billing systems for mobile services in a foreign network

Wireless Network Components

Much like a traditional wired LAN, a WLANis a grouping of computers and peripheraldevices that share a common communicationsbackbone. As is implied by the name, a WLANallows users to connect to the LAN wirelesslyvia radio transmission. The following are themost common components of a WLAN.

Access Point
The access point is a device that links awireless network to a wired LAN. It increasesthe effective range of a wireless network andprovides additional network management andsecurity features. Wireless networks of three orfewer PCs do not require an access point forad hoc networking. Access points are usefulfor larger networks, and they are particularlywell-suited for adding wireless capability to anexisting wired network.

PC Card
A wireless PC card enables laptop users toconnect wirelessly to the LAN.

PCI Adapter
Just as a wireless access PC card allows portableand laptop computers access to the LAN, awireless access PCI adapter allows desktop PCusers access to the LAN.

Router
A router is a device used for sharing a singleInternet connection across multiple computers.This is ideal in the home or office wheremultiple computers and devices can be onlineat the same time with only a single Internetconnection. Wireless networking users should keep thefollowing in mind: One wireless PC card is needed for each laptop and one wireless PCI adapter desktop computer to be wirelessly networked. An ad hoc network of up to three computers can be created with wireless PC cards or PCI adapters. To connect more than three computers, include an access point or router Sharing Internet access among multiple computers or laptops requires a router.

Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances (using short-wavelength radio transmissions in the ISM band from 24002480 MHz) from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs) with high levels of security. Created by telecoms vendor Ericsson in 1994 it was originally conceived as a wireless alternative to RS-232 data cables. It can connect several devices, overcoming problems of synchronization. Bluetooth is managed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, which has more than 16,000 member companies in the areas of telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics. The SIG oversees the development of the specification, manages the qualification program, and protects the trademarks. To be marketed as a Bluetooth device, it must be qualified to standards defined by the SIG

Architecture and Requirements

Bluetooth uses a radio technology called frequency-hopping spread spectrum, which chops up the data being sent and transmits chunks of it on up to 79 bands (1 MHz each; centered from 2402 to 2480 MHz) in the range 2,4002,483.5 MHz (allowing for guard bands). This range is in the globally unlicensed Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) 2.4 GHz short-range radio frequency band. It usually performs 800 hops per second, with AFH enabled. Originally Gaussian frequency-shift keying (GFSK) modulation was the only modulation scheme available; subsequently, since the introduction of Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, /4-DQPSK and 8DPSK modulation may also be used between compatible devices. Devices functioning with GFSK are said to be operating in basic rate (BR) mode where an instantaneous data rate of 1 Mbit/s is possible. The term Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) is used to describe /4-DPSK and 8DPSK schemes, each giving 2 and 3 Mbit/s respectively. The combination of these (BR and EDR) modes in Bluetooth radio technology is classified as a "BR/EDR radio". Bluetooth is a packet-based protocol with a master-slave structure. One master may communicate with up to 7 slaves in a piconet; all devices share the master's clock. Packet exchange is based on the basic clock, defined by the master, which ticks at 312.5 s intervals. Two clock ticks make up a slot of 625 s; two slots make up a slot pair of 1250 s. In the simple case of single-slot packets the master transmits in even slots and receives in odd slots; the slave, conversely, receives in even slots and transmits in odd slots. Packets may be 1, 3 or 5 slots long but in all cases the master transmits will begin in even slots and the slave transmits in odd slots. Bluetooth provides a secure way to connect and exchange information between devices such as faxes, mobile phones, telephones, laptops, personal computers, printers, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, digital cameras, and video game consoles.

IEEE 802.11
IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are created and maintained by the IEEELAN/MAN Standards Committee (IEEE 802). The base version of the standard IEEE 802.112012 has had subsequent amendments. These standards provide the basis for wireless network products using the Wi-Fi brand. The 802.11 family consists of a series of half-duplex over-the-air modulation techniques that use the same basic protocol. The most popular are those defined by the 802.11b and 802.11g protocols, which are amendments to the original standard. 802.11-1997 was the first wireless networking standard, but 802.11b was the first widely accepted one, followed by 802.11g and 802.11n. 802.11n is a new multi-streaming modulation technique. Other standards in the family (cf, h, j) are service amendments and extensions or corrections to the previous specifications. 802.11b and 802.11g use the 2.4 GHz ISM band, operating in the United States under Part 15 of the US Federal Communications Commission Rules and Regulations. Because of this choice of frequency band, 802.11b and g equipment may occasionally suffer interference from microwave ovens, cordless telephones and Bluetooth devices. 802.11b and 802.11g control their interference and susceptibility to interference by using direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) and orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signaling methods, respectively. 802.11a uses the 5 GHz U-NII band, which, for much of the world, offers at least 23 non-overlapping channels rather than the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band, where adjacent channels overlap - see list of WLAN channels. Better or worse performance with higher or lower frequencies (channels) may be realized, depending on the environment. The segment of the radio frequency spectrum used by 802.11 varies between countries. In the US, 802.11a and 802.11g devices may be operated without a license, as allowed in Part 15 of the FCC Rules and Regulations. Frequencies used by channels one through six of 802.11b and 802.11g fall within the 2.4 GHz amateur radio band. Licensed amateur radio operators may operate 802.11b/g devices under Part 97 of the FCC Rules and Regulations, allowing increased power output but not commercial content or encryption. 802.11a The 802.11a standard uses the same data link layer protocol and frame format as the original standard, but an OFDM based air interface (physical layer). It operates in the 5 GHz band with a maximum net data rate of [9] 54 Mbit/s, plus error correction code, which yields realistic net achievable throughput in the mid-20 Mbit/s Since the 2.4 GHz band is heavily used to the point of being crowded, using the relatively unused 5 GHz band gives 802.11a a significant advantage. However, this high carrier frequency also brings a disadvantage: the effective overall range of 802.11a is less than that of 802.11b/g. In theory, 802.11a signals are absorbed more readily by walls and other solid objects in their path due to their smaller wavelength and, as a result, cannot penetrate as far as those of 802.11b. In practice, 802.11b typically has a higher range at low speeds (802.11b will reduce speed to 5 Mbit/s or even 1 Mbit/s at low signal strengths). 802.11a also suffers from interference, but locally there may be fewer signals to interfere with, resulting in less interference and better throughput. 802.11b 802.11b has a maximum raw data rate of 11 Mbit/s and uses the same media access method defined in the original standard. 802.11b products appeared on the market in early 2000, since 802.11b is a direct extension of the modulation technique defined in the original standard. The dramatic increase in throughput of 802.11b (compared to the original standard) along with simultaneous substantial price reductions led to the rapid acceptance of 802.11b as the definitive wireless LAN technology. 802.11b devices suffer interference from other products operating in the 2.4 GHz band. Devices operating in the 2.4 GHz range include microwave ovens, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, cordless telephones and some amateur radio equipment.

802.11g In June 2003, a third modulation standard was ratified: 802.11g. This works in the 2.4 GHz band (like 802.11b), but uses the same OFDM based transmission scheme as 802.11a. It operates at a maximum physical layer bit rate of 54 Mbit/s exclusive of forward error correction codes, or about 22 Mbit/s average throughput.802.11g hardware is fully backward compatible with 802.11b hardware and therefore is encumbered with legacy issues that reduce throughput when compared to 802.11a by ~21%. The then-proposed 802.11g standard was rapidly adopted by consumers starting in January 2003, well before ratification, due to the desire for higher data rates as well as to reductions in manufacturing costs. By summer 2003, most dual-band 802.11a/b products became dual-band/tri-mode, supporting a and b/g in a single mobile adapter card or access point. Details of making b and g work well together occupied much of the lingering technical process; in an 802.11g network, however, activity of an 802.11b participant will reduce the data rate of the overall 802.11g network. Like 802.11b, 802.11g devices suffer interference from other products operating in the 2.4 GHz band, for example wireless keyboards.