Wireless Local Area

Network( WLAN)

Outline

WLAN
How WLAN work
WLAN issues and challenges
WLAN Solutions

WLAN

WLAN -uses radio waves as its carrier.

How WLAN work

Wireless LANs operate in almost the same way

as wired LANs

WLAN issues and challenges

Roaming
Multipath propagation
Path Loss
Radio Signal Interference
Network Security
Installation Issues

Roaming
Scanning and decision making
Associate and authenticate
Relearn client location
AP to AP communication

Multipath propagation
Multipath distortion
Delay spread

Path Loss

With typical indoor applications, the path

loss increases at approximately 20dB every
100 feet.

Radio signal interference

microwave ovens, Bluetooth and cordless

phones, operating within the WLAN
environment

Network security
The loss of confidentiality and integrity
and the threat of denial of service
(DoS) attacks
Unauthorized users access to network and
launch attacks

Installation issues
A radio-based wireless is not as predictable
as wired
Predicting the way in which the contour of
the building will affect the propagation of
radio waves
Propagation tests

Network management issues.

Manually managing each Wireless APs and
controllers for multiple sites.
On-site to perform configuration and
firmware upgrade.

WLAN Solutions
Wireless Controller
IEEE 802.11 Standard
Wireless Security Methods
Wireless Management System

Wireless Controller
Fat AP ( Standalone AP/ Autonomous AP)
Wireless Controller + Thin AP
Controller-less AP

Standalone AP
Fat AP ( Standalone AP/ Autonomous AP)
Managed, operated and configured multiple
devices manually & independently
Solution for design with few APs

Wireless Controller

Wireless Controller + Thin AP

Centralized management
Easy and quick
Improve scalability
Extra feature: WIPS,RF planner and more
authentication methods

Controller-less
Virtualisation
ARUBA Virtual Controller/ Ruckus
Unleashed/ Cisco controller-less
Only limited up to 16/25 APs per cluster

IEEE 802.11

802.11b provide for raw data rates up to 11

Mbps, followed by 802.11a, 802.11g ( 54Mbps),
802.11n ( up to 600Mbps with 4 spatial stream).
802 .11n include MIMO-"multiple input and
multiple output".

802.11n

Beam-forming
Channels width of 40 MHz

802.11ac
Multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO)
Up to 8 spatial streams
5-GHz band
160 MHz channel
supports theoretical data rates of 2.3 Gbps

Wireless Security
Authentication and data encryption.
Data protection
Preventing network access by unauthorized
stations.

Wireless Security

WEP( Wired Equivalent Privacy )

WPA and WPA2 : Pre Shared Keys (PSKs) for home
use, or 802.1X for enterprise use.
Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)
EAP-TTLS and Protected EAP (PEAP)
RADIUS server, Active Directory or domain
controller

Wireless Security
TKIP and AES are two different types of
encryption that can be used by a Wi-Fi
network.
AES better than TKIP

Wireless Management
System
Discover wireless networks within minutes
Easy deployment
Proactively track wireless clients
Monitor and troubleshoot network devices
Reporting

Summary

Need to develop innovative and

commercially viable solutions to some of
the key issues and challenges to ensure the
success of emerging wireless applications