Lecture 1

Wireless Networks

CPE 401/601 Computer Network Systems

All material copyright 1996-2009

J.F Kurose and K.W. Ross, All Rights Reserved slides are modified from Jim Kurose & Keith Ross
Chapter 6: Wireless and Mobile Networks
Background:
# wireless (mobile) phone subscribers now
exceeds # wired phone subscribers!
computer nets: laptops, palmtops, PDAs,
Internet-enabled phone promise anytime
untethered Internet access
two important (but different) challenges
wireless: communication over wireless link
mobility: handling the mobile user who changes point
of attachment to network

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 2

Chapter 6 outline
6.1 Introduction Mobility
6.5 Principles:
Wireless addressing and routing
6.2 Wireless links,
to mobile users
characteristics 6.6 Mobile IP
CDMA 6.7 Handling mobility in
6.3 IEEE 802.11 cellular networks
wireless LANs (wi-fi) 6.8 Mobility and higher-
6.4 Cellular Internet layer protocols
Access
architecture 6.9 Summary
standards (e.g., GSM)

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 3

Elements of a wireless network

wireless hosts
laptop, PDA, IP phone
run applications
may be stationary
(non-mobile) or mobile
network wireless does not
infrastructure always mean mobility

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 4

Elements of a wireless network
base station
typically connected to
wired network
relay - responsible
for sending packets
between wired
network network and wireless
infrastructure host(s) in its area
e.g., cell towers,
802.11 access
points

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 5

Elements of a wireless network
wireless link
typically used to
connect mobile(s) to
base station
also used as backbone
link
network multiple access
infrastructure protocol coordinates
link access
various data rates,
transmission distance

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 6

 Characteristics of some wireless link
standards

200 802.11n

54 802.11a,g 802.11a,g point-to-point data

Data rate (Mbps)

5-11 802.11b 802.16 (WiMAX)

4 UMTS/WCDMA-HSPDA, CDMA2000-1xEVDO 3G cellular

enhanced
1 802.15

.384 UMTS/WCDMA, CDMA2000 3G

.056 IS-95, CDMA, GSM 2G

Indoor Outdoor Mid-range Long-range

10-30m 50-200m outdoor outdoor
200m 4 Km 5Km 20 Km

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 7

Elements of a wireless network
infrastructure mode
base station connects
mobiles into wired
network
handoff: mobile
changes base station
network providing connection
infrastructure into wired network

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 8

Elements of a wireless network
ad hoc mode
no base stations
nodes can only
transmit to other
nodes within link
coverage
nodes organize
themselves into a
network: route among
themselves

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 9

Wireless network taxonomy
single hop multiple hops

host connects to host may have to

infrastructure base station (WiFi, relay through several
(e.g., APs) WiMAX, cellular) wireless nodes to
which connects to connect to larger
larger Internet Internet: mesh net

no base station, no
connection to larger
no no base station, no
infrastructure Internet. May have to
connection to larger
relay to reach other
Internet (Bluetooth,
a given wireless node
ad hoc nets)
MANET, VANET

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 10

Wireless Link Characteristics (1)
Differences from wired link .

decreased signal strength: radio signal

attenuates as it propagates through matter
(path loss)
interference from other sources: standardized
wireless network frequencies (e.g., 2.4 GHz)
shared by other devices (e.g., phone); devices
(motors) interfere as well
multipath propagation: radio signal reflects off
objects around, arriving at destination at
slightly different times

. make communication across (even a point to point)

wireless link much more difficult
Lect 1: Wireless Networks 11
Wireless Link Characteristics (2)
SNR: signal-to-noise ratio 10-1

larger SNR easier to 10-2

extract signal from noise (a
good thing) 10-3

SNR versus BER tradeoffs

BER
10-4

given physical layer:

10-5
increase power -> increase
SNR->decrease BER 10-6

given SNR: choose physical

10-7
layer that meets BER 10 20 30 40

requirement, giving highest

SNR(dB)

thruput QAM256 (8 Mbps)

SNR may change with
QAM16 (4 Mbps)
mobility: dynamically adapt
physical layer (modulation BPSK (1 Mbps)
technique, rate)
Lect 1: Wireless Networks 12
Wireless network characteristics
Multiple wireless senders and receivers create
additional problems (beyond multiple access):

A B C
C

As signal Cs signal
B strength strength
A

Hidden terminal problem
B, A hear each other
B, C hear each other
A, C can not hear each other
means A, C unaware of their
interference at B
space
Signal attenuation:
B, A hear each other
B, C hear each other
A, C can not hear each other
interfering at B

Lect 1: Wireless Networks 13