Wi-Fi Technology Overview

Abdus Salam ICTP, February 2004 Schoo on l Dig t l Radio Co m muni t ons f Research ia ca i or and Tra ning in Deve i loping Countr ies Ermanno Pietrosemoli Latin American Networking School (Fundacin EsLaRed) ULA Mrida Venezuela www.eslared.org.ve
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Wi-Fi Technology Overview

Agenda

802.11 Standards 802.11 Terminology DSSS Channel Allocation Medium Access Control Its all about Power! Scanning

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Wireless Data Transmission flavors

Packet Radio Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) Wireless Local Loop (WLL, LMDS) Free Space Optics Satellite Transmission

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Wi-Fi Technology Overview

Wireless networks where borne as LANs, but for developing countries applications they are more useful as MANs or even WANs The enormous success of this technology has led to a dramatic price reduction of the radios, from $750 in 1992 to $30 in 2004, while transmission speed has increased up to 74 Mbps on the same 20 MHz channel
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Wi-Fi Technology Overview: Standards

IEEE 802.11
1 and 2 Mbps, Frequency Hopping, DSSS (915 or 2400 MHz ) or IR, Ratified in 1977

IEEE 802.11 a up to 54 Mbps, 5 GHz, OFDM IEEE 802.11 b up to 11 Mbps, 2.4 GHz, DSSS
Both ratified in 1999

IEEE 802.11g up to 54 Mbps, 2.4 GHz, OFDM,

downward compatible with 802.11b, Ratified in 2003
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Elements of a Transmission System

Transmitter Connecting cable or waveguide Antennas Receiver Power Supply, Grounding and Lightning Protection
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System Configuration

Sub Station Point to Point

Sub Station Point to Point

Base Station Point to Multipoin

Sub Station Point to Point

Access Point

IEEE 802 .11 Terminology

Station (STA) Architecture:

Device that contains IEEE 802.11 conformant MAC and PHY interface to the wireless medium, but does not provide access to a distribution system Most often end-stations available in terminals (work-stations, laptops etc.)

Radio Radio Hardware Hardware

PC-Card PC-Card Hardware Hardware

802.11 frame format

WMAC controller with WMAC controller with Station Firmware Station Firmware (WNIC-STA) (WNIC-STA)

802.3 frame format

Driver Driver Software Software (STADr) (STADr)

Platform Platform Computer Computer

Ethernet V2.0 / 802.3 frame format

Protocol Stack Protocol Stack

IEEE 802 .11 Terminology

Access-Point (AP) Architecture:

Device that contains IEEE 802.11 conformant MAC and PHY interface to the wireless medium, and provide access to a distribution system for associated stations Most often infra-structure products that connect to wired backbones

Radio Radio Hardware Hardware

PC-Card PC-Card Hardware Hardware

802.11 frame format

WMAC controller with WMAC controller with Station Firmware Station Firmware (WNIC-STA) (WNIC-STA)

802.3 frame format

Driver Driver Software Software (STADr) (STADr)

Platform Platform Computer Computer

Ethernet V2.0 / 802.3 frame format

Protocol Stack Protocol Stack

IEEE 802 .11 Terminology

BSS A set of stations controlled by a single Coordination Function (=the logical function that determines when a station can transmit or receive) Similar to a cell in pre IEEE terminology A BSS can have an Access-Point (both in standalone networks and in building-wide configurations), or can run without and AccessPoint (in standalone networks only) Diameter of the cell is app. twice the coveragedistance between two wireless stations

Basic Service Set (BSS)

BSS

IEEE 802 .11 Terminology

Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS):

A Basic Service Set (BSS) which forms a selfcontained network in which no access to a Distribution System is available A BSS without an Access-Point One of the stations in the IBSS can be configured to initiate the network and assume the Coordination Function Diameter of the cell determined by coverage distance between two wireless stations

Independent Basic Service Set

(IBSS)

IBSS

IEEE 802 .11 Terminology

Extended Service Set (ESS):
A set of one or more Basic Service Sets interconnected by a Distribution System (DS) Traffic always flows via Access-Point

Distribution System (DS):

A system to interconnect a set of Basic Service Sets

Integrated; A single Access-Point in a standalone network Wired; Using cable to interconnect the Access-Points Wireless; Using wireless to interconnect the Access-Points

Extended Service Set (ESS)

single BSS (with integrated DS)

BSS

BSSs with wired Distribution System (DS)

Extended Service Set (ESS)

BSS

Di

st S y ribu s t tio em n

BSS

BSSs and wireless Distribution System (DS)

Extended Service Set (ESS)

BSS

Di

st S y ribu s t tio em n

BSS

IEEE 802 .11 Terminology

Service Set Identifier (SSID):

Network name 32 octets long One network (ESS or IBSS) has one SSID

IEEE 802 .11 Terminology

Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID)

cell identifier 6 octets long (MAC address format) One BSS has one SSID Value of BSSID is the same as the MAC address of the radio in the Access-Point

MAC Management Frames

Beacon

Timestamp, Beacon Interval, Capabilities, SSID, Supported Rates, parameters Traffic Indication Map
Probe

SSID, Capabilities, Supported Rates

Probe Response

Timestamp, Beacon Interval, Capabilities, SSID, Supported Rates, parameters same for Beacon except for TIM

MAC Management Frames (contd)

Association Request

Capability, Listen Interval, SSID, Supported Rates

Association Response

Capability, Status Code, Station ID, Supported Rates

Re-association Request

Capability, Listen Interval, SSID, Supported Rates, Current AP Address

Re-association Response

Capability, Status Code, Station ID, Supported Rates

Channel Overlapping

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Medium Access Control Logic

IFS

Operational processes
Inter-Frame Spacing
Contention Window
Free access when medium is free longer than DIFS DIFS
DIFS PIFS

Busy Medium

SIFS

Backoff-Window
Slot time

Next Frame

Defer Access

Select Slot and Decrement Backoff as long as medium is idle.

Inter frame spacing required for MAC protocol traffic

SIFS = Short interframe space PIFS = PCF interframe space DIFS = DCF interframe space

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Operational processes
Data Frames and their ACK
DIFS

Src Dest Other

Data
SIFS

Ack
DIFS Contention Window

Next MPDU Defer Access Backoff after Defer

Acknowledgment are to arrive at within the SIFS The DCF interframe space is observed before medium is considered free for use
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802.11b spectral mask

Transmit Spectrum Mask

0 dBr

Unfiltered Sinx/x

-30 dBr -50 dBr fc -22 MHz fc -11 MHz fc fc +11 MHz fc +22 Mhz

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Control Frames

Request to send (RTS) Clear to send (CTS) Acknowledgement (ACK) Power-Save Poll (PS Poll) Contention-Free End (CF End) CF End + CF Ack

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Management Frames
Association request frame Association response frame Reassociation request frame Reassociation response frame Probe request frame Probe response frame Beacon frame ATIM frame Disassociation frame Authentication frame Deauthentication frame
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Access Control

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IFS FLAVORS
SIFS
Acknowledgment (ACK) Clear to send (CTS) Poll response

PIFS
Used by centralized controller in issuing polls Takes precedence over normal contention traffic

DIFS
Used for all ordinary asynchronous traffic

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Frames spacing intervals

Short Interframe Spacing (SIFS) Point Coordination Function Interframe Space (PIFS) Distributed Coordination Function Interframe Space (DIFS)

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Fragmentation

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Dynamic transmission rate

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Interference

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Interference

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Enterprise Gateway

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Common options that most wireless residential gateways include are:

Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) Network Address Translation (NAT) Port Address Translation (PAT) Ethernet switching Virtual Servers Print Serving Fail-over routing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server and Client Configurable Firewall

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Enterprise Gateway Features

Enterprise wireless gateways do have features, such as Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), that are not found in any access points. RBAC allows an administrator to assign a certain level of wireless network access to a particular job position in the company. If the person doing that job is replaced, the new person automatically gains the same network rights as the replaced person. Having the ability to limit a wireless user's access to corporate resources, as part of the "role", can be a useful security feature.

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Enterprise Gateway Features

Class of service is typically supported, and an administrator can assign levels of service to a particular user or role. For example, a guest account might be able to use only 500 kbps on the wireless network whereas an administrator might be allowed 2 Mbps connectivity.

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Configuration and Management of EG

Enterprise wireless gateways are installed in the main data path on the wired LAN segment just past the access point(s) They are configured through console ports using telnet, internal HTTP or HTTPS servers, etc. Centralized management of only a few devices is one big advantage of using enterprise wireless gateways. An administrator, from a single console, can easily manage a large wireless deployment using only a few central devices instead of a very large number of access points.
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Configuration and Management of EWG

Enterprise wireless gateways are normally upgraded through use of TFTP in the same fashion as many switches and routers on the market today. Configuration backups can often be automated so that the administrator won't have to spend additional management time backing up or recovering from lost configuration files. Enterprise wireless gateways are mostly manufactured as rack-mountable 1U or 2U devices that can fit into your existing data center design.

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Power over distance

Gt Tx Pt Free Space Loss dBm Gr Rx Ar

At

Pr

km
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Power Limits
PtMP links have a central point of connection and two or more non-central connection points. PtMP links are typically configured in a star topology. The central connection point may or may not have an omnidirectional antenna It is important to note that when an omnidirectional antenna is used, the FCC automatically considers the link a PtMP link. Regarding the setup of a PtMP link, the FCC limits the EIRP to 4 Watts in both the 2.4 GHz ISM band and upper 5 GHz UNII band. The power limit set for the intentional radiator (the device transmitting the RF signal) in each of these bands is 1 Watt. If the transmitting wireless LAN devices are adjustable with respect to their output power, then the system can be customized to the needs of the user.
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Power Limits
Suppose a radio transmitting at 1 Watt (+30 dBm) is connected directly to a 12 dBi omnidirectional antenna. The total output power at the antenna is about 16 Watts, which is well above the 4 Watt limit. The FCC stipulates that for each 3 dBi above the antenna's initial 6 dBi of gain, the power at the intentional radiator must be reduced by 3 dB below the initial +30 dBm. For the example, since the antenna gain is 12 dBi, the power at the intentional radiator must be reduced by 6 dB. This reduction will result in an intentional radiator power of +24 dBm (30 dBm 6 dB), or 250 mW and an EIRP of 36 dBm (24 dBm + 12 dBi), or 4 Watts. The power at the intentional radiator must never be more than 1 Watt and the EIRP must never be above 4 Watts for a PtMP connection.
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Power Limits

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Power Limits

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Power Limits

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Power Limits

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IEEE 802.11g

802.11g provides the same maximum speed of 802.11a, coupled with backwards compatibility for 802.11b devices. This backwards compatibility makes upgrading wireless LANs simple and inexpensive. IEEE 802.11g specifies operation in the 2.4 GHz ISM band. To achieve the higher data rates found in 802.11a, 802.11g compliant devices utilize Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation technology. These devices can automatically switch to QPSK modulation in order to communicate with the slower 802.11b- and 802.11- compatible devices. There is no reason to keep purchasing 802.11b only devices nowadays, since for all practical purposes 802.11g is a superset of b, offering higher speed and some multipath inmunity
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Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance

The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) promotes and tests for wireless LAN interoperability of 802.11b devices and 802.11a devices. WECAs mission is to certify interoperability of Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) products and to promote Wi-Fi as the global wireless LAN standard across all market segments. As an administrator, you must resolve conflicts among wireless LAN devices that result from interference, incompatibility, or other problems.

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Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance

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Supported Rates 802.11b compliant device supports 11, 5.5, 2, & 1Mbps. 802.11g can extend the capabilities to 54 Mbps as does 802.11a. Some vendors offer enhancements over the standards that reach 108 Mbps, but this often increases the interference problem

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Passive Scanning Passive scanning is the process of listening for beacons on each channel for a specific period of time after the station is initialized. These beacons are sent by access points (infrastructure mode) or client stations (ad hoc mode), and the scanning station catalogs characteristics about the access points or stations based on these beacons. The station searching for a network listens for beacons until it hears a beacon listing the SSID of the network it wishes to join. The station then attempts to join the network through the access point that sent the beacon.
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Active Scanning Active scanning involves the sending of a probe request frame from a wireless station. Stations send this probe frame when they are actively seeking a network to join. The probe frame will contain either the SSID of the network they wish to join or a broadcast SSID. If a probe request is sent specifying an SSID, then only access points that are servicing that SSID will respond with a probe response frame. If a probe request frame is sent with a broadcast SSID, then all access points within reach will respond with a probe response frame. The point of probing in this manner is to locate access points through which the station can attach to the network. Once an access point with the proper SSID is found, the station initiates the authentication and association steps of joining 2/13/04 Pietrosemoli 59 the network through that access point.

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Questions?

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