EnGenius Network Associate

Networking Fundamentals
Visualize Your Network

OSI Network Model
• Represents networking
in 7 logical layers
• Networks are defined
by the first 3 layers
• Wi-Fi focuses on Layer
1 (Physical) and Layer
2 (Data Link / MAC)
OSI Network Model: Layer 1
• Layer 1: Physical Layer
– Medium by which information is communicated
between devices
– Wired: Ethernet (8 strand / 4 twisted pairs)
– Wireless: Electromagnetic spectrum / radio
frequency (RF)
– Internet: Fiber, coax cable, telephone cable,
Ethernet, wireless, etc.
• Layer 2: Data Link Layer
– Logical Link Control (LLC): Encodes / decodes
information for transfer to the network layer
– Media Access Control (MAC): Encodes / decodes
information for transfer on the physical medium
– MAC Address: 48 bit address to uniquely identify a
network device on a network
• Expressed as a 12 digit hexadecimal number, where each
digit has a value of 0-15, and 10-15 are represented by the
letters A - F (e.g. 88:DC:96:1E:7A:AF)
• First 6 digits: Organization Unique Identifier (OUI)
• 248 = 281.5 trillion unique addresses
• Layer 3: Network Layer
– Internet Protocol (IP): Standard network protocol
used in modern networks
– IPv4: 32 bit address to uniquely identify a
network device as part of a network
• Expressed as a four number address, where each
number is between 0 - 255
• Example: 192.168.1.203 à
11000000.10101000.00000001.11001011
• 232 = 4.3 billion unique addresses
http://www.engeniustech.com
IPv4 Subnet Masking
• Subnet Mask: Distinguishes the addresses that
make up the internal local area network (LAN) vs.
the external wide area network (WAN)
– Device on LAN communicating with another device on
LAN: Devices directly talk to each other
– Device on LAN communicating with another device on
WAN: Requires a router/gateway to pass traffic
between networks
– Length: Equal to that of an IP address between
private and public networks
– Form: Sequence of 1’s (on this network) and 0’s (not
on this network)
IPv4 Subnet Mask Notation Available Addresses
Subnet Mask CIDR Binary Notation
• CIDR Notation: 255.255.255.255 /32 11111111.11111111.11111111.11111111
Per Subnet
1
Indicates the 255.255.255.254

255.255.255.252
/31
/30
11111111.11111111.11111111.11111110
11111111.11111111.11111111.11111100
2
4
number of 255.255.255.248
255.255.255.240
/29
/28
11111111.11111111.11111111.11111000
11111111.11111111.11111111.11110000
8
16
leading 1’s in the 255.255.255.224

255.255.255.192
/27
/26
11111111.11111111.11111111.11100000
11111111.11111111.11111111.11000000
32
64
subnet mask 255.255.255.128

255.255.255.0
/25
/24
11111111.11111111.11111111.10000000
11111111.11111111.11111111.00000000
128
256
• A larger subnet 255.255.254.0

255.255.252.0
/23
/22
11111111.11111111.11111110.00000000
11111111.11111111.11111100.00000000
512
1024
can have more 255.255.248.0

255.255.240.0
/21
/20
11111111.11111111.11111000.00000000
11111111.11111111.11110000.00000000
2048
4096
devices on the 255.255.224.0

255.255.192.0
/19
/18
11111111.11111111.11100000.00000000
11111111.11111111.11000000.00000000
8192
16384
local network 255.255.128.0

255.255.0.0
/17
/16
11111111.11111111.10000000.00000000
11111111.11111111.00000000.00000000
32768
65536
• 2(32 - CIDR) = 255.254.0.0

255.252.0.0
/15
/14
11111111.11111110.00000000.00000000
11111111.11111100.00000000.00000000
131072
262144
number of 255.248.0.0
255.240.0.0
/13
/12
11111111.11111000.00000000.00000000
11111111.11110000.00000000.00000000
524288
1048576
devices on the 255.224.0.0

255.192.0.0
/11
/10
11111111.11100000.00000000.00000000
11111111.11000000.00000000.00000000
2097152
4194304
local network 255.128.0.0

255.0.0.0
/9
/8
11111111.10000000.00000000.00000000
11111111.00000000.00000000.00000000
8388608
16777216
Problem with IPv4
• 4.3 billion addresses is not a lot
• World officially “ran out” of unique IPv4
addresses in 2011 – anticipated in the early 1990s
– Reserved and reusable private IP ranges
• 192.168.0.0/16 (i.e. 192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255)
• 10.0.0.0/8 (i.e. 10.0.0.0 – 10.255.255.255)
• 172.16.0.0/12 (i.e. 172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255)
– Network Address Translation (NAT)
• Private IP addresses translated into public IP addresses
• Allowed multiple devices on a private network to share a
single public IP address
OSI Network Model: IPv6
• IPv6: 128 bit address to uniquely identify a
network device as part of a network
– Expressed as a 32 digit hexadecimal address (e.g.
2001:0DB8:AC10:FE01:0FE3:1934:AB3C:0199)
– 2128 = 3.4 x 1038 unique addresses
– Created as a long term solution to the world
running out of IPv4 addresses
– Generally only deployed on public networks (e.g.
Internet backbone)
– Extremely rare to see on private networks, but
may see them in the future
• Transport Layer
– Enables multiple applications (i.e. streams of data)
from a single network device – each stream on its
own port
– Controls how communication takes place on the IP
layer between devices
– Port is a 16 bit number: 65536 total ports
– Common ports:
• 21: ftp • 80: http
• 22: ssh • 123: sntp
• 23: telnet • 161: snmp
• 25: smtp • 443: https
• Common Layer 4 protocols
– Transmit Control Protocol (TCP):
• Most common for regular network traffic
• Requires receiver to send an acknowledgement (ACK)
to transmitter indicating that all data was received
– User Datagram Protocol (UDP):
• Most common for streaming network traffic (e.g. video)
• No ACK is required
• Speeds up communication (less overhead), but
transmitter doesn’t know if data received by receiver
• Port Forwarding (NAT)
– Map an internal IP address and port to an external IP
address and port
– Extremely useful for remote access of LAN equipment
– Mapping is defined in the router / gateway
• Examples
– <WAN IP>:6123 à 192.168.1.61:23
– <WAN IP>:6180 à 192.168.1.61:80
– <WAN IP>:60132 à 192.168.1.132:443
– <WAN IP>:60241 à 192.168.1.241:22
Port Forwarding
OSI Network Model: Layers 5-7
• Session / Presentation / Application Layers
• Controlled by the network applications on the
individual device (e.g. browser, email, etc.)
• Regulate
– When data is transmitted
– What to do with received data
Key Networking Metrics
• Bandwidth / Throughput: Data capacity of a link
(how much data can be passed per unit time)
• Latency: Delay between
a source & destination
– Distance
– Routing
– Interference / noise
• Jitter: Variation in latency
during a transmission (impacts real-time
applications like voice calling and video streaming
Core Wired / Wi-Fi Network Components
Core Network Components: Modem
• The Internet bandwidth coming into the property
by a cable or telephone carrier (The ISPs)
• ONT translates the incoming media (fiber) and
modem translate (coax and telephone) into
Ethernet
• Bandwidth expressed as downstream
speed / upstream speed in Mbps
• 50/5, 50/10, 100/10 (cable, fiber)
• 1.5 / 1.5 (T1 , SDSL)
• 7 / 768k, 12 / 1.5, 18 / 1.5 (ADSL)
Core Network Components: Router/Gateway
• Controls access between two networks
– LAN: Internal local area network
– WAN: External wide area network
• Routes incoming traffic from external network to
the correct device on the internal network
• Network Address Translation (NAT): converts
private IP addresses from LAN into public IP
address on WAN
• Router vs. Gateway:
Gateway performs NAT
• Provides DHCP and DNS
Private Network Applications: DHCP
• DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
• Assigns an IP address, subnet
mask, gateway, and DNS
servers to a client device when
it first connects to the network
• Allows mobile client devices to
freely move between networks
Best practices:
• Assign static IP addresses for monitoring /
troubleshooting anything “owned” by the
network
– Network equipment (e.g. switches, access points)
– Non-mobile client devices (e.g. printers,
thermostats, cameras, PCs, servers)
• All mobile client devices (e.g. smartphones,
tablets, laptops) should get dynamic IP
addresses
Private Network Applications: DNS
• DNS: Domain Name System

• Translates human-friendly fully qualified
domain names (FQDN) into IP addresses
• Example
– FQDN: www.example.com
– IPv4: 93.184.216.119
– IPv6: 2606:2800:0220:006d:26bf:1447:1097:0aa7
Private Network Applications: DNS
• Bandwidth provider generally hosts private
DNS servers
• Public DNS servers also available
– Google DNS: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
– Open DNS: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220
• Gateways are typically are setup to relay DNS
requests
• Best practice: Use DNS servers from different
sources (e.g. one from provider, one public)
Core Network Components: Switch
• Central nervous system of the internal network
• Enables multiple wired Ethernet devices to
intercommunicate within a network
• Power over Ethernet (PoE): Supplies power as
well as a data connection over a single Ethernet
cable
– Access Points
– Cameras
– Keycard access readers
– Other wired network appliances
Core Network Components: AP
• Access Point (AP): Enables connectivity of
wireless devices to a wired network
• Establishes and maintains wireless connection
to client
• Translates wireless communication over radio
waves to wired communication over Ethernet
Cabling Infrastructure
• Bottleneck: Always want this to be defined by the
bandwidth coming into
the property
• Most switches and cables
deployed today are capable
of 1 Gbps
• 802.11ac pushes wireless
bandwidth above 1 Gbps
– Wave 1 3x3:3 has theoretical max capacity of 1.3 Gbps
– Wave 2 8x8:8 has theoretical max capacity of 6.9 Gbps
– Note corresponding wired bandwidth is 40% - 50% of
wireless bandwidth due to Wi-Fi overhead
• Cabling / switch infrastructure has the potential to be
the bottleneck in the future (5+ years away)
Cabling Best Practices
• Vertical / Inter-Building Cabling
– Use fiber
• Multi-mode fiber: 10 Gbps full duplex up to 300m (1000 ft)
• Single-mode fiber: 40 Gbps full duplex up to ~60 miles
– Use CAT6a (or better) for runs
less than 100m (328 ft)
– Color code by application
• Horizontal Cabling
– New construction: Run spares
– Use CAT6a (or better)
• CAT5e: 1 Gbps full duplex up to 100m (328 ft)
• CAT6a: 10 Gbps full duplex up to 100m (328 ft)
• CAT7a / CAT8: 40 Gbps+ full duplex up to 100m (328 ft)
Introduction
Link aggregation combines multiple physical ports into one
logical port. The result is an increase in the capacity of your
links from switch to switch or switch to end device.
This is mainly used for increasing the bandwidth, and

redundancy.
Other terms for link aggregation:

• Trunking
• Teaming
• Bonding
• Channeling
• Bundling
• LAG (link aggregation group)
Introduction
Two-port LAG
Gigabit Switch
Gigabit Switch
Introduction
Two-port LAG
Gigabit Switch
2 Gbps Link
Gigabit Switch
Introduction
Multi-port LAG
A total of 8 ports per LAG can be setup, and 8 LAGs can be

created
Introduction
Two-port LAG
Trunk
Introduction
Two-port LAG
Static vs LACP

Network Switch Configuration Options
LACP – Link Aggregation Control Protocol
IEEE standard that solves issues vs using static link aggregation. LACP also
allows interoperability between different manufacturers.
Introduction
Static LAG
• Packet drops
• Network storm
• Link state remains active
even when it’s disconnected
Introduction
LACP
• The port will immediately be

disabled preventing network
errors.
• Automatic failover
Introduction
VLANs or Virtual Local Area Networks allows you to create

multiple logical networks out of one physical network.
VLANs are mainly used for traffic management by

minimizing the amount of network equipment needed as
compared to setting up separate networks physically. It is
also used for isolation and security.
Introduction
Marketing
HR
Finance
Introduction
Marketing
L2 Switch
HR
Finance
Introduction
IEEE 802.1Q is a networking standard that supports tagging

of Ethernet frames used for VLAN management.
Tagging an Ethernet frame adds a 32-bit header, which

allows devices on the data link layer to know which VLAN
the frame belongs to. If the Ethernet frame does not have
any tagging, the L2 device accepts the frame to be part of
the native VLAN.
Frames Introduction
PPP, MAC/LLC, Switch, Bridge, Ethernet
L7 Application
L6 Presentation
L5 Session
L4 Transport
L3 Network
L2 Data Link
L1 Physical
802.1Q
L2 - Switch
Frame
EtherTyp Frame Check
Destination MAC Source MAC e / Size Payload
Sequence
Ethernet Frame
802.1Q
Frames are protocol units that carries packets across the data link layer.
Ethernet II Frame
EtherTyp
Destination MAC Source MAC e / Size Payload FCS
6 Bytes 6 Bytes 2 Bytes 42-1500 Bytes 4 Bytes
Frame Size = 1518 Bytes
4 Bytes
L2 Switch Ether
Destination MAC Source MAC 802.1Q Type / Payload FCS
Size
802.1Q
Tagged Frame
EtherTyp
Destination MAC Source MAC 802.1Q e / Size Payload FCS
VLAN 10
VLAN 10
VLAN 30 VLAN 20
VLAN 20
VLAN 20
VLAN 30
VLAN 10
Application
Marketing
Tagged Port
HR
Finance Tagged Port

Application
Marketing
Tagged Port
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ID
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ID
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SS
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Finance Tagged Port

Overview
Multi-Gigabit Switches
Multi-Gig is the term people
use to describe Ethernet
ports compliant with
NBASE-T 802.3bz, refers to
ports that run at speeds
higher than 1G on copper
cables.
Multi-Gig switching helps

futureproof your
infrastructure.
Advantages
NAS
Router
Greater Speed
Access Point
Switch
Workstation
Advantages
PTZ Camera
Access Point
Lighting
Higher Power
PoE++
Digital Signage
AV Controller
PoE++
PoE++
Accessibility
802.3bz
Ethernet
Cat5e Cat6 Cat6a
Standard
2.5G 100m 100m 100m
5G 100m 100m 100m
10G - 55m 100m
RF Fundamentals

RF Fundamentals
Electromagnetic Waves
• Frequency f: Number of periodic cycles traversed by an
electromagnetic wave in one second. Measured in Hz (1/sec).
• Wavelength l: Length of a single oscillation
90o
0o 180o
360o / 0o
270o
• Frequency and wavelength have an inverse relationship,

!
relative to the speed of light (c): 𝑓 = "
RF Fundamentals
Modulation
• Modulation: A mechanism to encode an electro-magnetic
carrier wave with information
• Amplitude Modulation (AM): Change the amplitude (i.e.
power) of the signal over time
• Frequency Modulation (FM):
Change the frequency
(i.e. wavelength) of the
signal over time
• Phase Modulation (PM):
Change the phase of the
signal over time
• In Wi-Fi, channel (i.e. range
of frequency) is fixed
• Wi-Fi utilizes both phase
and amplitude modulation
RF Fundamentals
Measuring Power: Decibels
• Power levels in Wi-Fi: 1000 mW to 10-9 mW
• Convenient to use logarithms to characterize radio
frequency power
– Exponents become multiplication
– Multiplication become addition
– Division becomes subtraction
• Logarithms turn hard math problems into easy math
problems (predate computers by ~400 years)
𝑃%
𝐿!" = 10 log#$
𝑃&
'!"
𝑃# = 10 #$ 𝑃$
RF Fundamentals
Measuring Power: Decibels
• Types of power measurement:
– dBm: Absolute measure of power in decibels
(relative to milliwatts, where 0 dBm = 1 mW)
– dB: Relative comparison of two power values
– dBi: Relative gain of signal strength of an antenna
(relative to a theoretical isotropic radiator)
Law of 3 dB Law of 10 dB
• +3 dB = 2x power • +10 dB = 10x power
• -3 dB = ½ power • -10 dB = 0.1x power
Example: Example:
• 17 dBm = 50 mW • 10 dBm = 10 mW
• 20 dBm = 100 mW • 20 dBm = 100 mW
• 23 dBm = 200 mW • 30 dBm = 1000 mW
RF Fundamentals
Signal Degradation: Thermal Noise
• Thermal Noise: The background noise of the universe, under
which no receiver can distinguish a modulated
electromagnetic signal
𝑁#$% = 10 log&' 1000𝑘$ 𝑇 + 10 log&' ∆𝑓
– NdBm = Thermal Channel Size Thermal Noise

noise in dBmTechnology
(MHz) Floor (dBm)
– kB = Boltzmann
constant 802.11a/b/g 20 -100.99
– T = Temperature 802.11n 40 -97.98
802.11ac 80 -94.97
– Df = Channel size
802.11ac 160 -91.96
• At room temperature:
𝑁#$% = −174.0 + log&' ∆𝑓
RF Fundamentals
Signal Degradation: Free Space Path Loss
• Free Space Path Loss (FSPL): The degradation of signal
strength of an electromagnetic wave as it propagates
through free space (inverse square law)
)
4𝜋𝑑𝑓
𝐹𝑆𝑃𝐿( =
𝑐
4𝜋
𝐹𝑆𝑃𝐿!" = 20 log#$ 𝑑 + 20 log#$ 𝑓 + 20 log#$
𝑐
• FSPL is defined relative to the distance between a

transmitter and receiver where both are using isotropic
antennas (i.e. spherical signal patterns)
RF Fundamentals
Frequency (MHz) Use Wavelength (cm) FSPL @ 1 m (W) FSPL @ 1 m (dB)
700 Verizon LTE 42.827 860.9 -29.3
850 Cellular 3G 35.270 1269.5 -31.0
900 ISM (unlicensed) 33.310 1423.2 -31.5
1700 Cellular 3G 17.635 5077.8 -37.1
1900 DECT 15.779 6342.9 -38.0
2100 Cellular 3G/4G 14.276 7748.5 -38.9
2412 Wi-Fi ISM (unlicensed) 12.429 10221.9 -40.1
3650 Wi-Fi (semi-lienced) 8.213 23408.0 -43.7
4900 WiFi Public Safety 6.118 42186.2 -46.3
5180 Wi-Fi UNII-1 (unlicensed) 5.787 47145.2 -46.7
5500 Wi-Fi UNII-2e (unlicensed) 5.451 53150.1 -47.3
5825 Wi-Fi ISM (unlicensed) 5.147 59617.0 -47.8
60000 Wi-Fi 802.11ad (unlicensed) 0.500 6325295.6 -68.0
RF Fundamentals
RF Fundamentals
Signal Degradation: Attenuation
• Attenuation: Loss of an electromagnetic signal as
it passes through an object
• Function of the material type and the wavelength
– Absorption: Energy absorbed by the material
– Reflection: Energy reflected by the material
(creates multipath signals)
• Lower frequency signals
propagate through
materials more easily
(i.e. less loss) than
higher frequency signals
RF Fundamentals
Typical Material Absorption and Reflection
2.4 GHz 5 GHz
Building Material
Absorption Reflection Absorption Reflection
Brick 3.5" 6 dB 6% 10 dB 13%
Brick 10" 10 dB 6% 25 dB 13%
Cubicle Divider 1 dB 12% 2 dB 0%
Concrete 8" 10 dB 40% 13 dB 30%
Concrete 18" 18 dB 40% 30 dB 30%
Concrete 27" 30 dB 40% 45 dB 30%
Drywall 3 dB 6% 6 dB 7%
Glass (interior) 3 dB 7% 6 dB 32%
Glass (exterior) 7 dB 7% 6 dB 32%
Glass (exterior coated) 13 dB 7% 20 dB 32%
Steel Fire Door 1.75" 13 dB 90% 25 dB 90%
Steel Fire Door 2.5" 19 dB 90% 32 dB 90%
Wood Door (hollow) 4 dB 12% 7 dB 0%
Wood Door (solid) 6 dB 2% 10 dB 3%
Note: These values are representative. Actual wall structures can vary dramatically.
Where possible, losses through walls should be measured.
RF Fundamentals
Signal Degradation: Diffraction
• Diffraction causes
electromagnetic waves
passing near an object
to bend, even if not in
the direct visual path
• This effect can degrade
the received signal by
changing the phase
• Fresnel zone: Area surrounding the line of sight that
must remain clear of obstructions
• Effect dictates the height at which each antenna for a
point-to-(multi)point link must be mounted
• Above 7 miles, earth curvature must also be taken into
account
RF Fundamentals
Fresnel Zone Calculation
!"#! #"
• 𝑅! =
#! $#"
– Rn: Radius of nth Fresnel zone

(higher order Fresnel zones have significantly lower
impact on the link –only concerned with 1st order)
– l: wavelength
– D: Distance between two antennas D = d1 + d2
• d1: Distance to given point from radio 1
• d2: Distance to given point from radio 2
1
𝑅#_%&' = 𝜆𝐷
2
RF Fundamentals
Fresnel Zone Calculation
5 GHz Point-to-Point Link: Max Fresnel Radius Around Line of Sight (ft)
7
5
Max Fresnel Radius (ft)
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
5 GHz Point-to-Point Shot Distance (ft)
Max Fresnel Radi us Around Line of Sight (ft)

RF Fundamentals
Link Budget
• Link Budget: Summation of the power gains & losses
– EIRP: Effective isotropic radiated power
• Transmitter power
• Transmitter antenna gain
• Transmitter antenna cable / connector losses
– Free space path loss
– Attenuation in path (e.g. walls, windows, etc.)
– Receiver antenna gain
– Receiver antenna cable / connector losses
• Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI): Measured signal
strength of a transmitter at the receiver
• Receive Sensitivity: Minimum signal strength that the
receiver can interpret a signal at a particular modulation
• Fade Margin / SNR: Difference between the link budget
and the receive sensitivity (a.k.a. signal to noise ratio)
RF Fundamentals
Link Budget: Example
• iPhone communicating @ 5 GHz with EWS360AP
located 50 feet (15 m) away through three walls
• Good performance requires > 15 - 20 dB margin
Link Element Value (dB) Value (mW)
Transmitter output power 8 dBm 6.31 mW
Transmitter antenna gain 3.2 dBi 2.09 mW
Transmitter cable losses -1 dB 0.79 mW
Free space path loss (15 m / 50 ft) -50.91 dB 8.11E-06 mW
Known attenuation (drywall) -6 dB 0.25 mW
Receiver antenna gain 5 dBi 3.16 mW
Receiver cable loss 0 dB 1 mW
Total link budget -53.71 dBm 4.26E-06 mW
Receiver sensitity (802.11n MCS15) -73 dBm 5.01E-08 mW
Total link margin / SNR 19.29 dB 84.94 mW
RF Fundamentals
Differences Between Wired and Wi-Fi
• Why is wired communication so much faster
than wireless communication?
• Electrons on a wire and radio signals in air
travel at the same speed (i.e. speed of light)
• Answer: Contention
– What happens when one person is talking to
another and there is a loud noise interrupting the
communication?
– How could this be handled if the speaker is
unaware of the interruption?
RF Fundamentals
Contention
• Wired Networks: Collision Detection
– Separate wire pairs in Ethernet for transmit (Tx)
and receive (Rx) communication
– Full Duplex: Wired network devices can both talk
(Tx) and listen (Rx) to the medium simultaneously
• When a collision occurs…
– Stop talking (Tx)
– Wait until medium is clear (Rx)
– Continue talking (Tx) where we left off
RF Fundamentals
Contention
• Wireless Networks: Collision Avoidance
– Same antennae for transmit (Tx) & receive (Rx)
communication
– Half Duplex: Wireless network devices cannot talk (Tx)
and listen (Rx) to the medium at the same time
• When a collision occurs… wireless station is unaware!
• Interference: Receiver hears more than one
transmission on the same channel at the same time
• Avoiding collisions
– Contend for / reserve time to use the medium
– Transmit information when medium is yours (Tx)
– Receive an acknowledgement (ACK) from intended
receiver that transmission was successful (Rx)
– Repeat process if no ACK received
Wi-Fi Technology Overview

Agenda
• Major Wi-Fi Technology Generations
• Access Point Operational Modes
• Antenna Technology
• Multipath
– Diversity
– MIMO
– MU-MIMO
• Security and Encryption
• WLAN Control Architectures
Wi-Fi Technology Generations

History of Wi-Fi Generations
Do You Choose 802.11n or 802.11ac or 802.11ax?
• 802.11n [2.4 GHz and 5 GHz]
– 40 MHz channels on 5 GHz
– MIMO (2x2:2 or 3x3:3)
• Improvements in 802.11ac Wave 1 [5 GHz]
– 80 MHz channels on 5 GHz (>2x throughput)
Suitable for low / medium density deployments
– New MCS mode: 256 QAM (33% throughput)
Requires extremely strong signal / good SNR
– Newer chipsets: better 802.11n device performance
• Improvements 802.11ac Wave 2 [5 GHz]
– MU-MIMO (4x4:4)
Effective only in high-density environments
– 160 MHz channels on 5 GHz
Not suitable for any multi-AP deployments
Do You Choose 802.11n or 802.11ac or 802.11ax?
§ Improvements 802.11ax [5 GHz]
• OFDMA- Enables more efficient channel use, reduces latency between AP
and client devices, and operates on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
• Uplink & Downlink MU-MIMO - Supports up to eight client devices and

provides greater network efficiency, focuses radio energy on specific users,
and ensures optimal signal and reception reliability
• 1024 QAM- Boosts throughput by 25% and provides greater reliability in

short distances
• Target Wake Time (TWT)- Reduces power consumption, schedules wake

times, and extends client battery life of mobile and IoT devices
• BSS Coloring & Spatial Reuse- BSS Coloring tags packets with a “color” to
differentiate between adjacent service sets. Spatial reuse enables
simultaneous transmission on the same channel via BSS coloring.
Growth of Wi-Fi Capabilities
• How is Wi-Fi able to expand its capabilities from
one generation to the next?
• Cannot break the laws of physics
• Answer: Mathematics
– Sufficiently complex algorithms running on sufficiently
capable computer processors can “bend” physics
– New techniques to squeeze additional performance
• Multiple streams and beam forming to boost signal
strength
• More sophisticated modulation & coding techniques
– Each generation: increase complexity
• Increased sensitivity and fragility
• Wi-Fi design becomes increasingly more important
What’s on the Horizon
• WiGig: 802.11ad
– 60 GHz
– Single room
– Ultra high bandwidth
– Target: Media Centers
• HaLow: 802.11af
– 900 MHz
– Good penetration
– Low bandwidth
– Target: IoT
http://pocketnow.com/2016/01/12/wifi-802-11-ad-802-11-ah-802-11-af-halow
• White-Fi: 802.11ah
– 54-790 MHz (VHF/UHF)
• Wi-Fi: 802.11ax
– 5 GHz
– Good penetration
– Utilizes many LTE methodologies
– Moderate bandwidth
– Improved airtime utilization
– Target: IoT, webcams
Wi-Fi Antenna Technology

Access Point Antennas
• Antennas shape the radio signal
• Passive elements
• Tuned to operate on particular
frequencies
• Biggest real differentiator between
various AP models and vendors
Access Point Antennas
• Omni-Directional
– Low gain: semi-spherical
– High gain: flat doughnut
– Perfect sphere: 0 dBi gain
(mathematical reference,
impossible to manufacture)
• Directional
– Focus the signal in one direction
– Higher gain à larger distance
– Low signal (though not zero) in other
directions
Polarization
• Mismatched polarization à
degraded signal
• APs designed for ceiling mount
behave differently when wall-
mounted
• PTP / PMP Backhaul Links:
polarization must match on
both sides of the link
• Multi-path alters polarization
• Mobile devices change
orientation over time à
change polarization
Antenna Types (1)
• Dish
– Single or dual polarization
– Very high gain / directionality
– Size is function of frequency
• Grid
– Single polarization
– Better wind loading than dish
– Size is function of frequency
• Panel array
– Arrays of individual antennas
– High gain / directionality
– Compact
Antenna Types (2)
• Sector
– High gain / 60o – 120o directionality
• Yagi
– Common for lower frequency
applications where dish and grid
antennas get too large
• Omni
• Dipole antenna: vertical polarization
• Internal antenna: dual polarization
– Increasing gain decreases the elevation (vertical)
beam width while increasing the azimuthal (horizontal) range
Antenna Accessories
• RF Cables
– 50 Ω coaxial cables for extending
antennas away from access points
– Loss due to electrical resistance of
the cable (function of length and
cable thickness)
• RF Connectors http://www.interconinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/rf-cable-2.jpg
– SMA: Typical for indoor APs

– N-Type: Typical for outdoor APs
• Lightning Arrestors
– Shunt electrical surges from nearby
lightning strikes to electrical ground
– Placed between radio and antenna
– Grounding rods should be at least 6’
long and fully driven into the ground
Where to Use Directional Antennas
• Warehouses
– Inventory types and levels change over time
– Environment change = RF propagation change
• Very high capacity applications
(e.g. stadiums)
– Small sectors with minimal overlap
– More manageable number of users per AP
• Point-to-point / point-to-multipoint
bridging
– Large distance
– Low interference / high focus
Polar Plots
• Graphical representation of antenna gain vs. angle
– Azimuth: Horizontal orientation
– Elevation: Vertical orientation
• The beam width of an antenna is defined by where the
gain of the antenna drops by 3 dB (i.e. ½ power)
Polar Plot for EnGenius ENH500 Polar Plot for EnGenius EAP350
Horizontal: ± 30o, Vertical: ± 70o Horizontal: omni, Vertical: ± 200o
Why Mounting Direction Matters
Indoor AP – Ceiling Mounted
Why Mounting Direction Matters
Indoor AP – Wall Mounted
Source: Ruckus Wireless™ ZoneFlex™ Indoor Access Point Release 9.5 User Guide
Multipath

Multipath
Explanation of Multipath
• Radio transmissions take multiple paths through
the environment from transmitter to receiver
• Each path is subject to different effects in the
environment
• The length of travel of each
path is different, resulting
in phase variations
• Phase offsets create a
combination of
constructive (additive)
and destructive
(subtractive) interference
Multipath
MIMO: Multi-In, Multi-Out
• Use multipath to define multiple spatial streams
• Each stream follows a different path between
transmitter antennas and receiver antennas
• Antennas are separated by an odd multiple of 1/2 or 1/3
wavelength – signals arrive out of phase
• Uses signal processing techniques at receiver to
reconstruct the original transmitted streams
Transmitted Received
RF
Signal per Signal per
Environment
Antenna Antenna
𝑇𝑥# 𝑄## 𝑄#) 𝑅𝑥$
=
𝑇𝑥) 𝑄)# 𝑄)) 𝑅𝑥#
Multipath
MIMO: Operational Mode Options
{# Tx antennas} x {# Rx antennas} : {# spatial streams}
• Increased Capacity (Spatial Multiplexing)
– Each parallel stream transmits different data
– E.g. 2x2:2, 3x3:3
• Signal Enhancement
– Each parallel stream contains
a replica of the same data
– Multipath effects used to
increase effective receive
sensitivity
– Space Time Block Coding
/ Cyclic Shift Diversity
– E.g. 2x2:1, 3x3:2
Multipath
Transmit Beam Forming (TxBF)
• Simultaneously increase
capacity and enhance
signal strength
• Transmit each stream
across multiple antennas
at different phases
• Serves to make the signal “directional”
(changes the effective polar plot of antenna)
• Max theoretical gain of 3 dB (i.e. 2x) per
phased antenna
• Requires location feedback from client
devices
Multipath
Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO)[802.11ac wave2]
• Allows AP to talk to multiple devices simultaneously
• Utilizes transmit beam forming to direct individual traffic to
particular devices across multiple antennas
• Will be useful for dense client environments
– Clients must be at similar connection speeds (MCS)
– Clients must be spatially separated
– Clients must be ≥ 802.11ac wave 2
Received Transmitted
Signal per Client Position Signal per
Feedback
Antenna Antenna
𝑅# 𝑄## 𝑄#) 𝑄#* 𝑄#+ 𝐻#
𝑅) 𝑄)# 𝑄)) 𝑄)* 𝑄)+ 𝐻)
=
𝑅* 𝑄*# 𝑄*) 𝑄** 𝑄*+ 𝐻*
𝑅+ 𝑄+# 𝑄+) 𝑄+* 𝑄++ 𝐻+
Multipath
Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO)[802.11ax]
4x4
11n
11ax
Multipath
Limitations of MIMO and MU-MIMO
• More radios = more power + more size
– Three stream (3x3:3) and larger APs require more power
consumption/PoE+
• Standard PoE (802.3af): 48VDC up to 15.4 W
• Standard PoE+ (802.3at): 48VDC up to 30 W
– APs get physically large to accommodate more radios and
more antennas
• Limitation of client devices
– Very few laptops support three streams (3x3:3)
(e.g. MacBook Pro)
– Most smartphones and tablets are single stream (1x1:1), high end
devices are dual stream (2x2:2)
– Only few new client devices support 11ax and are mostly 2x2:2
Security and Encryption

Open Network
• No credentials: all clients can obtain network
access
• No encryption: data is sent in the clear
• Suitable for guest / customer networks
• Appropriate to use alternative
credential system (e.g. captive
portal)
• Always implement strong
client isolation
Security and Encrytion
WPA2 Personal
• Credentials verified by sharing a pre-shared key
or passphrase
• Suitable for small to medium staff networks
• Suitable for network appliances (e.g. cameras,
VoWiFi phones, IoT)
• Always use WPA2-AES
– WEP (TKIP) was cracked
many years ago
– WPA-TKIP uses same
encryption as WEP –
transitional standard
Security and Encrytion
WPA2 Enterprise
• Credentials verified by an external Authentication /
Authorization / Accounting (AAA) server via RADIUS
protocol [802.1X / EAP]
• Suitable for medium to large corporate networks
and facilities
• Roaming Issues
– Authenticating with enterprise security can
take in excess of 1 second – dropped data
connections
– Solved with 802.11r: After authentication,
credentials shared with other APs on
network, preventing need for re-associating
with RADIUS server
• Always use WPA2-AES
WPA3 SAE/PSK
• WPA3-Personal version to protect users from brute force
attacks. It is well-suited to mesh networks, which get their
name from the way they create wifi coverage. This helps
eliminate dead or weak spots.”
• A cryptographic model for authentication using a password or
passphrase, which is resistant to both active and passive
attacks, and offline dictionary attacks.
• Enables Forward Secrecy which disallows an attacker from
recording an encrypted transmission.
• Only allows one password guess per session. Even if attackers
steal data with the hope of cracking the password in their
leisure offline, they will be stymied by the one guess feature
because they have to “ask” the wifi router each time if their
guess was correct.
WPA3 Enterprise
• Builds upon WPA2 and ensures the consistent application of

security protocols across the network.
• Offers an optional mode using 192-bit minimum-strength
security protocols and cryptographic tools to better protect
sensitive data:
• Authenticated encryption: 256-bit Galois/Counter Mode
Protocol (GCMP-256)
• Key derivation and confirmation: 384-bit Hashed Message
Authentication Mode (HMAC) with Secure Hash Algorithm
(HMAC-SHA384)
OWE – OPPORTUNISTIC WIRELESS ENCRYPTION
• Driver Behind WiFi Enhanced Open feature, implemented
to protect users in public / guest hotspots and prevent
eavesdropping.
• Replaces the old 802.11 “open” authentication standard.
• Each authorized session has its own encryption token.
This means each user’s data is protected in its own vault.
• But, it works on password-protected networks too,
ensuring that if an attacker does get hold of the network
password, they will still not have access to encrypted data
on the network’s devices
Four-Way Handshake
• Unique set of
pairwise transient
keys (PTK) generated
between the AP and
each client device to
encrypt unicast
wireless traffic
• Group transient key Pairwise Master Key (PMK) used to derive PTK
(GTK) also generated • For WPA2 Personal, PMK derived from pre-
by AP for encrypting shared key or passphrase
multicast / • For WPA2 Enterprise, PMK derived from
broadcast traffic parameters in 802.1X/EAP exchange
Legacy Security Methods
• Hidden SSID
– Some client devices have hard time associating or
staying connected to hidden SSIDs
– Hiding does not provide any real security – SSID still in
association request frame & therefore discoverable
• MAC Filtering
– List of client devices, by MAC address
– Clients are either explicitly allowed or denied access
to a particular AP
– Hard to maintain (must be
updated for new devices)
– MAC addresses are easy to
spoof
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
Architectures

WLAN Architectures
Control Architecture Options
• Autonomous
– Access points are configured independently and
operate independently of each other
• Centralized
– Access points are centrally configured, managed, and
operated through a centralized controller
• Distributed
– Mix of autonomous and centralized architectures
– APs are configured and monitored centrally
– APs operate independently to handle data and
management traffic
WLAN Architectures
AP Operational Modes (1)
• Access Point
– Connects wireless client(s) to a wired network
• Client Bridge
– Connects wired client(s) to a wireless network
• Wireless Repeater
– Extends range of wireless signal by repeating SSID
and providing wireless backhaul
– Throughput reduced by half
– Available only in EAP1250, EWS330AP, EnHero5
WLAN Architectures
AP Operational Modes (2)
• WDS: Wireless Distribution System
– Connects two wired networks together over a dedicated wireless link
– Preserves all OSI Layer 2 information
(VLANs, MAC addresses)
– WDS AP - This mode allows you to simultaneously broadcast a publicly visible WiFi
network while bridging to another WDS AP or WDS Bridge. (Four other WDS
AP/Bridge units can be linked back to one WDS Access Point using MAC address
assignment in the WDS Link Settings.)
– WDS Station - When using WDS Station the device is effectively like a Client Bridge
but maintains the integrity of a WDS link in terms MAC address transparency. (You
can connect as many WDS Stations to a WDS AP as you require because you do not
rely on the WDS Link Settings and simply do a Site Survey to connect to the WDS AP.)
– WDS Bridge - This mode is required if you want to create a point-to-point link that is
not visible to the public. (Four other WDS AP/Bridge units can be linked back to one
WDS Bridge using MAC address assignment in the WDS Link Settings. – It is also worth
noting that WDS Bridge is the fastest of all WDS modes.)
Point-to-(Multi)Point Backhaul

WDS: Point-to-(Multi)point Wireless Bridge
• All Layer 2 traffic
parameters
preserved and
encapsulated
(e.g. client MAC
addresses, VLANs)
• Mode used for
wireless backhaul
applications
(e.g. PTP / PMP
links)
• Connect up to 4
remote radios to
one root radio
Enstation series: Outdoor Point-to-(Multi)Point
Model Enstation5 Enstation5-AC EnstationAC
Standard 802.11a/n 802.11ac/a/n/ 802.11ac/a/n
5GHz Speed 300Mps 866Mbps 866Mbps
Max RF power 26dBm 26dBm 26dBm
Antenna Gain Internal 19dBi Internal 19dBi Internal 19dBi
Housing Standard IP55 IP55 IP55
24V Propietory 24V Propietory 48V/0.8A
PoE (EPA2406FP) (EPA2406GR) (EPA5006GR)
PSE OUT (2nd LAN) NO NO YES
2nd LAN 10/100 10/100/1000 10/100/1000
Support 802.3af/at NO NO YES
7.832W
Power Consumption 23.4W (with PSE
(peak) 6.91W 7.5W out)
Adjustable
alignment YES YES YES
Dimension D190 x 38 D190 x 38 D190 x 38
Estimated Coverage
PTP (LOS)*** 5km 5km 5km
Get the “REAL” Wireless Throughput between wireless devices.
Below is a indication of EnGenius Devices perfomance reference guide.
EnstationAC
ENS500 EXT-AC
Up to 3km
220Mbps*
Up to 500m
80Mbps*
Enstation5-AC
Up to 3km
220Mbps* ENS500-AC
Up to 1km
120Mbps*
ENH500
Up to 3km
60Mbps*
*With Line-Of-Sight, clear weather

environment and with EnGenius recommended
configuration and set up.
WDS Implementation: PTP Backhaul Link
Root Node
WDS Link
Slave Node
Remote AP
(Clients served on
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Root AP(s)
(Clients served on
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Root Switch @ Demarc Remote Switch
Remote Camera
Root Camera(s) Remote
Camera(s)
WDS Implementation: PMP Backhaul Link
Root Node
WDS Link
Slave Node
WDS Link
Slave Node
Root AP(s)
(Clients served on
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Root Switch @ Demarc Remote AP(s) Remote Switch @ Hub Remote AP(s) Remote Switch
(Clients served on (Clients served on
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz) 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Remote Remote
Root Camera(s)
Camera(s) Camera(s)
WDS Implementation: PTP Backhaul Link in Series
Root Node Root Node
WDS Link at WDS Link at

Frequency 1 Frequency 2
Slave Node Slave Node
Root AP(s)
(Clients served on
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Root Switch @ Demarc Remote AP(s) Remote Switch @ Hub Remote AP(s) Remote Switch
(Clients served on (Clients served on
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz) 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Remote Remote
Root Camera(s)
Camera(s) Camera(s)
WDS Implementation: AP Backhaul Link
Root AP(s)
(Clients served on Remote AP and
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz) 5 GHz WDS Link Slave Node
(Clients served on
2.4 GHz only)
Root Node
Root Switch
Remote
Camera
Root
Camera(s)
WDS Implementation: Omni-Directional Root Node
Slave Node
WDS Link at WDS Link at

Frequency 1 Frequency 1
Slave Node
Root Node w/
omni antenna
Remote AP(s) (Clients served
(Clients served on on 2.4 GHz -
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz) optional)
Root AP(s)
(Clients served on
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Root Switch @ Demarc Remote AP(s) Remote Switch

Remote Switch (Clients served on
2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)
Root Remote
Remote
Camera(s) Camera(s)
Camera(s)
WDS Implementation: Cross-Connected PoE
EnStationAC uses 802.3at-compliant PoE with 802.3af pass-through on secondary port.

WDS Implementation: Cross-Connected PoE

WDS: Serial PTP Backhaul w/ Cross-Connect PoE

WDS Implementation: Configuration
WDS Design Example: Point-to-Point
• 5 buildings, 21 cameras + 2
remote, no wiring
• 6 EnStation5 in WDS mode
• 5 EWS660APs in WDS mode
• 5 EWS5912FP
WDS Design Example: Point to Multipoint
• 20 cameras on
poles and
buildings, no
central wiring
• 19 EnStation5s
• 1 ENH1750EXT
(omni)
• 1 EWS5912FP
at MDF
WDS Design Example: Point to Multipoint
• 38 buildings, 125
cameras, no wiring
between buildings
• 80 EnStation5s, 38
EWS5912FP
WDS Design Example: RV Park
• RV Park: 437 spaces plus pool
and clubhouse
• Wi-Fi on 2.4 GHz, WDS on 5
GHz
• 20 x EnStation5s, 33
ENH1750EXTs, 5 x EWS5912FP
Designing a Wi-Fi Network

Capturing Requirements and Constraints
• Questionnaire
– Who is using the network?
– What types of devices need access?
– What areas need to be covered?
– Building structure / layout / materials?
– Aesthetics?
– Budget?
– Responsibility for post-deployment maintenance?
• Documentation
– Validates everyone has the same understanding
– Enables quick identification of scope creep
– When managing multiple sites, a centralized
documentation database is essential
4 Degrees of Freedom
• Physical Requirements of a Wi-Fi Network
– Maximize coverage
– Maximize capacity
– Minimize interference
• There are four degrees of
freedom for each AP in the
design
– Antenna (AP Model)
– Location
– Transmit Power
– Channel
• Not independent /
iterative process
Wireless Design:
AP / Antenna Selection

AP and Antenna Selection
Do You Choose 802.11n or 802.11ac or 11ax?
• Design for tomorrow, not today
– Most SMB networks have 5+ year life expectancy
– Will the network you support today support the
client devices of 3-5 years from now?
• Can your network take advantage of any
802.11ax improvements?
– 80 MHz channel width
– 102QAM (< 15’ away with no obstructions)
– MU-MIMO (wave 2)
AP Model Selection
• Types of client devices on network
Number of MIMO / MU-MIMO streams
• Coverage areas
Omni-directional vs. directional antennas
• Aesthetics
Internal vs. external antennas
• Outdoor environmental conditions
IPxx rating
• Other applications (e.g. surveillance, hospitality)
PoE pass-through vs non-powered secondary port
AP Model Selection: Standalone vs. Managed
• Electron Series: Standalone
– Less expensive
– More variety of models
– Each AP configured individually – hard to manage as
your network grows beyond a few APs
• Neutron Series: Managed
– APs configured and managed in clusters from EWS
switch or ezMaster controller (on-site or cloud-based)
– Access to centralized usage data and statistics
– Easy to make changes and firmware updates
– Suitable for medium to large networks
Wireless Design:
AP Location

AP Location
General Guidelines
• Place the AP as close to client devices as
possible
– Minimize obstructions between AP and clients
– Facilitate client device’s ability to talk back to the
access point
• Place neighboring APs to NOT be in line of
sight of each other
– Minimize co-channel interference with other APs
on the network
– Maximize channel re-use
AP Location
General Guidelines
• Stagger APs horizontally and vertically
– Avoid hallways
– Do not stack floor to floor
• Space out APs evenly
– Allows for static and uniform transmit power settings
– Simplifies channelization process
• Use building structure (e.g. walls,
corners) to isolate neighboring APs
• Avoid mounting behind obstructions (e.g. above
ceilings, near ductwork/pipes, etc.)
• Follow good wiring and mounting practices
AP Location
Mount your APs Properly
AP Location
Align Your Antennas Properly
AP Location
Separate your APs
AP Location
Don’t Cut Corners
AP Location
Don’t mount on walls/poles/pillars/structure that attenuates
signal
Don’t mount
AP on Metal
Poles or Pillar
AP mounted inside full-glassed

meeting room, signal cannot
penetrate outside
Wireless Design:
AP Transmit Power

AP Transmit Power
Fundamentals
• More power = more distance
• Clients (especially mobile
devices) have weak
transmitters and receivers
– Can the client hear the AP?
– Can the AP hear the client?
– Generally want to match the transmit power of the AP
to the transmit power of the client
• Design for Capacity means turning down power
– More neighboring APs
– Tighter control over coverage area per AP
AP Transmit Power
Guidelines for Equal Coverage Areas on Both Bands
• Use static transmit power settings
• 5 GHz signal attenuates roughly 4x more (+6dB)
than 2.4 GHz when passing through physical
obstructions (e.g. walls, furniture, people, etc.)
• Set lower max output power on 2.4 GHz band
– Indoor: 14 dBm @ 2.4 GHz, 20 dBm @ 5 GHz
– Outdoor: 17 dBm @ 2.4 GHz, 23 dBm @ 5 GHz
• To maximize 5 GHz coverage and minimize 2.4
GHz CCI, sometimes necessary to make a few APs
“5 GHz only” (i.e. disable 2.4 GHz radio)
• Always need to verify coverage on both bands
with a physical site survey
Wireless Design:
AP CHANNELs

AP Channels
Overlapping Coverage
Neighboring APs will have overlapping coverage areas
and thus be subject to interference
• This is true both vertically and horizontally
• To avoid interference, neighboring APs should be on
independent / non-overlapping channels
• Design for Capacity means more overlapping APs à makes
channelization more difficult
AP Channels
Definition of Interference Types
• Co-channel interference (CCI): Neighboring
access points are on same channel
• Adjacent channel interference (ACI):
Neighboring access points are on overlapping
channels
• Self-Interference: CCI or ACI caused by your
own access points
• External Interference: CCI or ACI caused by
third party APs (i.e. rogue APs)
AP Channels
2.4 GHz Channels
• 11 channels of 20 MHz width allowed in 2.4 band
(72 MHz total width of 2.4 GHz band in USA)
• Each channel is only 5 MHz separated from its
neighbor
• Only three independent 20 MHz channels in 2.4 GHz
range (802.11b/g/n): 1, 6, 11
AP Channels
2.4 GHz Channels
• 802.11n allows for 40 MHz extended channels
– Never use these in any multi-AP deployment!
– Cannot have two 40 MHz channels that are independent
AP Channels
5 GHz Channels
• Larger band: 660 MHz total width of 5 GHz band in USA
• Larger channels à signal is more prone to interference
– May not always want to use max channel size
• DFS and weather radar bands (480 MHz) have restricted use
– Some consumer devices do not support DFS bands
AP Channels
5 GHz Channel Guidelines: Upper Extension
• 40 MHz Channels (802.11n) • 80 MHz Channels (802.11ac)
• 36 (36-40) • 36 (36-48)
• 44 (44-48) • 52 (52-64) *
• 52 (52-56) *
• 60 (60-64) * • 100 (100-112) *
• 100 (100-104) * • 116 (116-128) *
• 108 (108-112) * • 132 (132-144) **
• 116 (116-120) * • 149 (149-161)
• 124 (124-128) *
• 132 (132-136) *
160 MHz Channels (802.11ac)
• 140 (140-144) **
• 149 (149-153) • 36 (36-64) *
• 157 (157-161) • 100 (100-128) *
* DFS channels. May not be usable in some environments
** These channels generally avoided due to Channel 144 incompatibility with older 802.11n client devices.
AP Channels
5 GHZ Channel Reference Table
ISM
Band UNII-1 UNII-2 UNII-2e UNII-3
Center
5180
5200
5220
5240
5260
5280
5300
5320
5500
5520
5540
5560
5580
5600
5620
5640
5660
5680
5700
5720
5745
5765
5785
5805
5825
Freq (MHz)
802.11a
100
104
108
112
116
120
124
128
132
136
140
144
149
153
157
161
165
36
40
44
48
52
56
60
64
(20 MHz)
38 46 54 62 102 110 118 126 134 142 151 159

802.11n
[36- [44- [52- [60- [100- [108- [116- [124- [132- [140- [149- [157-
(40 MHz)
40] 48] 56] 64] 104] 112] 120] 128] 136] 144] 153] 161]
802.11ac 42 58 106 122 138 155

(80 MHz) [36-48] [52-64] [100-112] [116-128] [132-144] [149-161]
802.11ac 50 114
(160 MHz) [36-64] [100-128]
DFS Req'd? All DFS All

AP Channels
Best Practice: Use Static Channels
• Auto-channel schemes generally insufficient
– Short survey (~250 ms per channel) done periodically
– Does not capture total channel utilization over time
– Convergent: APs settle on same or overlapping
channels – causes SELF-INTERFERENCE
– Alternate methods tend to be unstable, with channels
altered very frequently
• Problems with using static channels
– Channelization is hardest part of design
– Networks cannot adapt to changes in external
interference
AP Channels
Best Practice: Where to Use Bonded Channels (1)
• 80 MHz Channels @ 5 GHz: Coverage
– Appropriate for networks driven by requirements for
coverage vs. capacity
– 5 usable independent 80 MHz channel @ 5 GHz
– Private homes, SMB, apartments, hotel guest room floors
• 40 MHz Channels @ 5 GHz: Capacity
– Appropriate for denser networks driven by a mixture of
coverage and capacity requirements
– 11 usable independent 40 MHz channel @ 5 GHz
– Dormitories, assisted living, hotel conference centers
• 20 MHz Channels @ 5 GHz: High Capacity
– Appropriate for very dense networks driven by capacity
– Stadiums, arenas, airports, convention centers
AP Channels
Best Practice: Where to Use Bonded Channels (2)
• 40 MHz Channels @ 2.4 GHz: Almost Never
– Only one independent 40 MHz channel @ 2.4 GHz
– Only suitable for single AP networks with no external
sources of interference
– Private houses under ~2500 sq ft
• 160 MHz Channels @ 5 GHz: Almost Never
– Only two independent 160 MHz channels @ 5 GHz
– Only suitable for 1-2 AP networks with no external
sources of interference
– Private houses under ~4000 sq ft
Blog: http://www.networkcomputing.com/
AP Channels
Band Steering
• Encourages
dual-band
clients to use
5 GHz band
• Must have
identical SSID,
VLAN, and
security settings
on both 2.4 GHz
and 5 GHz
bands
Wireless Design:
Examples

Wireless Design Example
Debugging Placement / Channel / Power
• Six story hotel
– APs in hallways, same position each floor
– APs set to auto-channel and 26 dBm
• What is wrong with this deployment?
Odd Floors
• Place APs in guest
rooms
Floors 1,4: Ch 1 Floors 1,4: Ch 6 Floors 1,4: Ch 11
• Alternate rooms
between floors to
utilize vertical Floors 1,4: Ch 11
Floors 2,5: Ch 1
Floors 1,4: Ch 1
Floors 2,5: Ch 6
coverage Floors 3,6: Ch 6 Floors 3,6: Ch 11
Even Floors
• Turn down power:
– 20 dBm uniform Floors 1,4: Ch 1
Floors 2,5: Ch 6
Floors 1,4: Ch 6
Floors 2,5: Ch 11
Floors 1,4: Ch 11
Floors 2,5: Ch 1
• Fixed 1, 6, 11
channel scheme
Floors 1,4: Ch 11 Floors 1,4: Ch 1
Odd Floors
• Place APs in alcoves
• Use whatever structure Floors 1,4: Ch 1 Floors 1,4: Ch 6 Floors 1,4: Ch 11
in hallway there is to Floors 2,5: Ch 6
Floors 3,6: Ch 11
Floors 2,5: Ch 11
Floors 3,6: Ch 1
Floors 2,5: Ch 1
Floors 3,6: Ch 6
block APs from seeing
each other
• Alternate placement Floors 1,4: Ch 11 Floors 1,4: Ch 1
between floors Floors 2,5: Ch 1

Floors 3,6: Ch 6
Floors 2,5: Ch 6
Floors 3,6: Ch 11
• Utilize static channel Even Floors

plan and lower power
settings
• Moderate power Floors 1,4: Ch 1
Floors 2,5: Ch 6
Floors 1,4: Ch 6
Floors 2,5: Ch 11
Floors 1,4: Ch 11
Floors 2,5: Ch 1
increase (23 dBm) on Floors 3,6: Ch 11 Floors 3,6: Ch 1 Floors 3,6: Ch 6
specific APs to reach

corner rooms
Car Dealership
• New
Construction
• Multi-Purpose
– Mechanics
– Salesman
– Customers
– Security and
lighting control
• Required
excellent
coverage in
every location
Luxury Home
• New
Construction
• 3 stories
– Guest wing
– Gymnasium
• SONOS
• Streaming video
• IP Surveillance
• Required
excellent
coverage in
every location
Luxury Home
Wireless Design Example: Hotel
Overview
• New construction
• 14 stories, 145 guest rooms
• All concrete construction
• High-density areas
– Lobby
– Casino
– Auditoriums
– Gymnasium
• Isolated networks for guests and staff
• Solution: 102 EWS360AP access points
Lobby and Casino
First Floor with Auditoriums
Guest Room Floors – Even Floors
Guest Room Floors – Odd Floors
Roof Deck and Gymnasium
Wireless Design Example: Factory
Overview
• US Headquarters of European watch manufacturer
• Converted concrete and brick warehouse with
additional office space (glass and drywall)
• Multi-Purpose
– Executive office space and meeting rooms
– Operations office space
– Factory
– Warehouse / Shipping
• Solution:
– 55 EWS360APs
– 3 EWS860APs (parking lot & guard shack coverage)
– 6 ENH500 / 6 ENS202 directional APs (warehouse)
First Floor: Offices / Factory / Warehouse
Second Floor: Offices and Cubicles
APs is placed in
Individual
Cubicle to avoid
interference along
The corridor

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Networking Fundamentals

Visualize Your Network

Indicates the 255.255.255.254

leading 1’s in the 255.255.255.224

subnet mask 255.255.255.128

• A larger subnet 255.255.254.0

can have more 255.255.248.0

devices on the 255.255.224.0

local network 255.255.128.0

• 2(32 - CIDR) = 255.254.0.0

devices on the 255.224.0.0

local network 255.128.0.0

• DNS: Domain Name System

This is mainly used for increasing the bandwidth, and

Other terms for link aggregation:

A total of 8 ports per LAG can be setup, and 8 LAGs can be

Visualize Your Network

LACP – Link Aggregation Control Protocol

• The port will immediately be

VLANs or Virtual Local Area Networks allows you to create

VLANs are mainly used for traffic management by

IEEE 802.1Q is a networking standard that supports tagging

Tagging an Ethernet frame adds a 32-bit header, which

6 Bytes 6 Bytes 2 Bytes 42-1500 Bytes 4 Bytes

Frame Size = 1518 Bytes

Finance Tagged Port

Finance Tagged Port

Multi-Gig switching helps

Visualize Your Network

• Frequency and wavelength have an inverse relationship,

– NdBm = Thermal Channel Size Thermal Noise

• FSPL is defined relative to the distance between a

– Rn: Radius of nth Fresnel zone

Max Fresnel Radi us Around Line of Sight (ft)

Visualize Your Network

Visualize Your Network

• Uplink & Downlink MU-MIMO - Supports up to eight client devices and

• 1024 QAM- Boosts throughput by 25% and provides greater reliability in

• Target Wake Time (TWT)- Reduces power consumption, schedules wake

Visualize Your Network

– SMA: Typical for indoor APs

Visualize Your Network

Visualize Your Network

• Builds upon WPA2 and ensures the consistent application of

Visualize Your Network

Visualize Your Network

*With Line-Of-Sight, clear weather

Root Switch @ Demarc Remote Switch

Root Node Root Node

WDS Link at WDS Link at

WDS Link at WDS Link at

Root Switch @ Demarc Remote AP(s) Remote Switch

EnStationAC uses 802.3at-compliant PoE with 802.3af pass-through on secondary port.

EnStationAC uses 802.3at-compliant PoE with 802.3af pass-through on secondary port.

EnStationAC uses 802.3at-compliant PoE with 802.3af pass-through on secondary port.

Visualize Your Network

Visualize Your Network

Visualize Your Network

AP mounted inside full-glassed

Visualize Your Network

Visualize Your Network

38 46 54 62 102 110 118 126 134 142 151 159

802.11ac 42 58 106 122 138 155

DFS Req'd? All DFS All