238  Chapter 6  ■   Communication for Wireless Networking

The DS is a network segment that consists of one or more connected basic service
sets. According to the original IEEE 802.11 standard, one or more interconnected
basic service sets make up an ESS. The DS allows WLAN devices to communicate with
resources on a wired network infrastructure or to communicate with each other through
the wireless medium. Either way, all wireless frame transmissions will traverse through
an access point.
In some cases it may be feasible and justified to use a wireless mesh distribution sys-
tem. Unlike the wired distribution system, a wireless mesh will connect basic service sets
together using WLAN technology. Typically the best way to use a wireless mesh is to use
two different radio technologies in the same access point. For example, using the 2.4 GHz
band for wireless client device access and the 5 GHz band for the wireless mesh will limit
contention and provide associated devices a better experience because one radio is used for
device access and the other creates the mesh network. Figure 6.20 shows an example of a
wireless DS.

F i g u r e   6 . 2 0     Two dual-band access points used to create a wireless mesh distribution

system

5 GHz Wireless Connection

Access Point 1 Access Point 2

BSS1 2.4 GHz BSS2 2.4 GHz

Wireless Client Wireless Client

Data Rates
The speed at which wireless devices are designed to exchange information is known as the
data rate. As you will see in Chapter 7, “Modulation Technology for Wireless Networking,”
these rates will differ depending on the wireless standard, amendment, spread spectrum
type, or Physical layer technology in use. Table 6.1 shows data rates for various WLAN
technologies. Data rates do not accurately represent the amount of information that is
actually being transferred between devices and a wireless network. Figure 6.21 shows an
 Data Rates  239

IEEE 802.11ac WLAN adapter in a notebook computer reading a data rate of 867 Mbps.
To learn more about the actual amount of information transferred, see the next section,
“Throughput.”

Ta b l e   6 .1     Data rates and modulation and coding schemes based on spread spectrum type

Standard/Amendment Technology Data Rates

802.11 FHSS 1 and 2 Mbps

802.11 DSSS 1 and 2 Mbps

802.11b HR/DSSS 5.5 and 11 Mbps; 1 and 2 Mbps from DSSS

802.11a OFDM 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36 and 48 Mbps

802.11g ERP-OFDM 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36 and 48 Mbps

802.11n HT-OFDM Up to 600 Mbps

802.11ac VHT-OFDM Up to 6.93 Gbps aggregate

F i g u r e   6 . 2 1     Windows 10 wireless configuration utility showing a data rate of 867

Mbps for an IEEE 802.11ac WLAN adapter

Microsoft Windows 10 wireless client utility

shows a signaling rate of 867 Mbps for a
IEEE 802.11ac adapter.
240  Chapter 6  ■   Communication for Wireless Networking

Throughput
Unlike data rate (the maximum amount of information theoretically capable of being sent),
throughput is the amount of information actually being correctly received or transmitted.
Many variables affect the throughput of information being sent. Some of these include
■■ Spread spectrum or Physical layer technology type in use
■■ RF interference
■■ Number of wireless devices connected to an access point
An 802.11a/g/n wireless access point, for example, has a theoretical maximum signal-
ing rate of 600 Mbps, depending on the data rate or modulation and coding scheme in use.
With one user connected to this access point, chances are the best throughput that could be
expected is less than 50 percent of the maximum advertised rate. If more users connect to
the same access point, the throughput for each user would be even less, because of the con-
tention between users sharing the same wireless medium. Figure 6.22 shows an example of
actual throughput for an 802.11a/g/n WLAN adapter.

F i g u r e   6 . 2 2     Actual throughput of an IEEE 802.11a/g/n 300 Mbps WLAN adapter

JPerf performance test utility shows an average throughput of

about 44 Mbps using an IEEE 802.11a/g/n wireless adapter.