IEEE 802.
11 Protocol Primer
Prof. Md. Abdul Based
Department of CSE, DIU
10 May 2024
Contents
■ Layers
■ WLAN Organization
■ Basics of Operation in Infrastructure
Mode
■ Protocol Details
■ Radio Bits
2
Layers
■ Connection between user and LAN
■ A sequence of h/w and s/w
■ A clearly defined interface
■ Each Layer performs a particular function
and responsible for certain activities
■ Upper (close to user) and Lower (LAN)
3
Layers (contd.)
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4
WLAN Organization
■ Refers to the link and physical layers
■ IEEE 802 standards for different
technologies
■ IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet)
■ IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi)
■ Two modes
■ Infrastructure (ESS)
■ Ad-hoc (IBSS)
5
Basics of Operation in
Infrastructure Mode
■ AP, STA, & Network
■ Beacons (10 times a second)
■ Scanning
■ Authenticate (Request/Response)
■ Association (Request/Response)
■ IEEE 802.11 message types
■ Control: short messages, when to start & stop
transmitting and if there is communication error
■ Management: STA & AP use to negotiate and control
■ Data: Between STA & AP
6
Beacons
■ Management Frames
■ Useful information
■ Network name
■ Capabilities of the AP
7
Probing
■ Probe Request Message
■ STA can rapidly learn about the APs
in its area
8
Association
■ Connecting to an AP
■ Association Request
■ Association Response
9
Roaming
■ Diassociation Message
■ Reassociation Message
10
Sending Data
■ Three Addresses
■ Final Source, Final Destination,
Intermediate AP
■ STA to AP
■ One Source, Two Destinations
■ AP to STA
■ One Destination, Two Sources
11
Protocol Details
■ Security Protocols in Two Stages
■ 1997 and
■ 2001-2003 (RSN)
12
General Frame Formats
■ Preamble: special pattern, lasts for
few microseconds
■ PLCP Header: data rate, packet
length
■ MAC Header
■ User Data
■ CRC
13
MAC Header
■ Three Flavors: control, management, data
■ Source & Destination Address
■ 6 bytes
■ Unicast, multicast, broadcast
■ 802.3 has two addresses and a field to
indicate length of data
■ 802.11 has two to four addresses
■ Transmitter, Receiver, Source, Destination
■ Wireless Bridging 14
Basic Frame Format
Preamble PLCP MAC User Data CRC
Figure 2: Basic Frame Format in IEEE 802.11
15
MAC Address
■ Unique Address
■ Hijack Attack (by masquerading)
■ Visibility (where you go and where
you log on)
■ Type of data, the priority and
protection against modification
16
Management Frames
■ Beacon (notify)
■ Probe (request & response)
■ Authenticate (request & response)
■ Associate (request & response)
■ Reassociate (request & response)
■ Diassociate (notify)
■ Deauthenticate (notify)
17
Management Frame Format
Fixed Fields Element1 Element2 Element3 ………… Elementn
Figure 3: Management Frame Format
18
Management Frame (contd.)
■ Information about new security
methods
■ Load balancing
■ Each element: first byte identifies the
element & second byte indicates the
length
■ Beacon frames: three fixed fields, at
least four elements
19
Beacon Format
■ MAC Header (indicates a beacon)
■ Timestamp (64 bits)
■ Beacon Interval (0.1 second)
■ Capability Info (>= 5 bits)
■ SSID (network name)
■ Supported Data Rates:
■ 1 or 2 Mbps, 802.11b (1,2,5.5,11 Mbps, 802.11g upto 54 Mbps)
■ Radio Parameters (FM)
■ Power Save Flags (Traffic Indication Map - TIM)
20
Power Saving
Figure 4: Power Save Flags (TIM)
21
Radio Bits
■ Not relevant to security
■ In 2003 two frequency bands: 2.4 GHz
and 5 GHz
■ RF
■ FSK
■ OFDM
22
Reference (Figures/Texts)
■ Real 802.11 Security
Wi-Fi Protected Access and 802.11i
Jon Edney, Willian A. Arbaugh
23
■ Thank you!
■ Comments!
■ Questions?
24
