Introduction to Wireless LAN

Wireless LAN stands for Wireless Local Area Network. It is also called LAWN (Local Area Wireless
Network). WLAN is one in which a mobile user can connect to a Local Area Network (LAN) through a
wireless connection.

The IEEE 802.11 group of standards defines the technologies for wireless LANs. For path sharing, 802.11
standard uses the Ethernet protocol and CSMA/CA (carrier sense multiple access with collision
avoidance). It also uses an encryption method i.e. wired equivalent privacy algorithm.

Wireless LANs provide high speed data communication in small areas such as building or an office.
WLANs allow users to move around in a confined area while they are still connected to the network.

In some instance wireless LAN technology is used to save costs and avoid laying cable, while in other
cases, it is the only option for providing high-speed internet access to the public. Whatever the reason,
wireless solutions are popping up everywhere.

Examples of WLANs that are available today are NCR's waveLAN and Motorola's ALTAIR.

Advantages of WLANs

o Flexibility
o Planning
o Design
o Robustness
o Cost
o Ease of Use

Disadvantages of WLANs

o Quality of Services
o Proprietary Solutions
o Restrictions.
o Global operation
o Low Power
o License free operation:
o Robust transmission technology

Fundamentals of WLANs

1. HiperLAN
2. Home RF Technology
3. IEEE 802.11 Standard
4. Bluetooth

IEEE 802.11 Standard

IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for the wireless area network (WLAN), which was implemented in 1997
and was used in the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band. IEEE 802.11 was quickly implemented
throughout a wide region, but under its standards the network occasionally receives interference from
devices such as cordless phones and microwave ovens. The aim of IEEE 802.11 is to provide wireless
network connection for fixed, portable, and moving stations within ten to hundreds of meters with one
medium access control (MAC) and several physical layer specifications. This was later called 802.11a. The
major protocols include IEEE 802.11n; their most significant differences lie in the specification of the PHY
layer.

802.11 Architecture:
IEEE 802.11 standard, popularly known as WiFi, lays down the architecture and specifications of wireless
LANs (WLANs). WiFi or WLAN uses high-frequency radio waves instead of cables for connecting the
devices in LAN. Users connected by WLANs can move around within the area of network coverage.

IEEE 802.11 Architecture

The components of an IEEE 802.11 architecture are as follows −

 Stations (STA) − Stations comprises of all devices and equipment that are connected to the
wireless LAN. A station can be of two types−

o Wireless Access Point (WAP) − WAPs or simply access points (AP) are generally wireless
routers that form the base stations or access.

o Client. Clients are workstations, computers, laptops, printers, smartphones, etc.

 Each station has a wireless network interface controller.

 Basic Service Set (BSS) − A basic service set is a group of stations communicating at the physical
layer level. BSS can be of two categories depending upon the mode of operation−

o Infrastructure BSS − Here, the devices communicate with other devices through access
points.

o Independent BSS − Here, the devices communicate in a peer-to-peer basis in an ad hoc

manner.

 Extended Service Set (ESS) − It is a set of all connected BSS.

 Distribution System (DS) − It connects access points in ESS.

Frame Format of IEEE 802.11
The main fields of a frame of wireless LANs as laid down by IEEE 802.11 are −

 Frame Control − It is a 2 bytes starting field composed of 11 subfields. It contains control

information of the frame.

 Duration − It is a 2-byte field that specifies the time period for which the frame and its
acknowledgment occupy the channel.

 Address fields − There are three 6-byte address fields containing addresses of source, immediate
destination, and final endpoint respectively.

 Sequence − It a 2 bytes field that stores the frame numbers.

 Data − This is a variable-sized field that carries the data from the upper layers. The maximum
size of the data field is 2312 bytes.

 Check Sequence − It is a 4-byte field containing error detection information.

 Frame Control −It is a 2 bytes starting field composed of 11 subfields. It contains control
information of the frame. The 11 subfields are −

 Protocol version − The first sub-field is a two – bit field set to 00. It has been included to allow
future versions of IEE 802.11 to operate simultaneously.

 Type − It is a two-bit subfield that specifies whether the frame is a data frame, control frame or a
management frame.

 Subtype − it is a four – bit subfield states whether the field is a Request to Send (RTS) or a Clear
to Send (CTS) control frame. For a regular data frame, the value is set to 0000.

 To DS − A single bit subfield indicating whether the frame is going to the access point (AC), which
coordinates the communications in centralised wireless systems.

 From DS − A single bit subfield indicating whether the frame is coming from the AC.

 More Fragments − A single bit subfield which when set to 1 indicates that more fragments
would follow.

 Retry − A single bit subfield which when set to 1 specifies a retransmission of a previous frame.

 Power Management − A single bit subfield indicating that the sender is adopting power-save
mode.

 More Data − A single bit subfield showing that sender has further data frames for the receiver.

 Protected Frame − A single bit subfield indicating that this is an encrypted frame.

 Order − The last subfield, of one – bit, informs the receiver that to the higher layers the frames
should be in an ordered sequence.

 Duration − It is a 2-byte field that specifies the time period for which the frame and its
acknowledgement occupy the channel.

 Address fields: There are three 6-byte address fields containing addresses of source, immediate
destination and final endpoint respectively.

 Sequence − It a 2 bytes field that stores the frame numbers. It detects duplicate frames and
determines the order of frames for higher layers. Among the 16 bits, the first 4 bits provides
identification to the fragment and the rest 12 bits contain the sequence number that increments
with each transmission.

 Data − This is a variable sized field that carries the payload from the upper layers. The maximum
size of data field is 2312 bytes.

 Frame Check Sequence (FCS) − It is a 4-byte field containing error detection information.