Wireless Local Area

Network (WLAN)
(IEEE 802.11 Operations)
A Presentation

October 18, 201

Overview

Introduction
What are WLANs
WLAN Applications

LAN Extension
Ad Hoc Networking
Cross Building Interconnection
Mobile User Connectivity

Access Point Coverage & Data Rate Reviews

Channel Setup
Multi Rate Implementation
Rules for WLAN
Microcell Architectures Advantage
Summary

October 18, 201

Introduction

A wireless LAN uses wireless transmission medium (un-guided medium)

A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a flexible data communication system

implemented as an extension to, or as an alternative for, a wired LAN
within a building or campus.

Uses electromagnetic waves, WLANs transmit and receive data over the air,
minimizing the need for wired connections.

WLANs combine data connectivity with user mobility, and through

simplified configuration, enable movable LANs.

Over the last few years, WLANs have gained strong popularity in a number
of vertical markets, including the health-care, manufacturing, warehousing,
and academic arenas.

These industries have profited from the productivity gains of using hand-held
terminals and notebook computers to transmit real-time information to
centralized hosts for processing.

October 18, 201

Introduction

Today WLANs are becoming more widely recognized as

a general-purpose connectivity alternative for a broad
range of business

The Yankee Group, a market research firm, predicts a six

fold expansion of the U.S. wireless LAN market by the
year 2004, reaching more than $ 3.1 billion in revenues.

Wireless LANs frequently augment rather than replace

wired LAN networks

It belongs to 802.x series of IEEE standards for

Networking. WLAN is IEEE 802.11

October 18, 201

What are WLANs

They ARE:

Local, not wide area networks

In-building or campus area coverage for mobile users

Up to several miles for point-to-point (LAN to LAN)

Radio or infrared

FCC licenses not required

Customer owns the equipment (no usage charges)

October 18, 201

Wireless LAN Applications

LAN Extension
Ad hoc networks
Cross building interconnection
Nomadic access

October 18, 201

LAN Extension
Wireless LAN (WLAN) as an
extension to wired LAN

Hub

Hub
Server

Access Point

Switch
Internet

October 18, 201

Work Group Bridge

LAN Extension

WiredLANsrequirethatuserslocateinoneplaceandstay
there.

WLANsareanextensiontothewiredLANnetwork.
WLANscanbeanoverlaytoorsubstitutefortraditional
wiredLANnetworks.

WithWirelessLANs,mobileuserscan:

Movefreelyaroundafacility
EnjoyrealtimeaccesstothewiredLAN,atwiredEthernet
(approx.)speeds
AccessALLtheresourcesofwiredLANs

October 18, 201

LAN Extension

Wireless LAN to replace wired LANs has

not happened

In some environments, role for the

wireless LAN is

Buildings with large open areas

Manufacturing plants, stock exchange trading

floors, warehouses
Historical buildings
Small offices where wired LANs not economical

October 18, 201

WLAN Topology
Wireless Cell

Channel 1

Wireless Cell

Channel 6

LAN Backbone

Access Point

Wireless Clients

October 18, 201

Access Point

Wireless Clients

10

WLAN Topology

The basic service area (BSA) is the area of RF coverage

provided by an access point, also referred to as a microcell.

To extend the BSA, or to simply add wireless devices and extend

range of an existing wired system, an Access Point can be
added.

(As the name access point indicates, this unit is the point at
which wireless clients can access the network.)

The Access Point attaches to the Ethernet backbone and

communicates with all the wireless devices in the cell area

The AP is the master for the cell, and controls traffic flow, to and
from the network. The remote devices do not communicate
directly with each other; they communicate to the AP.
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WLAN Topology

If a single cell does not provide enough

coverage, any number of cells can be added to
extend the range. This is known as an
extended service area (ESA).

It is recommended that the ESA cells have 1015% overlap to allow remote users to roam
without losing RF connections.

Bordering cells should be set to different nonoverlapping channels for best performance.

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Wireless Repeater
Topology
Wireless Repeater Cell

Channel 1
LAN Backbone

Access Point

Channel 1
Access Point

Wireless Clients

October 18, 201

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Wireless Repeater
Topology

In an environment where extended coverage is needed,

but access to the backbone is not practical or available, a
wireless repeater can be used.

A wireless repeater is simply an access point that is not

connected to the wired backbone. This requires a 50%
overlap of the AP on the backbone and the wireless
repeater.

Data rates will decrease due to the receive and retransmit time involved.

Up to five repeaters on a Wireless system can be used to

get data from a remote to a backbone, permitting large
distances between the remote and the backbone.

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Hot Standby Topology

LAN Backbone

Monitored AP

Standby AP

Wireless Clients

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Hot Standby Topology

Redundancy only, no gain in throughput.

Both AP units will be set to the same frequency and data rate.

Since they timeshare the frequency, only one unit can be talking at a
time. If that one unit goes down for some reason, the remote clients
will hand off to the other active unit.

Utilizing the hot standby mode, the redundant AP is set to monitor

the main AP.

In the event that either fails, the redundant AP will take over.

In the hot standby mode, the redundant AP becomes a client (will not
accept associations from clients) of the monitored AP and therefore
does not interfere with the monitored AP.
October 18, 201

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Ad hoc Networking (Peer to

Peer)

The BSA can consist of

nothing more than two or
more wireless PCs with a
wireless network card.
This can be used for SOHO
(small office or home office)
to allow a laptop to be
connected to the main PC, or
for several people to simply
share files.
This type of network has one
drawback- coverage
limitation. Everyone must be
able to
hear18,
everyone
else.
October
201

Wireless Cell

Wireless Clients

Modem

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Cross Building
Interconnection

Also called LAN-to-LAN connectivity

Point to point wireless link between

buildings

Typically connecting bridges or routers

Used where cable connection not possible

e.g. across a street

Wireless bridges allow two or more

networks that are physically separated to
be connected on one LAN, without the
time or expense of dedicated cable or T1
lines.
October 18, 201

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Mobile User Connectivity

WLANs replace the layer one

transmission medium of a
traditional wired network (usually
Cat 5 cable) with radio
transmission over the air.

Mobile data terminal

e.g. laptop

Transfer of data from laptop to

server

Campus or cluster of buildings

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Access Point Coverage &

Data Rate Reviews
For DSSS

1 Mbps DSSS
2 Mbps DSSS
5.5 Mbps DSSS
11 Mbps DSSS

October 18, 201

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Access Point Coverage &

Data Rate Reviews

As a client roams away from the access point, the

transmission between the two attenuates.

Rather than decreasing reliability, AP shifts to a slower

data rate, which gives more accurate throughput.

This is called data rate shifting or multi-rate shifting.

As a client moves away from an access point, their

throughput will go from 11Mpbs, to 5.5Mpbs, 2Mpbs,
and finally to 1Mpbs

This happens without losing connection, and without

any interaction from the user

October 18, 201

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Channel Setup

The first critical step to a good deployment is laying out the

access points (APs)

Determining where they should be placed,

And deciding how many are required for the desired coverage.
Very few gaps in the coverage should be left, because these gaps
are essentially dead air and the client could lack connectivity in
these locations.
Bandwidth requirements have an impact on the coverage areas.

The second critical area is to map out the channel assignments

Make sure there is as little overlap as possible between channels

that cover the same frequency.

Channels 1, 6 and 11 do not overlap frequencies and are used for

roaming applications with direct sequence access points.

October 18, 201

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Channel Setup
Site Survey Channel Example

Channel 1

Channel 11

Channel 6
Channel 1
October 18, 201

Channel 6

Channel 11

Channel 6

Channel 11

Channel 1

Channel 11

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Multi-Rate Implementation
2 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
11 Mbps
11 Mbps

2 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
11 Mbps
11 Mbps

2 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
11 Mbps
11 Mbps

2 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
11 Mbps
11 Mbps

2 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
11 Mbps
11 Mbps

11 Mbps
11 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps

11 Mbps
11 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps

11 Mbps
11 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps

11 Mbps
11 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps

11 Mbps
11 Mbps
5.5 Mbps
5.5 Mbps

2 Mbps

2 Mbps

2 Mbps

2 Mbps

2 Mbps

October 18, 201

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Multi-Rate Implementation

Since the distance from an Access Point effects the available

bandwidth.

The above example provides for seamless roaming, but not at a

constant speed.

Here you would take advantage of the multi-rate technology and

step down in bandwidth in order to gain greater coverage distances
with a single access point.

On the other hand, if 11Mbps is required everywhere, the access

points would need to be relocated so that ONLY the 11 Mbps circles
were touching each other.

This would require a greater amount of access points but consistent

bandwidth would be achieved.

October 18, 201

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Multi-Rate Implementation

Multi-rate has Better Performance for Everyone!

Consider:

5 person in the 11Mb, 2 person in 5.5Mb, 1 person in 2Mb range

All sending packets of same size

If everyone is operating at the same data rate, they will all

take the same amount of time to send the same size packets.

If some people are operating at higher speeds, then they will

transmit the packet faster, which will allow the RF to be
available more quickly for the next person waiting to transmit.

For this reason, multi-rate systems will allow faster

performance for all users, even those operating at lower
speeds.

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WLAN Design
Pools of 11Mbps coverage for
high numbers of users

11
Mbps

Stationary vs. Mobile

5.5 Mbps
October 18, 201

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Cell Size
100 milli-Watt client and Access
Point range capabilities

11 Mbps DSSS
100-150 feet radius
5.5 Mbps DSSS
150-250 feet radius
2 Mbps DSSS
250-350 feet radius
October 18, 201

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Microcell Architectures
Advantage
Roaming

Mobility Support Software

l Roaming
l Load Balancing
l Power Management
l Wireless Repeater
Internet

October 18, 201

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Microcell Architectures
Advantage

The WLAN consists of microcells, and the user has the ability to move freely
anywhere the RF coverage permits.

Benefits of WLAN Microcell Architecture:

Seamless roaming across access points allows users to maintain connection while
moving around the facility.

Superior power management results in better battery life for portable devices.

Dynamic load balancing distributes users among access points to increase the
throughput of each user.

Access points have the capability to be a backbone-connected AP or a wireless

repeater, via a simple configuration parameter.

Wireless repeaters can be used to connect access points throughout a facility without
incurring the expense of running wires.

Fault -tolerant wireless LAN backbones can be provided with the use of access points
with overlapping coverage cells.

October 18, 201

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WLAN Technologies
802.11b

802.11a

802.11g

Frequency
Band

2.4 GHz

5 GHz

2.4 GHz

Availability

Worldwide

US/AP

Worldwide

Maximum
Data Rate

11 Mbps

54 Mbps

54 Mbps

The Laws of Radio Dynamics:

Higher Data Rates
Higher Power Output
Higher Frequency Radios
October 18, 201

= Shorter Transmission Range

= Increased Range, but Lower Battery Life
= Higher Data Rates, Shorter Ranges
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802.11 DSSS
Channels
1

10

11

2.402 GHz

12

13

14

2.483 GHz

(14) 22 MHz wide channels

3 non-overlapping channels (1, 6,11)
11 Mbps data rate

October 18, 201

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5GHz (802.11a) vs. 2.4GHz

(802.11b)
2.4 GHz Range

Range of 5 GHz is much much less

about 30%

Overall investment of infrastructure

is much higher (more APs)

4
2

1
2.4GHz
7

Not simply a replace radio for

upgrade
Will require a new survey/install when
upgrading from 2.4 GHz
to 5 GHz

October 18, 201

5 GHz
50'

150'

36

What Is IEEE802.11g?

Provides higher data rates @ 2.4 GHz

Similar speeds as 802.11a

Backward compatible with 11 Mbps (802.11b)

Same modulation as 802.11aOFDM

Has been added as a part of

IEEE 802.11 Standard in June 2003

802.11g

2050 MB

802.11g
October 18, 201

11 MB

802.11b
37

Throughput vs. Datarate

11Mbps datarate == 11Mbps throughput

Overhead

Operating System

Number of users

11Mbps RF = 10Mbps Ethernet

The 11Mbps wireless link can be thought of as a 10Mbps
wired Ethernet segment when deciding how many users it
can handle.

October 18, 201

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WLAN Applications

October 18, 201

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Summary

WLANs are not substitutes for MANs or

WANs, instead they are extension to LANs

WLAN topologies for various environments

are very flexible

The relationship between data rate and Cell

size, and the benefits of multi-rate shifting
are unique features of WLAN

October 18, 201

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What is this ?????? Explain

Plz
Blue = 11Mb

Total Bandwidth=33Mb!!!

Green = 11Mb

Red = 11Mb
October 18, 201

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Assignment

Differentiate between frequency,

bandwidth, datarate and channel

How higher frequencies limits the

travel distances ? (show
mathematically only)

Find and show demographics of 802.11

products available in the market.

October 18, 201

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Announcement

I know that you are anxiously

waiting for Quiz, Plz wait more for
3 mins only.

Thanks

October 18, 201

48

Wide-Ranging Partner Opportunity for The

Wireless LANs
Vertical
Healthcare
Retail

Public Access

Manufacturing
Transportation

Hotels
Airports
Coffee Shops
Convention
Centers

Consumer

October 18, 201

Business
Education

49

Quiz No. 01

A large number of consecutive IP addresses are

available starting at 198.16.0.0. Suppose that
four organizations, A, B, C, and D, request
4000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 addresses
respectively, in the same order. Suppose also
that each organization is assigned the lowest
address values possible at the time of its
request. For each of these, give the first IP
address assigned, the last IP address assigned,
and the mask in the w.x.y.z/s notation. (10 marks)

Believe me !!! Copying will give you zero

marks out of ten

October 18, 201

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