If we have a computer network in our home or office, there are several different ways to

connect the computers together. Wi-Fi is the wireless way to handle networking. It is also
known as “802.11 networking” or “wireless networking”. The big advantage of Wi-Fi is
its simplicity and inexpensive. We can connect computers anywhere in our home or
office without the need for wires. The computers connect to the network using radio
signals and computers can be up to 100 feet or so apart.

Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity. It is used to define any of the wireless technology in
the IEEE 802.11 specifications. Wi-Fi is a brand originally licensed by the Wi-Fi
Alliance which is a body responsible for promoting the term and its association with
various wireless technology standards.

Wi-Fi was intended to be used for mobile devices and LANs, but is now often used for
internet access. It enables a person with a wireless-enabled computer or personal digital
assistant (PDA) to connect to the internet when in proximity of an access point. Wi-Fi
also allows connectivity in peer-to-peer mode, which enables devices to connect directly
with each other.

What makes the new standard so attracting means Wi-Fi is cheap, powerful and most
important it works. A box size of paper back magically distributes broadband Internet to
an area of a football field size. A card no longer than matchbox receives it. The next
laptop we buy will probably have Wi-Fi built in. Wires may soon be power alone.
Proposed Work:

Several wireless technologies have been developed since the last decades and have

become all pervasive in or day to day lives. The day to day development from wire

network i.e. internet, phone etc to wireless network like wifi, Bluetooth etc play a crucial

role in constructing or destroying the system. Wi-Fi is the only technology that enables

the use of indoor mobile devices without outdoor services.

Wifi or Wireless Fidelity or Wifi or Wi-Fi is a popular name given to WLAN technology

said to be a wireless system that can be globally used for accessing the internet. Other

than internet Wi-Fi is integrated in more devices like laptops, PDAs, mobile phones. It is

an Open-standard wireless radio-wave technology technically known as IEEE 802.11b or

also called as Wi-Fi. This system was projected by the “Wi-Fi Alliance; a trade group”

that lead the way for commercialization of the technology. Wi-Fi is usually a plug ‘n play

device in which the connection is radiated from the router i.e. which is available easily to

the user at any outlet by connecting it to the end-users broadband network and create a

hotspot of approximately 15-20 feet . If we compare this to Ethernet protocol it uses high

frequency radio signals to transmit and receive data over distances of a few hundred feet.

The area coverage is usually 300 meters so may be your neighbors may also use it with

out your knowledge simultaneously sitting in his/her residence

 Contents Of Wi-Fi

 INTRODUCTION
 What is Wi-Fi?
 Wi-Fi standards
 Wi-Fi topology
 Wi-Fi architecture
 Elements of Wi-Fi network
 How Wi-Fi works?
 Wi-Fi security
 Advantages
 Limitations
 Conclusion
 References
 1. INTRODUCTION

What is Wi-Fi

. Wi-Fi is acronym for wireless fidelity. Wi-Fi (also WiFi, wifi, etc.) is a brand
originally licensed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to describe the underlying technology of
wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications. Wireless
Technology is an alternative to Wired Technology, which is commonly used, for
connecting devices in wireless mode. It was developed by Kye Brown to be used for
mobile computing devices, such as laptops, in LANs, but is now increasingly used for
more services, including Internet and VoIP phone access, gaming, and basic connectivity
of consumer electronics such as televisions and DVD players, or digital cameras. More
standards are in development that will allow Wi-Fi to be used by cars in highways in
support of an Intelligent Transportation System to increase safety, gather statistics, and
enable mobile commerce.
The term Wi-Fi is a play
upon the decades- old term Hi-Fi. Hi-Fi stands
for High Fidelity Hi-Fi is a quality standard
that means the reproduction of sound or
images is very faithful to the original. The
term High Fidelity is applied to any reasonable
quality home music system.
A person with a Wi-Fi
enabled device such as a computer, cellphone
or PDA can connect to the Internet when in proximity of an access point. Wi-Fi also
allows connectivity in peer-to-peer mode, which enables devices to connect directly with
each other
An Usb Wi-Fi Device
Wi-Fi Certification

Wi-Fi technology builds on IEEE 802.11 standards. The IEEE develops and publishes
these standards, but does not test equipment for compliance with them. The non-profit
Wi-Fi Alliance formed in 1999 to fill this void — to establish and enforce standards for
interoperability and backward compatibility, and to promote wireless local-area-network
technology. As of 2009 the Wi-Fi Alliance consisted of more than 300 companies from
around the world. Manufacturers with membership in the Wi-Fi Alliance, whose
products pass the certification process, gain the right to mark those products with the Wi-
Fi logo.

Specifically, the certification process requires conformance to the IEEE 802.11 radio
standards, the WPA and WPA2 security standards, and the EAP authentication standard.
Certification may optionally include tests of IEEE 802.11 draft standards, interaction
with cellular-phone technology in converged devices, and features relating to security set-
up, multimedia, and power-saving.

The Name Wi-Fi

The term Wi-Fi suggests Wireless Fidelity, resembling the long-established audio-
equipment classification term high fidelity (in use since the 1930s) or Hi-Fi (used since
1950). Even the Wi-Fi Alliance itself has often used the phrase Wireless Fidelity in its
press releases and documents; the term also appears in a white paper on Wi-Fi from
ITAA. However, based on Phil Belanger's statement, the term Wi-Fi was never supposed
to mean anything at all.

The term Wi-Fi, first used commercially in August 1999, was coined by a brand-
consulting firm called Interbrand Corporation that the Alliance had hired to determine a
name that was "a little catchier than 'IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence'". Belanger also
stated that Interbrand invented Wi-Fi as a play on words with Hi-Fi, and also created the
yin-yang-style Wi-Fi logo.

Wi-Fi Signal logo

Brief History

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) established the 802.11 Group in
1990. Specifications for standard ratified in 1997

� Initial speeds were 1 and 2 Mbps

� IEEE modified the standard in 1999 to include 802.11 a and b
� 802.11g was added in 2003
� 802.11b equipment first available, then a, followed by g
� IEEE create standard but Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance certifies products

What can you do with it?

� Quick/easy temp network access

� Staff access to corporate network

� Patron internet access (hotspot)

� interconnecting two networks

Purpose:

The purpose of Wi-Fi is to hide complexity by enabling wireless access to

applications and data, media and streams. The main aims of Wi-Fi are the following:

Make access to information easier

Ensure compatibility and co-existence of devices.

Eliminate cabling and wiring

Eliminate switches, adapters, plugs, pins and connectors

Uses:

A Wi-Fi enabled device such as a PC, game console, mobile phone, MP3 player
or PDA can connect to the Internet when within range of a wireless network connected to
the Internet.
The coverage of one or more interconnected access points called a hotspot can
comprise an area as small as a single room with wireless-opaque walls or as large as
many square miles covered by overlapping access points. Wi-Fi technology has served to
set up mesh networks.
In addition to restricted use in homes and offices, Wi-Fi can make access publicly
available at Wi-Fi hotspots provided either free of charge or to subscribers to various
providers. Organizations and businesses such as airports, hotels and restaurants often
provide free hotspots to attract or assist clients.
Wi-Fi also allows connectivity in peer-to-peer
mode, which enables devices to connect directly with each other. This connectivity mode
can prove useful in consumer electronics and gaming applications.

Example:
 A Wi-Fi Enabled Projector

Acer just released a new wifi projector directed towards professionals featuring a
XGA (1,024 x 768) resolution, WiFi b/g connectivity, supports 720p/1080i high-
definition video streaming wirelessly, is compatible with MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4,
WMV9, AVI, DivX, XviD, ASF and VOB video formats, can connect D-Sub, DVI-D
and HDMI, has 2700 ANSI Lumens brightness and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio.

What do you need to do Wi-fi?

� Existing wired network/services (Infrastructure Mode)

� DHCP/DNS
� Access point
� Antennas and bridges
� Wireless adapter
How to add Wi-Fi

 Most of the new laptops these days already come with a Wi-Fi card built in and
support the 802.11g standard.

 At TAPMI, the 80% of the present batch (2005-07) has a laptop or a desktop
computer. Out of that, 75% of the laptops have got in-built Wi-Fi support.

 For the existing desktops at TAPMI and the older laptops with students and
teachers, it is very easy to add wireless capability.

 A simple USB device has to be added to these laptops or desktops. Also, pci cards
can be added to desktops and pumice cards can be added to laptops.

 For a laptop, this card will normally be a PCMCIA card that will slide into the
PCMCIA slot in the laptop. Or one can buy a small external adapter and plug it
into the USB port.

 For a desktop machine, one can buy a PCI card that will get installed inside the
machine, or a small external adapter that you will connect to the USB port.

Components of a Wi-Fi network

A wireless access pint, or base station acts like a hub, providing connectivity for the
wireless computers.

It can connect (or "bridge") the wireless LAN to a wired LAN, allowing wireless
computer access to LAN resources, such as file servers or existing Internet Connectivity.

Access points are required to have overlapping wireless areas to achieve this as can be
seen in the following diagram:

A user can move from Area 1 to Area 2 transparently. The Wireless networking hardware
automatically swaps to the Access Point with the best signal.
Not all access points are capable of being configured to support roaming.

Also it is always better that access points from a single vendor should be used when
implementing roaming to ease configuration and compatibility.

Access Point

Types of Access Points:

a) Linksys Wireless-G Access Point - WAP54G :

-
Features:
Set up a high-speed Wireless-G (802.11g) network in your home or office.
Data rates up to 54Mbps -- 5 times faster than Wireless-B (802.11b).
Also interoperates with Wireless-B networks (at 11Mbps).
Advanced wireless security with WPA, 128-bit WEP encryption, and MAC filtering.

Package Contents:
Wireless-G Access Point
Detachable Antennas
Power Adapter
Setup CD with User Guide
Ethernet Network Cable
Quick Installation
Registration Car

b) Net gear Wireless Access Point - WG602

Features:

Net gear is the leader in unmanaged Fast Ethernet switches in both sales and port count
Fastest growing wireless company worldwide (2003)
#1 worldwide in SPI Firewall/VPN routers
#1 in wired 10/100 PCMCIA network cards for notebook PCs in US retail
Fastest growing seller of Layers2 fixed Ethernet Switches
Extend your wireless signal by adding a WG602 in repeater mode (only available on
WG602v2 and v3).
This Net gear product comes with global warranty of 3 years and has 24 hours free
Technical support call center in India

c) Net gear 256 users 108 Mbps Wireless Access Point WG302

Features:

Supports 256 users simultaneously

High-speed networking with IEEE 802.11g, up to 108 Mbps in turbo mode
Powerful RF management and control with Auto Cell™ technology
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security support
Wireless Distribution System (WDS) supports bridging and repeater modes
Integrated IEEE 802.3af PoE
2 detachable 5 dBi antennas
SNMP MIB I, MIB II and 802.11 MIB support
Intel® Centrino™ certified
Peak WLAN Performance with AutoCell™
Success Story: Intel Case Study: NETGEAR® ProSafe™ Access Points
d) D-Link DWL-G700AP Wireless Access Point

Features:

Up to 54Mbps
WPA for Enhanced Wireless Security
Quickly Add Wireless Access to Your Network
Web-based Configuration and Management
High-speed wireless network access for home or office
2. WI-FI STANDARDS

Wi-Fi Networks use Radio Technologies called IEEE 802.11

standards to transmit & receive data at high speed. IEEE 802.11 comprised of more than
20 different standards each of which is denoted by a letter appended to the end of the
name. Vic Hayes who was the primary inventor of WiFi and has been named the “father
of WiFi was designed these standards. The most familiar standards are:
• IEEE 802.11b
• IEEE 802.11a
• IEEE 802.11g
The standards 802.11b and 802.11g are used in the majority of
commercial Wi-Fi devices. Both of these standards operate in the 2.4GHz band, and the
only major difference between the two is the transfer rate.

Comparison of standards: The below table provides a brief overview of three most
popular current 802.11 standards as well as information about the next version of Wi-Fi –
802.11n.
Data Transfer Rate
Standard Frequency Range (indoor)
Typical (Max)
802.11a 5 GHz 25 (50) Mb/sec about 10 m (30 ft)
802.11b 2.4GHz 6.5 (11) Mb/sec 30 m (90 ft)
802.11g 2.4 GHz 25 (54) Mb/sec 30+ m (90+ ft)
802.11n * 2.4 GHz 200 (540) Mb/sec 50m (150ft)

IEEE 802.11b

• Appear in late 1999

• Operates at 2.4GHz radio spectrum
• 11 Mbps (theoretical speed) - within 30 m Range
• 4-6 Mbps (actual speed)
• 100 -150 feet range
Pros of 802.11b—Lowest cost, signal range is best and is not easily obstructed.
Cons of 802.11b—Slowest maximum speed; supports fewer simultaneous users
;appliances may interfere on the unregulated frequency band.
IEEE 802.11a

• Introduced in 2001
• Operates at 5 GHz (less popular)
• 54 Mbps (theoretical speed)
• 15-20 Mbps (Actual speed)
• 50-75 feet range
Pros of 802.11a—fastest maximum speed, supports more simultaneous users,
regulated frequencies prevent signal interference from other devices.
Cons of 802.11a—highest cost, shorter range signal that is more easily obstructed,
not compatible with 802.11b

IEEE 802.11g

• Introduced in 2003
• Combine the feature of both standards (a,b)
• 100-150 feet range
• 54 Mbps Speed
• 2.4 GHz radio frequencies
Pros of 802.11g—Fastest maximum speed; supports more simultaneous users
Cons of 802.11g—Costs more than 802.11b;appliances may interfere on the
unregulated signal frequency.

Range and Performance:

• 802.11a
– Indoor 40-300 feet
– Outdoor – 100 to 1000 feet

• 802.11b
– Indoor 100-300 feet
– Outdoor 400 – 1500 feet

• 802.11g
– Indoor 100-300 feet
 – Outdoor 400 – 1500 feet

• 802.11n(Upcoming)
– Indoor 125-450 feet
– Outdoor 500 – 1750 feet

Operational advantages:
Wi-Fi allows LANs (Local Area Networks) to be deployed without cabling for
client devices, typically reducing the costs of network deployment and expansion. Spaces
where cables cannot be run, such as outdoor areas and historical buildings, can host
wireless LANs. In 2008, wireless network adapters are built into most modern laptops.
The price of chipsets for Wi-Fi continues to drop,
making it an economical networking option included in ever more devices. Wi-Fi has
become widespread in corporate infrastructures.
Different competitive brands of access points and client network interfaces are
inter-operable at a basic level of service. Products designated as "Wi-Fi Certified" by the
Wi-Fi Alliance are backwards compatible. Wi-Fi is a global set of standards. Unlike
mobile telephones, any standard Wi-Fi device will work anywhere in the world.
Wi-Fi is widely available in more than 220,000 public
hotspots and tens of millions of homes, corporate and university campuses
worldwide.WPA is not easily cracked if strong passwords are used and WPA2 encryption
has no known weaknesses. New protocols for Quality of Service (WMM) make Wi-Fi
more suitable for latency-sensitive applications (such as voice and video), and power
saving mechanisms (WMM Power Save) improve battery operation.

Reach:
Due to reach requirements for wireless LAN applications, power consumption is
fairly high compared to some other low-bandwidth standards. Especially Zigbee and
Bluetooth supporting wireless PAN applications refer to much lesser propagation range
of <10m. Wi-Fi networks have limited range. A typical Wi-Fi home router using 802.11b
or 802.11g with a stock antenna might have a range of 32 m (120 ft) indoors and 95 m
(300 ft) outdoors. Range also varies with frequency band. Wi-Fi in the
2.4 GHz frequency block has slightly better range than Wi-Fi in the 5 GHz frequency
block. Outdoor range with improved antennas can be several kilometers or more with
line-of-sight. Wi-Fi performance decreases roughly quadratically as the range increases at
constant radiation levels.

Mobility:
Because of the very limited practical range of Wi-Fi, mobile use is essentially
confined to such applications as inventory taking machines in warehouses or retail
spaces, barcode reading devices at check-out stands or receiving / shipping stations.
Mobile use of Wi-Fi over wider ranges is limited to move, use, move, as for instance in
an automobile moving from one hotspot to another. Other wireless technologies are more
suitable as illustrated in the graphic.

Speed vs. Mobility of wireless systems: Wi-Fi, HSPA, UMTS and GSM

 Wireless Adapter

A wireless adapter allows a device to connect to a

wireless network.

 Wireless Access Point (WAP)

A wireless access point connects a group of wireless
devices to an adjacent wired LAN. An access point is similar to an Ethernet hub, relaying
data between connected wireless devices in addition to a (usually) single connected wired
device.

 Wireless Ethernet Bridge

 A wireless Ethernet bridge connects a wired network to a wireless
network. This is different from an access point in the sense that an access point connects
wireless devices to a wired network at the data-link layer.

 Range Extender
A wireless range extender or wireless repeater can extend the range
of an existing wireless network.
 3. WI-FI TOPOLOGY

The widespread reliance on networking in business and the meteoric growth of the
Internet and online services are strong testimonials to the benefits of shared data and
shared resources. With wireless LANs, users can access shared information without
looking for a place to plug-in. Wireless LAN offers the following productivity and
convenience over Wired Networks:

► Mobility

► Installation Speed and Simplicity

► Installation Flexibility

► Reduced Cost of Ownership

► Scalability

Infrastructure mode
 4. WI-FI ARCHITECTURE

The typical Wi-Fi architecture shown below.

A typical Wi-Fi setup contains one or more Access points (APs) and one or
more clients. An AP broadcasts its SSID (Service Set Identifier, "Network name") via
packets that are called beacons, which are usually broadcast every 100 ms. The beacons
are transmitted at 1 Mbit/s, and are of relatively short duration and therefore do not have
a significant effect on performance. Since 1 Mbit/s is the lowest rate of Wi-Fi it assures
that the client who receives the beacon can communicate at least 1 Mbit/s. Based on the
settings (e.g. the SSID), the client may decide whether to connect to an AP. If two APs of
the same SSID are in range of the client, the client firmware might use signal strength to
decide which of the two APs to make a connection to. The Wi-Fi standard leaves
connection criteria and roaming totally open to the client.. Since Wi-Fi transmits in the
air, it has the same properties as a non-switched ethernet network.

Types of links

Wireless networks can be arranged in one of these three logical configurations:

Point-to-Point
Point-to-Multipoint
Multipoint-to-Multipoint
Point-to-Point

The simplest connection is the point-to-point link.

.
Point-to-Multipoint

When more than one connection communicates with a central point, this is a point-to-
multipoint network.
Multipoint-to-Multipoint

When any node of a network may communicate with any other, this is a multipoint-to-
multipoint network (also referred to as an ad-hoc or mesh network)

Radio modes
802.11 cards can be operated in one of these modes:
Master (AP)
Managed (Client)
Ad-hoc
Monitor
Radios may only operate in one mode at a time*

Typical (intended) use

Master mode
Master mode (also called AP or infrastructure mode) is used to create a service that looks
like a traditional access point. The wireless card creates a network with a specified name
(called the SSID) and channel, and offers network services on it.

Wireless cards in master mode can only communicate with cards that are associated with
it in managed mode.
Managed mode
Managed mode is sometimes also referred to as client mode. Wireless cards in managed
mode will join a network created by a master, and will automatically change their
channel to match it.

Clients using a given AP are said to be associated with it. Managed mode cards do not
communicate with each other directly, and will only communicate with an associated
master.
Ad-hoc mode

Ad-hoc mode creates a multipoint-to-multipoint network when there is no master or AP

available.

In ad-hoc mode, each wireless card communicates directly with its neighbors. Nodes
must be in range of each other to communicate, and must agree on a network name and
channel.

Montior mode

Monitor mode is used by some tools (such as Kismet) to passively listen to all radio
traffic on a given channel. This is useful for analyzing problems on a wireless link or
observing spectrum usage in the local area. Monitor mode is not used for normal
communications.

802.11 Radio Modes in action

The TCP/IP model

802.11 provides a link-local connection.

Bridged networking
In a simple local area wireless network, a bridged architecture is usually adequate.
Very simple configuration
Roaming works very well
Increasingly inefficient as nodes are added
All broadcast traffic is repeated
Virtually unusable on very large wide-area networks

The bridged AP

Routing

Large networks are built by applying routing between nodes.

Static routing is often used on point-to-point links
Dynamic routing (such as RIP or OSPF) can be used on larger networks, although they
are not designed to work with imperfect wireless links
Mesh routing protocols (OLSR, HSLS, AODV) work very well with wireless networks,
particularly when using ad-hoc.

Relaying traffic

In ad-hoc mode, all radios can communicate with each other as long as they are in range.
They will not relay traffic for other nodes without an additional routing protocol.

In infrastructure mode, clients must be within range of an access point. The AP will relay
traffic between all associated clients, but clients cannot talk to each other directly.

AP vs. Ad-Hoc
Mesh = Ad-hoc + Routing

A mesh network (implemented with 802.11 equipment) is essentially a group of radios

operating in ad-hoc mode, with some kind of routing applied.

Many mesh routing protocols (such as OLSR) may be applied to any physical network,
including Master / Managed nodes, or even Ethernet.

Dynamic mesh
Repeaters

Problems with wide-area 802.11

802.11 networks were designed to operate at relatively short distances (up to a couple of
hundred meters). Range can be extended significantly by using high gain antennas, but
this is not a complete solution.

Over long distances, a number of problems become apparent that are not handled well by
the 802.11 protocol itself.

The "Hidden Node"

When two clients are in range of the same access point but not each other, their
transmissions can interfere with each other. This condition is called a hidden node
problem.

Hidden node is alleviated somewhat by CTS/RTS

Specify a maximum packet size, above which CTS/RTS is used
CTS/RTS is not perfect, but can help at a cost of overall throughput.
5. Elements of a WI-FI Network

wireless access point (sometimes called an "AP" or "WAP") serves to join or "bridge"
wireless clients to a wired Ethernet network. Access points centralize all Wi-Fi clients on
a local network in so-called infrastructure" mode. An access point in turn may connect to
another access point, or to a wired Ethernet router. The AP is a wireless LAN transceiver
or “base station” that can connect one or many wireless devices simultaneously to the
Internet. The geographical region covered by one or more access points is called a
hotspot.

•
• wireless access point
Wi-Fi cards - They accept the wireless signal and relay information.They can be
internal and external.(e.g PCMCIA Card for Laptop and PCI Card for Desktop PC)
Wireless router--
The centerpiece product of many home computer networks is a wireless router. These
routers support all home computers configured with wireless network adapters (see
below). They also contain a network switch to allow some computers to be connected
with Ethernet cables. Wireless routers allow cable modem and DSL Internet connections
to be shared

Belkin router
Wireless adapter- A wireless network adapter allows a computing device to join a
wireless LAN. Wireless network adapters contain a built-in radio transmitter and
receiver. Each adapter supports one or more of the 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g Wi-Fi
standards.
 Wireless Network Adapter

WIRELESS NETWORKING COMPONENTS

Wi-Fi is a friendly term for IEEE 802.11b Ethernet standard. It operates in

the unlicensed frequency band of 2.4 Ghz with a maximum data rate of 11 Mbps.

IEEE 802.11b wireless networking consists of the following components:

•Stations

A station (STA) is a network node that is equipped with a wireless network

device. A personal computer with a wireless network adapter is known as a wireless
client. Wireless clients can communicate directly with each other or through a
wireless access point (AP). Wireless clients are mobile.

Figure1. Wireless station

•Wireless Access Points

A wireless AP is a wireless network node that acts as a bridge between

STAs and a wired network. A wireless AP contains:
• At least one interface that connects the wireless AP to an existing wired
network (such as an Ethernet backbone).
• A wireless network device with which it creates wireless connections
with STAs.
• IEEE 802.1D bridging software, so that it can act as a transparent bridge
between the wireless and wired networks.

The wireless AP is similar to a cellular phone network's base station.

Wireless clients communicate with both the wired network and other wireless
clients through the wireless AP. Wireless APs are not mobile and act as peripheral
bridge devices that extend a wired network.

Figure2. Access point

 OPERATION MODES

IEEE 802.11 defines two operating modes: Ad hoc mode and

Infrastructure mode.

AD HOC MODE: In ad hoc mode, also known as peer-to-peer mode, wireless

clients communicate directly with each other (without the use of a wireless AP).
Two or more wireless clients who communicate using ad hoc mode form an
Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS). Ad hoc mode is used to connect wireless
clients when a wireless AP is not present.

The ad-hoc network structure in the 802.11 protocol

INFRA STRUCTURE MODE: In infrastructure mode, there is at least one wireless
AP and one wireless client. The wireless client uses the wireless AP to access the
resources of a wired network. The wired network can be an organization intranet or
the Internet, depending on the placement of the wireless AP.
The infrastructure network structure in the 802.11 protocol

A single wireless AP that supports one or multiple wireless clients is known as a

Basic Service Set (BSS). A set of two or more wireless APs that are connected to
the same wired network is known as an Extended Service Set (ESS). An ESS is a
single logical network segment (also known as a subnet), and is identified by its
Service Set Identifier (SSID). If the available physical areas of the wireless APs in
an ESS overlap, then a wireless client can roam, or move from one location (with a
wireless AP) to another (with a different wireless AP) while maintaining Network
layer connectivity.

RADIO TECHNOLOGY

Wi-Fi network uses radio technology called IEEE 802.11b to provide

secure, fast, reliable, wireless connectivity. 11b defines the physical layer and
media access control (MAC) sublayer for communications across a shared, wireless
local area network (WLAN). At the physical layer, IEEE 802.11b operates at the
radio frequency of 2.45 gigahertz (GHz) with a maximum bit rate of 11 Mbps. It
uses the direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) transmission technique. At the
MAC sublayer of the Data Link layer, 802.11b uses the carrier sense multiple
access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) media access control (MAC) protocol

CARRIER SENSE MULTIPLE ACCESS/COLLISION AVOIDANCE

The basic access method for 802.11 is the Distributed Coordination

Function (DCF) which uses Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Avoidance
(CSMA / CA). This requires each station to listen for other users. If the channel is
idle, the station may transmit. However if it is busy, each station waits until
transmission stops, and then enters into a random back off procedure. This prevents
multiple stations from seizing the medium immediately after completion of the
preceding transmission.

CSMA/CD Back-off Algorithm

Packet reception in DCF requires acknowledgement as shown in figure. The period
between completion of packet transmission and start of the ACK frame is one Short
Inter Frame Space (SIFS). ACK frames have a higher priority than other traffic.
Fast acknowledgement is one of the salient features of the 802.11 standard, because
it requires ACKs to be handled at the MAC sublayer.

Transmissions other than ACKs must wait at least one DCF inter frame space
(DIFS) before transmitting data. If a transmitter senses a busy medium, it
determines a random back-off period by setting an internal timer to an integer
number of slot times. Upon expiration of a DIFS, the timer begins to decrement. If
the timer reaches zero, the station may begin transmission. However, if the channel
is seized by another station before the timer reaches zero, the timer setting is
retained at the decremented value for subsequent transmission.

OPERATION BASICS

When a wireless adapter is turned on, it begins to scan across the wireless
frequencies for wireless APs and other wireless clients in ad hoc mode. Assuming
that the wireless client is configured to operate in infrastructure mode, the wireless
adapter chooses a wireless AP with which to connect. This selection is made
automatically by using SSID and signal strength and frame error rate information.
Next, the wireless adapter switches to the assigned channel of the selected wireless
AP and negotiates the use of a port. This is known as establishing an association.

If the signal strength of the wireless AP is too low, the error rate too high,
or if instructed by the operating system (in the case of Windows XP), the wireless
adapter scans for other wireless APs to determine whether a different wireless AP
can provide a stronger signal or lower error rate. If such a wireless AP is located,
the wireless adapter switches to the channel of that wireless AP and negotiates the
use of a port. This is known as reassociation.

Reassociation with a different wireless AP can occur for several reasons.

The signal can weaken as either the wireless adapter moves away from the wireless
AP or the wireless AP becomes congested with too much traffic or interference. By
switching to another wireless AP, the wireless adapter can distribute the load to
other wireless APs, increasing the performance for other wireless clients. You can
achieve contiguous coverage over large areas by placing your wireless APs so that
their signal areas overlap slightly. As a wireless client roams across different signal
areas, it can associate and reassociate from one wireless AP to another, maintaining
a continuous logical connection to the wired network.
WIRELESS-LAN CONFIGURATION
A WLAN can be configured in two basic ways:
► Peer- to –Peer (ad hoc mode):
An ad hoc network is peer-to-peer network (no centralized server) set up temporarily
to meet some immediate need. This mode consists of two or more PCs equipped with
wireless adapter control but with no connection to a wired network.

Ad-hoc LAN

►Client/Server(infrastructure networking):
Offering fully distributed data connectivity, this mode typically consists of multiple PCs
linked to a central hub that acts as a bridge to the resources of the wired network. The
carrier waves transporting the data will not interfere with each other, as long as they are
sent out on different frequencies. At the other end of the communication, a radio receiver
tuned to a specific frequency will "hear" only the messages on that frequency. All other
signals will be treated as noise and ignored. Most WLANs use the 2.4 Gigahertz (GHz)
frequency band. Countries around the world have set aside this portion of the airwaves
for unlicensed devices.

Infrastructure Networking
THE WLAN TOPOLOGY
The basic building block of the wireless LAN is the cell. This is the area in which the
wireless communication takes place. The coverage area of a cell depends on the strength
of the propagated radio signal and the type and construction of the walls, partitions and
other physical characteristics of the indoor environment. PC-based workstations can
move freely in the cell.

Wireless LAN Connectivity

Each Wireless LAN cell requires some communications traffic management. This is
coordinated by an Access Point which communicates with each wireless station in its
coverage area. Stations also communicate with each other via the AP so communicating
stations can be hidden from one another. In this way, the AP functions as a relay,
extending the range of the system.
The AP functions as a bridge between the wireless stations and the wired network and the
other wireless cells. Connecting the AP to the backbone or the other wireless cells can be
extended by cascading several wireless links one after the other. When any area in the
building is within the reception range of more than one access point the cells’ coverage is
said to overlap. Each wireless station automatically establishes the best possible
connection with one of the access point.
The Roaming facility allows mobile users with portable stations to move freely between
overlapping cells, constantly maintaining their network connection. Roaming is seamless;
a work session can be maintained while moving from one cell to another. Multiple access
points can provide wireless coverage for an entire building or campus. When coverage
area of two or more APs overlap, the best possible connection is established. In order to
minimize packet loss during switch over, the “old” and “new” APs communicate to co-
ordinate the process.
 6. HOW WI-FI WORKS

A wireless network uses radio waves, just like cell phones,

televisions and radios do.
The communication across a wireless network is like two-way radio communication.
1. A computers wireless adapter translates data into a radio signal and transmits it using
an antenna.
2. A wireless router receives the signal and decodes it. It sends the information to the
internet using a physical, wired Ethernet connection.
The process also works in reverse, with the router receiving information from the
Internet, translating it into a radio signal and sending it to the computers wireless adapter.
The radios used for Wi-Fi communication can transmit and receive radio waves, and they
can convert 1s and 0s into radio waves and convert the radio waves back into 1s and 0s.

Adding Wi-Fi To Computers

One of the best things about WiFi is how simple it is.Many new laptops
already come with a WiFi card built in -- in many cases we don't have to do anything
to start using WiFi. It is also easy to add a WiFi card to an older laptop or a desktop
PC.
 Buy a 802.11a, 802.11b or 802.11g network card. For a laptop, this card will
normally be a PCMCIA card that you slide into a PCMCIA slot on your laptop.
Or you can buy a small external adapter and plug it into a USB port. For a desktop
machine, you can buy a PCI card that you install inside the machine, or a small
external adapter that you connect to the computer with a USB cable.
 Install the card
 Install the drivers for the card
 Find an 802.11 hotspot.
 Access the hotspot.
Hotspot: a connection point for a WiFi network. It is a small box that is
hardwired into the Internet. The box contains an 802.11 radio that can simultaneously
talk to up to 100 or so 802.11 cards
Infrastructure/Design
� Option 1 – Provide patron access using a totally separate network Infrastructure

� Option 2 – Use the existing corporate network, with additional equipment to provide
access to patrons while securing internal network

� Option 3 – Use the existing corporate network, with same equipment to provide access
to patrons while securing internal network

Separate Network-Option 1
� Provide patron access using a separate network from your corporate network
� Advantages: Total internal network security, “a simple solution”, can provide
redundancy for the existing internal network (however cost and complexity would
increase)
� Disadvantages: More administrative overhead, more expensive (recurring service
charges)

Separate Network

Existing Network-Different Equipment- Option 2

� Use most of the existing infrastructure to provide access to patrons while securing
internal network

� Advantages: Easier administration, Less expensive (No recurring monthly service

charges), but cost for more hardware

� Disadvantages: Internal network down means no wireless access, “a more complex

solution” (bandwidth, security, configuration implications)

Existing Network-Option 2

Existing Network-Same Equipment-Option 3

� Use the existing infrastructure to provide access to patrons while securing internal
network
� Advantages: Easier administration, Least expensive (No recurring monthly service
charges and no hardware)
� Disadvantages: Internal network down means no wireless access, most complex
solution (bandwidth, security, configuration implications), using VLAN
 7. WI-FI SECURITY TECHNIQUES

WiFi hotspots can be open or secure. If we set our router to create an open
hotspot, anyone who has a wireless card will be able to use our signal. To keep our
network private we can use one of the following methods:
Wired Equivalency Privacy(WEP): It uses 64-bit or 128-bit encryption. 128-bit
encryption is the more secure option. Any one who wants to use a WEP enabled
network has to know the WEP key, which is usually a numerical password.
WiFi Protected Access(WPA): It is a step up from WEP and is now part of the
802.11i wireless network security protocol. As with WEP,WPA security involves
signing on with a password.
Media Access Control(MAC): Address filtering is a little different from WEP or
WPA. It does not use a password to authenticate users-it uses a computer’s physical
hardware. Each computer has its own unique MAC address. MAC address filtering
allows only machines with specific MAC addresses to access the network. We must
specify which addresses are allowed when we set up our router. This method is very
secure, but if we want to add a new computer to our network we will need to add the
new machines MAC address to the list of approved addresses.

The IEEE 802.11 standard defines the following mechanisms for wireless
security:
• Authentication through the open system and shared key authentication types
• Data confidentiality through Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

Open system authentication does not provide authentication, only

identification using the wireless adapter's MAC address. Open system authentication
is used when no authentication is required. Some wireless APs allow the
configuration of the MAC addresses of allowed wireless clients. However, this is not
secure because the MAC address of a wireless client can be spoofed.

Shared key authentication verifies that an authenticating wireless client has

knowledge of a shared secret. This is similar to preshared key authentication in
 Internet Protocol security (IPsec). The 802.11 standard currently assumes that the
shared key is delivered to participating STAs through a secure channel that is
independent of IEEE 802.11. In practice, this secret is manually configured for both
the wireless AP and client. Because the shared key authentication secret must be
distributed manually, this method of authentication does not scale to a large
infrastructure mode network (for example, corporate campuses and public places,
such as malls and airports). Additionally, shared key authentication is not secure and
is not recommended for use.

WEP VULNARABILITIES

Not long after WEP was developed, a series of independent research

studies began to expose its cryptographic weaknesses. Even with WEP enabled,
third parties with a moderate amount of technical know-how and resources could
breach WLAN security. Three key difficulties were identified:

1. WEP uses a single, static shared key. It remains the same unless a network
administrator manually changes it on all devices in the WLAN, a task that becomes
ever more daunting as the size of the WLAN increases.

2. At the time of its introduction, WEP employed a necessarily short 40-bit

encryption scheme. The scheme was the maximum allowed by US export standards at
that time. In 1997, the US government deemed the export of data cryptography to be
as threatening to national security as the export of weapons of mass destruction. By
necessity, Wi-Fi security had to be weak if the specification was to be adopted as an
international standard and if products were to be freely exported.

3. Other technical problems contributed to its vulnerability, including attacks that

could lead to the recovery of the WEP key itself.

Together, these issues exposed that WEP was not sufficient for enterprise-
class security.
� Data Security/Encryption
� Third Party solution - Fortress
� Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
� Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)-Shared key
� Access
� WPA/WEP
� Close System – No advertising
� MAC Authentication – MAC address control
� Attack – Denial of Service
� Client Protection
�Antivirus/Firewall
 8. ADVANTAGES

• Easy setup & Inexpensive: Wi-Fi network don’t require professional

installation ,and ,best of all, there are no holes to drill or wires to run through
walls.It allows LANs to be used effectively with out cabling.
• Performance: WiFi allows fast data transfer with transfer speed up to 54Mb/sec.
802.11g is currently the fastest available Wi-Fi protocol on the market.
• Security: As 2006, WAP and WPA2 encryption are not easily crackable if strong
passwords are used
• Roaming: Wi-Fi networks support roaming, in which a mobile client station such
as a laptop computer can move from one access point to another as the user
moves around a building or area.
• Mobility &Flexibility
• Allows LANs to be deployed without cabling, typically reducing the costs of
network deployment and expansion.
• Wi-Fi chipset pricing continues to come down.
• Wi-Fi products are widely available in the market.
• Wi-Fi is a global set of standards. Unlike cellular carriers, the same Wi-Fi client
works in different countries around the world.
• As of 2006, WPA and WPA2 encryption are not easily crackable if strong
passwords are used.
• New protocols for Quality of Service (WMM) and power saving mechanisms
(WMM Power Save) makes Wi-Fi even more suitable for applications relating to
audio and video.
• Allows LANs to be deployed without cabling, typically reducing the costs of
network deployment and expansion. Spaces where cables cannot be run, such as
outdoor areas and historical buildings, can host wireless LANs.
• Wi-Fi silicon pricing continues to come down, making Wi-Fi a very economical
networking option and driving inclusion of Wi-Fi in an ever-widening array of
devices.
• Wi-Fi products are widely available in the market. Different brands of access
points and client network interfaces are interoperable at a basic level of service.
 Products designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED by the Wi-Fi Alliance are
interoperable and include WPA2 security.
• Wi-Fi networks support roaming, in which a mobile client station such as a laptop
computer can move from one access point to another as the user moves around a
building or area.
• Wi-Fi is a global set of standards. Unlike cellular carriers, the same Wi-Fi client
works in different countries around the world.
• Widely available in more than 250,000 public hot spots and millions of homes
and corporate and university campuses worldwide.
• As of 2006, WPA and WPA2 encryption are not easily crackable if strong
passwords are used
• New protocols for Quality of Service (WMM) and power saving mechanisms
(WMM Power Save) make Wi-Fi even more suitable for latency-sensitive
applications (such as voice and video) and small form-factor devices.

• Disadvantages

• Wi-Fi can be interrupted by other devices, notably 2.4 GHz cordless phones.
• Power consumption is fairly high compared to some other standards, making
battery life and heat a concern.
• The most common wireless encryption standard, Wired Equivalent Privacy or
WEP, has been shown to be breakable even when correctly configured.
• Wi-Fi Access Points typically default to an open (encryption-free) mode. Novice
users benefit from a zero configuration device that works out of the box but might
not intend to provide open wireless access to their LAN. WPA Wi-Fi Protected
Access which began shipping in 2003 aims to solve these problems and is now
generally available, but adoption rates remain low. .
• Wi-Fi networks can be monitored and used to read and copy data (including
personal information) transmitted over the network when no encryption such as
VPN is used.
• Interoperability issues between brands or deviations from the standard can disrupt
connections or lower throughput speeds on other user's devices within range. Wi-
Fi Alliance programs test devices for interoperability and designate devices which
pass testing as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED.
 9. LIMITATIONS
• Security concerns: Though it is very easy to setup WiFi network, securing it
requires more effort.
Wi-Fi access points do not come with encryption straight out of the box, we have to
do it from our computer once the network is up and running.
• Interference from other devices: Wi-Fi transmissions take place primarily with in
the 2.4GHz spectrum, making them susceptible to interference from Bluetooth
wireless enabled devices, card less telephones and other household devices.
• Lack of support for high-quality media streaming: wireless networks have neither
the transfer speeds nor the consistency to transfer high-definition audio and video
files flawlessly.
• Power consumption is fairly high.
• Many 2.4 GHz 802.11b and 802.11g access points default to the same channel,
contributing to congestion on certain channels.
• Wi-Fi pollution, meaning interference of a closed or encrypted access point with
other open access points in the area.
• A typical Wi-Fi home router using 802.11b or 802.11g with a stock antenna
might have a range of 45 m indoors and 90 m outdoors.
• Wi-Fi networks can be monitored and used to read and copy data (including
personal information) transmitted over the network.
• The speed and reliability of the wired connection might be worth the hassle of
running the wire, versus the cost of buying a wireless adapter.
 10. CONCLUSION

It is just the beginning of Wi-Fi. We are starting to see the next phase of the Wi-
Fi movement. So Wi-Fi is expected to become an even bigger and hotter technology for
both home and businesses in the years to come. We can soon expect Wi-Fi networks to
emerge in urban areas providing coverage throughout the central city, lining major
highways, and giving travellers network access any time , any where.

.Wired vs Wireless

Wired Wireless
moderate easier, but beware
Installation
difficulty interference
Cost less more
Reliability high reasonably high
Performance very good good
Security reasonably good reasonably good
Mobility limited outstanding

If we are very cost-conscious, need maximum performance of your home system,

and don't care much about mobility, then a wired Ethernet LAN is probably right for us.
If on the other hand, cost is less of an issue, we like being an early adopter of leading-
edge technologies, and we are really concerned about the task of wiring our home or
small business with Ethernet cable, then we should certainly consider a wireless LAN.
Any PC brought in a year becomes the hub of a wireless network. An
estimated 99 million people with Wi-Fi by 2006 according to Gartner. Wires may soon
be power alone.
REFERENCES

1. http://compnetworking.about.com
2. http://www.tcil-india.com
3. www.nbc4i.com/technology
4. http://computer .howstuffworks.com
5. http://www.crutchfieldadvisor .com
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi