Wireless LAN

For the radio stations in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, see New York City, for instance, has begun a pilot program to
WLAN (AM) and WLAN-FM.
provide city workers in all ve boroughs of the city with
A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a wireless wireless Internet access.[1]

An embedded RouterBoard 112 with U.FL-RSMA pigtail and

R52 mini PCI Wi-Fi card widely used by wireless Internet service providers (WISPs)
This notebook computer is connected to a wireless access point
using a PC card wireless card.

1 History
Norman Abramson, a professor at the University of
Hawaii, developed the worlds rst wireless computer
communication network, ALOHAnet (operational in
1971), using low-cost ham-like radios. The system included seven computers deployed over four islands to
communicate with the central computer on the Oahu Island without using phone lines.[2]

Computer connected
via ethernet

Eth

ern

et
Wi-Fi bridge

Computer with long

range Wi-Fi dish
Computer within
range
Et
he
rn

Wi-Fi router

et

Ether

net

Internet
Service
Provider

Computer within
range

An example of a Wi-Fi network.

computer network that links two or more devices using

a wireless distribution method (often spread-spectrum
or OFDM radio) within a limited area such as a home,
school, computer laboratory, or oce building. This
gives users the ability to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network, and can
54 Mbit/s WLAN PCI Card (802.11g)
provide a connection to the wider Internet. Most modern
WLANs are based on IEEE 802.11 standards, marketed WLAN hardware initially cost so much that it was only
under the Wi-Fi brand name.
used as an alternative to cabled LAN in places where caWireless LANs have become popular in the home due to bling was dicult or impossible. Early development inease of installation and use, and in commercial complexes cluded industry-specic solutions and proprietary protooering wireless access to their customers; often for free. cols, but at the end of the 1990s these were replaced by
1

standards, primarily the various versions of IEEE 802.11

(in products using the Wi-Fi brand name). An alternative
ATM-like 5 GHz standardized technology, HiperLAN/2,
has so far not succeeded in the market, and with the
release of the faster 54 Mbit/s 802.11a (5 GHz) and
802.11g (2.4 GHz) standards, it is even more unlikely that
it will ever succeed.
In 2009 802.11n was added to 802.11. It operates in both
the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands at a maximum data transfer rate of 600 Mbit/s. Most newer routers are able to
utilise both wireless bands, known as dualband. This allows data communications to avoid the crowded 2.4 GHz
band, which is also shared with Bluetooth devices and
microwave ovens. The 5 GHz band is also wider than
the 2.4 GHz band, with more channels, which permits
a greater number of devices to share the space. Not all
channels are available in all regions.
A HomeRF group formed in 1997 to promote a technology aimed for residential use, but it disbanded at the end
of 2002.[3]

2
2.1

Architecture
Stations

All components that can connect into a wireless medium

in a network are referred to as stations. All stations
are equipped with wireless network interface controllers
(WNICs). Wireless stations fall into one of two categories: wireless access points, and clients. Access points
(APs), normally wireless routers, are base stations for
the wireless network. They transmit and receive radio
frequencies for wireless enabled devices to communicate with. Wireless clients can be mobile devices such
as laptops, personal digital assistants, IP phones and
other smartphones, or xed devices such as desktops and
workstations that are equipped with a wireless network
interface.

2.2

TYPES OF WIRELESS LANS

2.3 Extended service set

An extended service set (ESS) is a set of connected BSSs.
Access points in an ESS are connected by a distribution
system. Each ESS has an ID called the SSID which is a
32-byte (maximum) character string.

2.4 Distribution system

A distribution system (DS) connects access points in an
extended service set. The concept of a DS can be used
to increase network coverage through roaming between
cells.
DS can be wired or wireless. Current wireless distribution
systems are mostly based on WDS or MESH protocols,
though other systems are in use.

3 Types of wireless LANs

The IEEE 802.11 has two basic modes of operation: ad
hoc mode and infrastructure mode. In ad hoc mode,
mobile units transmit directly peer-to-peer. In infrastructure mode, mobile units communicate through an access
point that serves as a bridge to other networks (such as
Internet or LAN).
Since wireless communication uses a more open medium
for communication in comparison to wired LANs, the
802.11 designers also included encryption mechanisms:
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP, now insecure), WiFi Protected Access (WPA, WPA2), to secure wireless
computer networks. Many access points will also offer Wi-Fi Protected Setup, a quick (but now insecure)
method of joining a new device to an encrypted network.

3.1 Peer-to-peer

Basic service set

The basic service set (BSS) is a set of all stations that can
communicate with each other. Every BSS has an identication (ID) called the BSSID, which is the MAC address
Peer-to-Peer or ad hoc wireless LAN
of the access point servicing the BSS.
There are two types of BSS: Independent BSS (also referred to as IBSS), and infrastructure BSS. An independent BSS (IBSS) is an ad hoc network that contains no
access points, which means they can not connect to any
other basic service set.

An ad hoc network (not the same as a WiFi Direct network[4] ) is a network where stations communicate only
peer to peer (P2P). There is no base and no one gives
permission to talk. This is accomplished using the Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS).

3.2

Bridge

A WiFi Direct network is another type of network where 3.2 Bridge

stations communicate peer to peer.
In a Wi-Fi P2P group, the group owner operates as an A bridge can be used to connect networks, typically of
access point and all other devices are clients. There are dierent types. A wireless Ethernet bridge allows the
two main methods to establish a group owner in the Wi- connection of devices on a wired Ethernet network to a
Fi Direct group. In one approach, the user sets up a wireless network. The bridge acts as the connection point
P2P group owner manually. This method is also known to the Wireless LAN.
as Autonomous Group Owner (autonomous GO). In the
second method, also called negotiation-based group creation, two devices compete based on the group owner intent value. The device with higher intent value becomes
a group owner and the second device becomes a client.
Group owner intent value can depend on whether the
wireless device performs a cross-connection between an
infrastructure WLAN service and a P2P group, remaining power in the wireless device, whether the wireless device is already a group owner in another group and/or a
received signal strength of the rst wireless device.

3.3 Wireless distribution system

Main article: Wireless Distribution System

A Wireless Distribution System enables the wireless interconnection of access points in an IEEE 802.11 network. It allows a wireless network to be expanded using
multiple access points without the need for a wired backbone to link them, as is traditionally required. The noA peer-to-peer network allows wireless devices to di- table advantage of WDS over other solutions is that it prerectly communicate with each other. Wireless devices serves the MAC addresses of client packets across links
[5]
within range of each other can discover and communi- between access points.
cate directly without involving central access points. This An access point can be either a main, relay or remote
method is typically used by two computers so that they base station. A main base station is typically connected
can connect to each other to form a network. This can to the wired Ethernet. A relay base station relays data bebasically occur in devices within a closed range.
tween remote base stations, wireless clients or other reIf a signal strength meter is used in this situation, it may lay stations to either a main or another relay base station.
not read the strength accurately and can be misleading, A remote base station accepts connections from wireless
because it registers the strength of the strongest signal, clients and passes them to relay or main stations. Connections between clients are made using MAC addresses
which may be the closest computer.
rather than by specifying IP assignments.

All base stations in a Wireless Distribution System must

be congured to use the same radio channel, and share
WEP keys or WPA keys if they are used. They can be
congured to dierent service set identiers. WDS also
requires that every base station be congured to forward
to others in the system as mentioned above.
WDS may also be referred to as repeater mode because it
appears to bridge and accept wireless clients at the same
time (unlike traditional bridging). It should be noted,
however, that throughput in this method is halved for all
clients connected wirelessly.
When it is dicult to connect all of the access points in
a network by wires, it is also possible to put up access
points as repeaters.

Hidden node problem: Devices A and C are both communicating

with B, but are unaware of each other

IEEE 802.11 denes the physical layer (PHY) and MAC

(Media Access Control) layers based on CSMA/CA
(Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance). The 802.11 specication includes provisions designed to minimize collisions, because two mobile units
may both be in range of a common access point, but out
of range of each other.

4 Roaming
There are two denitions for wireless LAN roaming:
Internal Roaming (1): The Mobile Station (MS)
moves from one access point (AP) to another AP
within a home network because the signal strength is
too weak. An authentication server (RADIUS) performs the re-authentication of MS via 802.1x (e.g.

6 PERFORMANCE AND THROUGHPUT

Home-Network

(1)

Access
Point

Foreign-Network

Authentication
Server

Authentication
Server

Mobile
Station

(1)

Access
Point

Access
Point

Mobile
Station

File-Server

File-Server

given based on measurements under ideal conditions or

in the layer 2 data rates. This however does not apply
to typical deployments in which data is being transferred
between two endpoints of which at least one is typically
connected to a wired infrastructure and the other endpoint is connected to an infrastructure via a wireless link.

(2)

Roaming among Wireless Local Area Networks

with PEAP). The billing of QoS is in the home network. A Mobile Station roaming from one access
point to another often interrupts the ow of data
among the Mobile Station and an application connected to the network. The Mobile Station, for instance, periodically monitors the presence of alternative access points (ones that will provide a better connection). At some point, based on propri- Graphical representation of Wi-Fi application specic (UDP)
etary mechanisms, the Mobile Station decides to performance envelope 2.4 GHz band, with 802.11g
re-associate with an access point having a stronger
wireless signal. The Mobile Station, however, may
lose a connection with an access point before associating with another access point. In order to provide reliable connections with applications, the Mobile Station must generally include software that provides session persistence.[6]
External Roaming (2): The MS (client) moves
into a WLAN of another Wireless Internet Service
Provider (WISP) and takes their services (Hotspot).
The user can independently of his home network use
another foreign network, if this is open for visitors.
There must be special authentication and billing sys- Graphical representation of Wi-Fi application specic (UDP)
performance envelope 2.4 GHz band, with 802.11n with 40MHz
tems for mobile services in a foreign network.

Applications

Wireless LANs have a great deal of applications. Modern

implementations of WLANs range from small in-home
networks to large, campus-sized ones to completely mobile networks on airplanes and trains. Users can access
the Internet from WLAN hotspots in restaurants, hotels,
and now with portable devices that connect to 3G or 4G
networks. Oftentimes these types of public access points
require no registration or password to join the network.
Others can be accessed once registration has occurred
and/or a fee is paid.

This means that typically data frames pass an 802.11

(WLAN) medium and are being converted to 802.3 (Ethernet) or vice versa. Due to the dierence in the frame
(header) lengths of these two media the e.g. applications packet size determines the speed of the data transfer. This means that e.g. applications which use small
packets (e.g. VoIP) create dataows with a high overhead
trac (e.g. a low goodput). Other factors which contribute to the overall application data rate are the speed
with which the application transmits the packets (i.e. the
data rate) and of course the energy with which the wireless signal is received. The latter is determined by distance and by the congured output power of the communicating devices.[7][8]

Same references apply to the attached throughput graphs

which show measurements of UDP throughput measure6 Performance and Throughput
ments. Each represents an average (UDP) throughput
(please note that the error bars are there, but barely visible
WLAN, organised in various layer 2 variants (IEEE due to the small variation) of 25 measurements. Each is
802.11) has dierent characteristics. Across all avours with a specic packet size (small or large) and with a speof 802.11 maximum achievable throughputs are either cic data rate (10 kbit/s 100 Mbit/s). Markers for traf-

5
c proles of common applications are included as well.
Please note, this text and measurements do not cover
packet errors but information about this can be found
at above references. The table below shows the maximum achievable (application specic) UDP throughput in
the same scenarios (same references again) with various
dierence WLAN (802.11) avours. The measurement
hosts have been 25 meters apart from each other, please
note that loss is again ignored.

References

[1] NY Muni Wireless Network Launch in Sight. Internet

News. Retrieved 2010-11-03.
[2] History of Wireless. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School
of Public Health. Archived from the original on 2007-0210. Retrieved 2007-02-17.
[3] Wayne Caswell (November 17, 2010).
Archives. Retrieved July 16, 2011.

HomeRF

[4] http://www.wi-fi.org/knowledge-center/faq/
same-ad-hoc-mode
[5] Wireless Distribution System Linked Router Network
DD-WRT Wiki. Retrieved December 31, 2006.
[6] How Wi-Fi Roaming Really Works. Retrieved 200810-09.
[7] Towards Energy-Awareness in Managing Wireless LAN
Applications. IEEE/IFIP NOMS 2012: IEEE/IFIP Network Operations and Management Symposium. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
[8] Application Level Energy and Performance Measurements in a Wireless LAN. The 2011 IEEE/ACM International Conference on Green Computing and Communications. Retrieved 2014-08-11.

8 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

8.1

Text

Wireless LAN Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless%20LAN?oldid=636001599 Contributors: Bryan Derksen, HelgeStenstrom,

Rjstott, Ed Poor, LA2, Aldie, Kurt Jansson, Heron, Patrick, D, Norm, Nixdorf, Ixfd64, Alo, Haakon, Ronz, Nanshu, Poor Yorick, Rl,
Mulad, Crissov, Pladask, Tero, Tempshill, Joy, JorgeGG, Jeq, Bearcat, Robbot, Fredrik, Ashley Y, Lupo, JoelWhitehouse, Lzur, Tobias
Bergemann, Dave6, Manifest, Giftlite, Curps, Kravietz, Ferdinand Pienaar, AlistairMcMillan, VampWillow, Bobblewik, Edcolins, Neilc,
Comatose51, Utcursch, Mendel, Fast, OverlordQ, Cy0x, Monkeyman, Jda, RossPatterson, Discospinster, Rich Farmbrough, Rhobite, DrMac, FiP, Clawed, Rupertslander, Fittysix, Ratatosk, MarkS, S.K., Robotje, R. S. Shaw, Cwolfsheep, Kjkolb, MelSkunk, Towel401, Pearle,
Cenora, Nsaa, QuantumEleven, Sysiphe, Klafubra, Guy Harris, Eric Kvaalen, Arthena, Jeltz, Andrewpmk, M7, Wtshymanski, Stephan
Leeds, Antti Kurittu, RainbowOfLight, Woodstone, Larytet, Mahanga, Brookie, Woohookitty, Mindmatrix, Asteiner, Riumplus, Fred J,
Colin Watson, SCEhardt, Wisq, Weevil, ObsidianOrder, G.hartig, XP1, Seraphimblade, Bruce1ee, Thangalin, SNIyer12, Cjpun, Mikecron, Alejo2083, FlaBot, Moreati, Ausinha, Nivix, Fragglet, RexNL, Ewlyahoocom, Kolbasz, Mrschimpf, Coolhawks88, CStyle, Chobot,
Sathakselva, Gwernol, Roboto de Ajvol, Logixoul, Sarranduin, Hede2000, Bhny, Hydrargyrum, Stephenb, Manop, Archelon, Gaius Cornelius, Ksyrie, Big Brother 1984, Msikma, Msoos, PhilipO, 21655, Zzuuzz, ADFX-03, Adamdavid85, KGasso, Petri Krohn, Tobixen,
Nelson50, JLaTondre, Allens, Porttikivi, Elbperle, Twilight Realm, Qoqnous, SmackBot, Tarun2701, Mmernex, Bobet, Reedy, McGeddon, KelleyCook, Canthusus, Zephyris, Mcld, Gilliam, Ohnoitsjamie, ERcheck, Matt0401, Briandjohnson, Thumperward, Snori, Oli Filth,
SchftyThree, Nbarth, Colonies Chris, Konstable, Firetrap9254, Jnavas, Appaloosa2k, Ramas Arrow, Stefon, Dethme0w, E946, Cvparikh, JonHarder, Szarka, Radagast83, FlyHigh, Ricky@36, Terrak, Jidanni, GCW50, Teancum, Bjankuloski06en, Wskish, IronGargoyle,
Jadams76, Arathalion, ShakingSpirit, Andnewman, Igoldste, Beno1000, FakeTango, Astral9, Esposimi, Mzub, JasonWoof, Xcentaur,
JForget, CmdrObot, CaspianM, Requestion, Erencexor, Themightyquill, Slackerhobo, Christian75, Johnbouma, Chiefcoolbreeze, Kozuch,
Zalgo, Thijs!bot, Epbr123, Fabian.a, Abevacqua, Hai Dang Quang, John254, Electron9, Cooljuno411, Dawnseeker2000, Natalie Erin,
Mmortal03, Dzubint, AntiVandalBot, Widefox, CodeWeasel, Seaphoto, Marokwitz, Alphachimpbot, Ctrow, Caroline margaret, JAnDbot, Drizzd, Kirrages, Suede, Acroterion, Edoxin, Jhansonxi, Bongwarrior, VoABot II, Jareth86, JamesBWatson, Mhwhiteman, Dbackes,
JPG-GR, Nposs, LookingGlass, Ciaccona, DerHexer, JaGa, Techmonk, MartinBot, Jim.henderson, Zack Holly Venturi, Leyo, Haner,
Sddoc, Felipe1982, Mange01, Whaatt, Laurusnobilis, Edwardw818, Nana.collins59, Burzmali, LordCo Centre, DorganBot, Wikieditor06,
VolkovBot, Dbeilfuss, TobyDZ, ElinorD, Kmax769, Saligron, AllGloryToTheHypnotoad, BotKung, Zoef1234, Tinytom21, Rcassidy, Altermike, Falcon8765, Enviroboy, Lauriwriter, Le Fou, PRH969, Ljay2two, Copenhagis, Kbrose, Svex, Bing11, Foakgul, Markun, Flyer22,
Djjosh81, Editore99, Lightmouse, Blake324, Sunrise, ClueBot, PipepBot, Chomperhead, The Thing That Should Not Be, Ottawahitech,
G2h2, Excirial, Alexbot, Lunchscale, Jotterbot, Jaizovic, Frau K, Mlas, Alla tedesca, SoxBot III, Vanished user uih38riiw4hjlsd, Fastily,
Pgallert, Afrikaner, NellieBly, Willox303, Asksatan42, Addbot, Mannact, Captain-tucker, Umerqureshi, AkhtaBot, Cst17, Joycloete,
AndersBot, CUSENZA Mario, Favonian, Arubanetworks, Whotspot02, Tide rolls, Teles, Robo56, Zbaloca, Luckas-bot, Legobot II,
Wavyriver, Melvalevis, AnomieBOT, Arjun G. Menon, Garga2, Jim1138, ClerkShow8, Aneah, R.srinivaas, Xqbot, Mmmeg, IL vitto,
GliderMaven, FrescoBot, W Nowicki, RicHard-59, Okaven, EagleEye96, BurGay, I dream of horses, 10metreh, Phearson, Jandalhandler,
Lissajous, Markus tauber, Vrenator, Suusion of Yellow, Sean Reynolds, EmausBot, WikitanvirBot, Playmobilonhishorse, KingPingo,
Tommy2010, Seikku Kaita, ZroBot, H3llBot, Messi rules, Lastfasch, DASHBotAV, AbbasSarfraz, Assassin15, ClueBot NG, SpikeTorontoRCP, Wilde Jagd, Ajay.bhagti, Dfarrell07, Qzxpqbp, HMSSolent, Calabe1992, Northamerica1000, Mifter Public, Erin100280,
Ranjit89, ChrisGualtieri, Casper Lundgreen, MadGuy7023, Charming43, Mogism, Frosty, Dave Braunschweig, Ludatbooick, Nshunter,
Lesser Cartographies, Soa Lucifairy, Rachitgupta1792, Thebookman2 and Anonymous: 544

8.2

Images

File:Roaming01.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Roaming01.svg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: File:File:Roaming01.png Original artist: RicHard-59
File:RouterBoard_112_with_U.FL-RSMA_pigtail_and_R52_miniPCI_Wi-Fi_card.jpg Source:
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wikipedia/commons/7/7d/RouterBoard_112_with_U.FL-RSMA_pigtail_and_R52_miniPCI_Wi-Fi_card.jpg License: GFDL Contributors: Own work Original artist: Kozuch
File:ThroughputEnvelope11n.png Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/ThroughputEnvelope11n.png License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: measurements Original artist: Markus tauber
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License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: measurements Original artist: Markus tauber
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License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: Original image at :Image:WLAN PCI Card.jpg (GPL). Original artist: Zephyris at en.wikipedia
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8.3

8.3

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