Wi-Fi

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 Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity) is a wireless
technology brand owned by the Wi-Fi
Alliance intended to improve the
interoperability of wireless local area
network products based on the IEEE
802.11 standards.
 Common applications for Wi-Fi include
Internet, VOIP etc.,
 Official Wi-Fi logo
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802.11 and Wi-Fi
 “IEEE 802.11” is a set of industry
standards for the operation of
wireless networks.
 Wi-Fi (“Wireless Fidelity”) is a
marketing term.
 Synonymous with 802.11

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 802.11: Several Flavors

1999: 2001: 2003:

802.11b 802.11a 802.11g
(11/5 Mbits/s) (54/32 Mbits/s) (54/32 Mbits/s)

compatible

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Wi-Fi “Access Points”
 A Wi-Fi “access point” is a blackbox that
connects to the Internet, and also
accepts Wi-Fi connections.
 The area covered by one or several
interconnected access points is called
“hot spot”.

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 WiFi Network Topologies
 Ad Hoc Network
This is a peer to peer
network.

 Infrastructure Network
This network allows to
access various wired
networks. This requires a
base station called
Access Point.

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 802.11b
 The 802.11b standard defines a
total of 14 frequency channels.
 Channel represents a center
frequency. Only 5 MHz separation
between center frequencies of
channels. 5 MHz

Channel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Center 2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447 2.452 2.457 2.462

Frequency
(GHz)
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 Ideally, 802.11b supports wireless connections
between an access point and a wireless device at
four possible data rates: 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 5.5
Mbps, and 11 Mbps.
 Specifically, as terminal travels farther from its
AP, the connection will remain intact but
connection speed decreases (falls back).
2 Mbps
5.5 Mbps

11 Mbps

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802.11b Spread Spectrum
 802.11b makes use of DSSS.
 Each bit is transmitted as 11 bits which is
called as Barker Sequence.
 To transmit a bit 1, 802.11b does is this by
actually transmitting a fixed sequence of 11
shorter bits (01001000111).
 These shorter bits are called “chips.”
 Higher data rates are achieved by using more
complex modulation schemes and/or changing
the chip sequence.

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 802.11a
 802.11a specification operates at radio
frequencies between 5.15 and 5.825 GHz
 The FCC has divided total 300 MHz in this band
into three distinct 100 MHz bands: low, middle,
and high, each with different legal maximum
power.
Band Channel Max Power
High band 5.725-5.825 GHz 9-12 1000 mW
Middle band 5.25-5.35 GHz 5-8 250 mW
Low band 5.15-5.25 GHz 1-4 50 mW

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 Because of high power output, high band used for
building-to-building products. Lower two bands
suitable for in-building wireless products.
 In 802.11a, radio signals are generated using a
method called Orthogonal Frequency Division
Multiplexing (OFDM).
 802.11a (like 11b) has a rate fall back mechanism,
i.e., as the distance between the transmitter and
receiver increases, the supported data rate decreases.

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802.11a

12 Mbps

24 Mbps
36 Mbps
48 Mbps

54 Mbps

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802.11g
 802.11g offers throughput of 802.11a with
backward compatibility of 802.11b
 802.11g operates in 2.4 GHz band but it
delivers data rates from 6 Mbps to 54 Mbps.
 802.11g also uses OFDM but supports spread-
spectrum capabilities if any one component of
the system has older equipment, i.e., 802.11b
equipment.

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 Wireless Technologies
Technology Freque Range Speed
ncy
802.11a 5GHz 25 to 75 feet Up to 54Mbps
indoors

802.11b 2.4GHz Up to 300 feet Up to 11 Mbps

indoors

802.11g 2.4GHz Up to 150 feet Up to 54 Mbps

indoors

802.16 10-66 GHz 75Mbps, if range is <4

35 miles miles
WiMax
50Mbps, if range is 4-6
miles range
17Mbps, if is >6 miles
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WiFi Architechture
 IEEE 802.11b is based on a cellular architecture
where
 The system is subdivided into cells

 Each cell is called Basic Service Set (BSS)

which is identified by the SSID (Service Set ID)

and each is controlled by Base Station called
Access point (AP).
 The whole interconnected Wireless LAN including
the cells and their different AP is called Extended
Service Set (ESS).

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WiFi Architecture Layers
 Data Link Layer (MAC)
 Physical Layer
Data Link
802.11 MAC
Layer

FS DS IR Physical Layer

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802.11 MAC Layer
 802.11 makes use of CSMA/CA (Carrier sense multiple
access with collision avoidance)
 A CSMA/CD works as (in LAN) : A station desires to
transmit, senses the medium, if the medium is busy,
then the station will defer its transmission to a later
time, if the medium is sensed free then the station is
allowed to transmit.
 Two modes of operation are supported by CSMA/CA.

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 In the first method, when a station
wants to transmit, it senses the
channel.
 If the channel is idle, it starts
transmitting else it waits until the
channel is idle.
 The second method makes use of
virtual carrier sensing.

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 Virtual Carrier Sense
A station willing to transmit sends a short control packet called RTS
(Request to Send) which includes source, destination and duration of the
following transaction. Then the Access Point will send a response control
packet, CTS (Clear To Send) which consists the same information.

Source RTS Data

Access Point CTS ACK

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Access
Point Laptop

RTS

CTS

Data

ACK

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How WiFi Works?
 When a station wants to join the Cell, it can
know the synchronization information from
the Access Point in two ways
 Passive scanning – waits to receive
Beacon Frames from the AP
 Active scanning – transmits the Probe
request to find the AP and waiting for the
Probe response from AP

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 WLAN Discovery
 “Open” WLANs
RESPONS
SSID  Access Point continuously transmits
E: SSID Passive
“Beacon Frames” containing
Scanning
OPEN network’s SSID.
PROBE
REQUEST

{
(ANY)
Active
RESPONS Scanning
E: SSID “Closed” WLANs PROBE
REQUEST
 Beacon frames do not contain SSID
(SSID)
CLOSE and/or beacons frames are turned off.22
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 Wi-Fi Privacy
 Problem: Your radio transmissions
can be picked up by anyone.

Laptop Access
(Wireless PC Point
Card)

Solution: 23
 Wi-Fi privacy is provided by using
some keys called as
 Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
 Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)

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Wi-Fi Privacy:
Observations

38%:
WEP
62%:
Completely
open

Source: http://www.worldwidewardrive.org/wwwdstats.html
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Services
 The services provided by 802.11 are divided in to
two categories as
 Distribution Services

 Station Services

Distribution services relate to managing cell

membership and interacting with stations outside
the cell.
In contrast, the station services relate to activity
with in a single cell.

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Distribution Services
 Association: This service is used by mobile stations to
connect themselves to the base stations.
 Disassociation: Either station or the base station may use
this service before shutting down or leaving.
 Reassociation: This process of moving a station from old
base station to new base station.
 Distribution: This service determines how to route frames
sent to base station.
 Integration: If a frame needs to be send through a non-
802.11 network with different format, this service handles the
format translation.

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Station Services
 There are 4 station services which are intracell.
They are used after association has taken place
and are as follows.
 Authentication:
 Because wireless communication can easily be
sent or received by unauthorized stations, a
station must authenticate itself before it is
permitted to send data.
 After a mobile station has been associated by
the base station, the base station sends a
challenge frame to see if the mobile knows the
secret key (WEP)

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  The mobile is supposed to encrypt the
challenge frame with the key and send back to
the base station.
 If the result is correct then the mobile is
enrolled in the cell.

Authentication Frame
Device
NIC
Encrypted Text (using WEP key)

Decrypt text using correct WEP

key

Authentication Frame (Accept/Reject) 29

 Deauthentication: When a previously
authenticated station wants to leave the
network, it is deauthenticated.

 Privacy: For information sent over a wireless

LAN to be kept confidential, it must be
encrypted. This service manages encryption and
decryption.

 Data delivery: Finally, data transmission is

what it is all about, so this service handles this
function.

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Examples
Virtual Guide in Shopping Mall
 Virtual Guide in Shopping Mall is an
application which guide the a customer who
comes to a big shopping mall.
 As soon as he enter’s into shopping mall a
virtual character comes on his wireless
terminal and assist you through out your
shopping

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Examples
Friendly Job Fair
 Friendly Job Fair is a WiFi
based application which allow
the job seekers various
information such as which
companies are participation in
job fair what are their
requirements and what is the
selection process for various
job levels. This also provide
you in which stalls which
companies are their.

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 Patient Monitoring System on Tips
 This is an application which allows the doctor’s
to medicate the patients without the help of
nurses by getting their details instantly
through their wireless terminals. A doctor no
needs to depend on nurses for the patient
condition. All the details of the patients are
maintained by the server which can be
accessed by wireless terminals such as PDA.

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 A Virtual Friend at Airport
 A Virtual Friend In Airport is a WiFi based application which
makes the airline passenger to experience wonderful feeling
at airports.
 Usually most of the passengers feel difficult in
finding out the ATM’s, Restaurants, Waiting room
etc.
 This application could paves the way to the
location which you want to go.
 This also gives you alerts about flight arrival or
delay details.
 Alerts about various discount offerings at various
shops. Also offers you various city related info
services.

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