2. Wireless Market Segments
Wireless Market Segments & Partners
Fixed Mobile
Broadband Multiservice
2G+
Cellular
3G
Cellular
Residential/
Premise/ Campus
LMDS
MMDS
Cisco/
Bosch
Data
Services
GPRS
Mobile IP
Packet
Data/Voice
UMTS
3. Standardization of Wireless
Networks
Wireless networks are standardized by IEEE.
Under 802 LAN MAN standards committee.
Application
Presentation
Session
Transport
Network
Data Link
Physical
ISO
OSI
7-layer
model
Logical Link Control
Medium Access (MAC)
Physical (PHY)
IEEE 802
standards
4. IEEE 802.11 Overview
Adopted in 1997.
Defines;
MAC sublayer
MAC management
protocols and services
Physical (PHY) layers
IR
FHSS
DSSS
Goals
•To deliver services in wired networks
•To achieve high throughput
•To achieve highly reliable data delivery
•To achieve continuous network connection.
5. Components
Station
BSS - Basic Service Set
IBSS : Infrastructure BSS : QBSS
ESS - Extended Service Set
A set of infrastrucute BSSs.
Connection of APs
Tracking of mobility
DS – Distribution System
AP communicates with another
6. Services
Station services:
authentication,
de-authentication,
privacy,
delivery of data
Distribution Services ( A thin layer between MAC and LLC sublayer)
association
disassociation
reassociation
distribution
Integration
A station maintain two variables:
• authentication state (=> 1)
• association state (<= 1)
8. Medium Access Control
Functionality;
Reliable data delivery
Fairly control access
Protection of data
Deals;
Noisy and unreliable medium
Frame exchange protocol - ACK
Overhead to IEEE 802.3 -
Hidden Node Problem – RTS/CTS
Participation of all stations
Reaction to every frame
9. MAC
Retry Counters
Short retry counter
Long retry counter
Lifetime timer
Basic Access Mechanism
CSMA/CA
Binary exponential back-off
NAV – Network Allocation Vector
Timing Intervals: SIFS, Slot Time, PIFS, DIFS, EIFS
DCF Operation
PCF Operation
11. PCF Operation
Poll – eliminates contention
PC – Point Coordinator
Polling List
Over DCF
PIFS
CFP – Contention Free Period
Alternate with DCF
Periodic Beacon – contains length of CFP
CF-Poll – Contention Free Poll
NAV prevents during CFP
CF-End – resets NAV
12. Frame Types
Protocol Version
Frame Type and
Sub Type
To DS and From
DS
More Fragments
Retry
Power
Management
More Data
WEP
Order
FC
Duration
/ID
Address
1
Address
2
Address
3
Sequence
Control
Address
4
DATA FCS
2 2 6 6 6 2 6 0-2312 4 bytes
NAV information
Or
Short Id for PS-
Poll
BSSID –BSS
Identifier
TA - Transmitter
RA - Receiver
SA - Source
DA - Destination
IEEE 48 bit
address
Individual/Group
Universal/Local
46 bit address
MSDU
Sequence
Number
Fragment
Number
CCIT CRC-32
Polynomial
Upper layer data
2048 byte max
256 upper layer
header
14. Other MAC Operations
Fragmentation
Sequence control field
In burst
Medium is reserved
NAV is updated by ACK
Privacy
WEP bit set when encrypted.
Only the frame body.
Medium is reserved
NAV is updated by ACK
Symmetric variable key
WEP Details
Two mechanism
Default keys
Key mapping
WEP header and trailer
KEYID in header
ICV in trailer
dot11UndecryptableCount
Indicates an attack.
dot11ICVErrorCount
Attack to determine a
key is in progress.
15. MAC Management
Interference by users that have no concept of data
communication. Ex: Microwave
Interference by other WLANs
Security of data
Mobility
Power Management
16. Authentication
Authentication
Prove identity to another
station.
Open system authentication
Shared key authentication
A sends
B responds with a text
A encrypt and send back
B decrypts and returns an
authentication
management frame.
May authenticate any
number of station.
Security Problem
A rogue AP
SSID of ESS
Announce its presence
with beaconing
A active rogue reach
higher layer data if
unencrypted.
17. Association
Association
Transparent mobility
After authentication
Association request to an AP
After established, forward data
To BSS, if DA is in the BSS.
To DS, if DA is outside the BSS.
To AP, if DA is in another BSS.
To “portal”, if DC is outside the ESS.
Portal : transfer point : track mobility. (AP, bridge, or router) transfer 802.1h
New AP after reassociation, communicates with the old AP.
18. Address Filtering
More than one WLAN
Three Addresses
Receiver examine the
DA, BSSID
Privacy MAC Function
WEP Mechanism
19. Power Management
Independent BSS
Distributed
Data frame handshake
Wake up every beacon.
Awake a period of ATIM after each
beacon.
Send ACK if receive ATIM frame &
awake until the end of next ATIM.
Estimate the power saving station,
and delay until the next ATIM.
Multicast frame : No ACK : optional
Overhead
Sender
Announcement
frame
Buffer
Power
consumption in
ATIM
Receiver
Awake for every
Beacon and ATIM
20. Power Management
Infrastructure BSS
Centralized in the AP.
Greater power saving
Mobile Station sleeps for a
number of beacon periods.
Awake for multicast indicated in
DTIM in Beacon.
AP buffer, indicate in TIM
Mobile requests by PS-Poll
21. Synchronization
Timer Synchronization in an Infrastructure BSS
Beacon contains TSF
Station updates its with the TSF in beacon.
Timer Synchronization in an IBSS
Distributed. Starter of the BSS send TSF zero and increments.
Each Station sends a Beacon
Station updates if the TSF is bigger.
Small number of stations: the fastest timer value
Large number of stations: slower timer value due to collision.
Synchronization with Frequency Hopping PHY Layers
Changes in a frequency hopping PHY layer occurs periodically (the dwell
meriod).
Change to new channel when the TSF timer value, modulo the dwell period,
is zero
22. Scanning & Joining
Scanning
Passive Scanning : only listens for Beacon and get
info of the BSS. Power is saved.
Active Scanning: transmit and elicit response from
APs. If IBSS, last station that transmitted beacon
responds. Time is saved.
Joining a BSS
Syncronization in TSF and frequency : Adopt PHY
parameters : The BSSID : WEP : Beacon Period :
DTIM
23. Combining Management Tools
Combine Power Saving Periods with Scanning
Instead of entering power saving mode, perform
active scanning.
Gather information about its environments.
Preauthentication
Scans and initiate an authentication
Reduces the time
24. The Physical Layer
PLCP: frame exchange between the MAC and PHY
PMD: uses signal carrier and spread spectrum modulation to
transmit data frames over the media.
Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) PHY
2.4 GHz : RF : 1 – 2 Mbps
The Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) PHY
110KHz deviation : RF : PMD controls channel hopping : 2
Mbps
Infrared (IR) PHY
Indoor : IR : 1 and 2 Mbps
The OFDM PHY – IEEE 802.11a
5.0 GHz : 6-54 Mbps :
High Rate DSSS PHY – IEEE 802.11b
2.4 GHz : 5.5 Mbps – 11 Mbps :
25. IEEE 802.11E
EDCF - Enhanced DCF
HCF - Hybrid Coordination Function
QBSS
HC – Hybrid Controller
TC – Traffic Categories
TXOP – Transmission Opportunity
– granted by EDCF-TXOP or HC- poll TXOP
AIFS – Arbitration Interframe Space
30. The Basics of WLANs
PAN LAN WAN
Access speed 1-2mb 11mb >56kb
Range 10m 100-
400m
global
Standard IEEE
802.11b
GPRS
1xRTT
Scalability Low
device
specific
Medium
ethernet
High
regional
Infrastructure
Architecture FHSS DSSS cellular
31. WLAN Pending Issues
Why 802.11a?
Greater bandwidth (54Mb)
Less potential interference (5GHz)
More non-overlapping channels
Why 802.11b?
Widely available
Greater range, lower power needs
Why 802.11g?
Faster than 802.11b (24Mb vs 11Mb)
32. Deployment Issues
Re-purpose Symbol AP’s for secure admin
services
Deploy 802.11b with 802.11a in mind (25db
SNR for all service areas)
Delay migration to 802.11a until dual
function (11b & 11a) cards become
available
33. Frequency Bands- ISM
Extremely
Low
Very
Low
Low Medium High Very
High
Ultra
High
Super
High
Infrared Visible
Light
Ultra-
violet
X-Rays
Audio
AM Broadcast
Short Wave Radio FM Broadcast
Television Infrared wireless LAN
902 - 928 MHz
26 MHz
Cellular (840MHz)
NPCS (1.9GHz)
2.4 - 2.4835
GHz
83.5 MHz
(IEEE 802.11)
5 GHz
(IEEE 802.11)
HyperLAN
HyperLAN2
Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) bands
Unlicensed, 22 MHz channel bandwidth
34. IEEE 802.11i Enhanced Security
Description Enhancements to the 802.11 MAC standard to increase
the security; addresses new encryption methods and
upper layer authentication
Importance High: weakness of WEP encryption is damaging the
802.11 standard perception in the market
Related
standards
This applies to 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g systems.
802.1x is key reference for upper layer authentication
Status +
Roadmap
Enhanced encryption software will replace WEP
software; This is on a recommended best practice
/voluntary basis; development in TgI: first draft Mar 2001;
next draft due Mar 2002; stable draft: July 2002; final
standard: Jan 2003
Products
affected
Client and AP cards (Controller chip, Firmware, Driver)
AP kernel, RG kernel, BG kernel
Agere’s activity Actively proposing WEP improvement methods,
participating in all official/interim meetings
Key players Agere/Microsoft/Agere/Cisco/Atheros/Intel/3Com/
Intersil/Symbol/Certicom/RSA/Funk
Key issues Mode of AES to use for encryption (CTR/CBC [CBC MIC]
or OCB [MIC and Encryption function])
35. IEEE 802.1X - Port Based
Control
Description A framework for regulating access control of client stations
to a network via the use of extensible authentication
methods
Importance High: forms a key part of the important 802.11i proposals for
enhanced security
Related
standards
This applies to 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g systems
Status +
Roadmap
Standard available – Spring 2001
Products affected Supported in AP-2000, AP-1000/500, Clients (MS drivers for
XP/2000 beta)
Agere’s activity Adding EAP auth types to products
Key players Microsoft/Cisco/Certicom/RSA/Funk
Key issues Home in IETF for EAP method discussions
36. IEEE 802.1p - Traffic Class
Reference IEEE 802.1p (Traffic Class and Dynamic Multicast Filtering)
Description A method to differentiate traffic streams in priotity classes in
support of quality of service offering
Importance Medium: forms a key part of the 802.11e proposals for QoS
at the MAC level
Related
standards
This applies to 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g systems; is
an addition to the 802.1d Bridge standard (annex H).
Status +
Roadmap
Final standard; incorporated in 1998 edition of 802.1d
(annex H)
Products affected Client and AP cards (Driver); AP kernel, RG kernel, BG
kernel
Agere’s activity Investigating implementation options
Key players N/A
Key issues N/A
37. Glossary of 802.11 Wireless
Terms, cont.
BSSID & ESSID: Data fields identifying a stations BSS & ESS.
Clear Channel Assessment (CCA): A station function used to
determine when it is OK to transmit.
Association: A function that maps a station to an Access
Point.
MAC Service Data Unit (MSDU): Data Frame passed between
user & MAC.
MAC Protocol Data Unit (MPDU): Data Frame passed
between MAC & PHY.
PLCP Packet (PLCP_PDU): Data Packet passed from PHY to
PHY over the Wireless Medium.
39. Frequency Hopping and Direct
Sequence Spread Spectrum
Techniques
Spread Spectrum used to avoid interference from licensed and
other non-licensed users, and from noise, e.g., microwave ovens
Frequency Hopping (FHSS)
Using one of 78 hop sequences, hop to a new 1MHz channel (out of the
total of 79 channels) at least every 400milliseconds
Requires hop acquisition and synchronization
Hops away from interference
Direct Sequence (DSSS)
Using one of 11 overlapping channels, multiply the data by an 11-bit
number to spread the 1M-symbol/sec data over 11MHz
Requires RF linearity over 11MHz
Spreading yields processing gain at receiver
Less immune to interference
40. 802.11 Physical Layer
Preamble Sync, 16-bit Start Frame Delimiter, PLCP Header including 16-
bit Header CRC, MPDU, 32-bit CRC
FHSS
2 & 4GFSK
Data Whitening for Bias Suppression
32/33 bit stuffing and block inversion
7-bit LFSR scrambler
80-bit Preamble Sync pattern
32-bit Header
DSSS
DBPSK & DQPSK
Data Scrambling using 8-bit LFSR
128-bit Preamble Sync pattern
48-bit Header
41. 802.11 Physical Layer, cont.
Antenna Diversity
Multipath fading a signal can inhibit reception
Multiple antennas can significantly minimize
Spacial Separation of Orthoganality
Choose Antenna during Preamble Sync pattern
Presence of Preamble Sync pattern
Presence of energy
• RSSI - Received Signal Strength Indication
Combination of both
Clear Channel Assessment
Require reliable indication that channel is in use to defer transmission
Use same mechanisms as for Antenna Diversity
Use NAV information
42. Performance, Theoretical
Maximum Throughput
Throughput numbers in Mbits/sec:
Assumes 100ms beacon interval, RTS, CTS used, no collision
Slide courtesy of Matt Fischer, AMD
1 Mbit/sec 2 Mbit/sec
MSDU size
(bytes)
DS FH (400ms
hop time)
DS FH (400ms
hop time)
128 0.364 0.364 0.517 0.474
512 0.694 0.679 1.163 1.088
512
(frag size = 128)
0.503 0.512 0.781 0.759
2304 0.906 0.860 1.720 1.624
Editor's Notes
#3:Same organization that came up with IEEE 802.3 Ethernet,
which is responsible for success of Internet