CCNA Wireless Study Guide: IUWNE Exam 640-721

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ISBN: 978-0-470-52765-8

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Lammle, Todd.

CCNA wireless study guide (IUWNE 640-721) / Todd Lammle.—1st ed.

p. cm.

Summary: A complete guide to the CCNA Wireless exam by leading networking authority Todd Lammle. The CCNA Wireless certification is the most respected entry-level certification in this rapidly growing field. Todd Lammle is the undisputed authority on networking, and this book focuses exclusively on the skills covered in this Cisco certification exam. The CCNA Wireless Study Guide joins the popular Sybex study guide family and helps network administrators advance their careers with a highly desirable certification. The CCNA Wireless certification is the most respected entry-level wireless certification for system administrators looking to advance their careers. Written by Todd Lammle, the leading networking guru and author of numerous bestselling certification guides. Provides in-depth coverage of every exam objective and the technology developed by Cisco for wireless networking. Covers WLAN fundamentals, installing a basic Cisco wireless LAN and wireless clients, and implementing WLAN security. Explains the operation of basic WCS, basic WLAN maintenance, and troubleshooting. Companion CD includes the Sybex Test Engine, flashcards, and entire book in PDF format. Includes hands-on labs, end-of-chapter review questions, Exam Essentials overview, Real World Scenarios, and a tear-out objective map showing where each exam objective is covered. The CCNA Wireless Study Guide prepares any network administrator for exam success.—Provided by publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-0-470-52765-8 (pbk.)

ISBN-10: 0-470-52765-X (pbk.)

ISBN: 978-0-470-90169-4 (ebk)

ISBN: 978-0-470-90171-7 (ebk)

ISBN: 978-0-470-90170-0 (ebk)

1. Wireless LANs—Examinations—Study guides. 2. Telecommunications engineers—Certification—Study guides. I. Cisco Networking Academy Program. II. Title.

TK5105.78.L36 2010

004.6’8—dc22

2010015495

TRADEMARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. CCNA is a registered trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

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Dear Reader,

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I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I’d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we’re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an email at [email protected]. If you think you’ve found a technical error in this book, please visit http://sybex.custhelp.com. Customer feedback is critical to our efforts at Sybex.

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Acknowledgments

I’d like to thank the entire team Sybex assembled for their hard work and dedication in putting this book together, but especially my acquisitions editor Jeff Kellum as well as Christine O’Connor, my production editor, for hanging with me, yet once again, during this sometimes daunting project. I can’t thank you both enough for continuing to work with me, book after book—and yet I still can’t figure out why you both don’t go screaming from the room when you see my name pop up on the radar of each new book!

Monica Lammle’s writing style, encouragement, and dedication to ensuring that this book is concise yet highly readable has been invaluable to my success of this and many other projects.

Also, a big thank you to Troy Mcmillan, who helped me personally lay out almost every chapter in this book from end to end. He was indispensable when it came to writing this book, and I can’t say enough how much his help and support kept me sane during the writing of this book. Troy was dependable and was very timely with his work. I look forward to hopefully working with him again in the future.

Big thanks to my development editor, Amy Breguet. Amy’s tireless effort helped to shape the book into a much more readable format, although I am sure I’ve aged her some in the last few months! But she was a real trouper throughout this project.

I’d also like to thank my technical editors, Keith Parsons, Ben Miller, Patrick Conlan, and George Stefanick, who found all the little but all-so-important issues that needed to be clarified—their importance to this project can’t be overstated. Also, thanks to Liz Welch, my copy editor, who kept me in my favorite coffee shop way more than I wanted to be, but who worked and reworked every sentence in this book. Last, but absolutely not least, my best friend Patrick Conlan was instrumental in helping me at all hours of the day and night understanding the smallest of details that I struggled with as I was trying to finish this book. Thanks once again, Pat, for your continued support, amazing technical advice, and encouragement.

About the Author

Todd Lammle CCSI, CCNA/CCNA Wireless/CCNP/CCSP/CCVP, MCSE, CEH/CHFI, FCC RF Licensed, is the authority on Cisco certification Wireless and Internetworking. He is a world renowned author, speaker, trainer, and consultant. Todd has over 29 years of experience working with LANs, WANs, and large licensed and unlicensed wireless networks, and has published over 50 books, including the very popular CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide, and this book, CCNA Wireless Study Guide (640-721). He runs an international training and consulting company based in Colorado and Texas. You can reach Todd through his forum and blog at www.lammle.com.

Introduction

Welcome to CCNA Wireless Study Guide, a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need for Cisco’s new exam 640-721. For readers who are new to Cisco certifications, there is a well-defined structure to the different levels that network administrators can achieve.

Cisco’s current certification structure has the following five levels of certification:

Entry level

Associate

Professional

Expert

Architect

This book is written for the associate level of certification. Cisco considers this level to be the apprentice or foundation level for network administrators.

Cisco has recently broadened its associate-level certifications to include not only a certification for routing and switching (CCNA) and design (CCDA) but also more targeted associate-level certifications for security (CCNA Security), wireless (CCNA Wireless), and voice (CCNA Voice). These new certifications target specific areas of Cisco technology and are to be used as stepping-stones for the professional and expert levels of certification that Cisco offers.

Cisco’s Wireless Certifications

Cisco offers three distinct levels of Wireless certifications. The following diagram shows that the CCNA Wireless certification is a building block to the professional- and expert-level wireless certifications:

This book covers the CCNA Wireless certification exam 640-721. As of the writing of this book, the exam costs $250 USD. The exam tests your knowledge a great deal in areas both theoretical and technically specific to Cisco hardware and software.

Once you achieve your CCNA Wireless certification, you can choose to continue on the wireless path and achieve higher certifications, such as the CCNP Wireless or the ultimate CCIE Wireless Expert. But even if you stop after achieving your CCNA Wireless certification, you will have demonstrated to your current or prospective employers that you have a sound knowledge of the interoperations of wireless and Cisco wireless technologies. This assurance to employers will make it easier for you to land that dream job you’ve always wanted!

What Skills Do You Need to Become a CCNA Wireless?

Cisco Certified Network Associate Wireless (CCNA® Wireless) validates associate-level knowledge and skills to configure, implement, and support wireless LANs, specifically those networks using Cisco equipment. With a CCNA Wireless certification, network professionals can support a basic wireless network on a Cisco WLAN in a small to medium-sized business (SMB) to enterprise network. This CCNA Wireless study guide includes written and hands-on labs to prepare you for configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting basic tasks of a Cisco WLAN in SMB and enterprise networks.

The 640-721 exam tests your knowledge of installing, configuring, operating, and troubleshooting small to medium-sized WLANs utilizing skills that enable you to:

Describe WLAN fundamentals

Install a basic Cisco wireless LAN

Install wireless clients

Implement basic WLAN security

Operate basic WCS

Conduct basic WLAN maintenance and troubleshooting

Be sure to check my and/or Cisco’s website for the latest Cisco CCNA objectives and other Cisco exams, objectives, and certifications—they can change at a moment’s notice.

How Do You Become a CCNA Wireless?

The way to become a CCNA Wireless is to pass two tests, the CCNA 640-802 and then the CCNA Wireless 640-721, each at $250 a pop, although the path may vary depending on your experience.

I can’t stress this enough: it’s critical that you have some hands-on experience with Cisco devices. If you can get a hold of some Cisco wireless gear, you’re set. But if you can’t, I’ve worked hard to provide hundreds of configuration examples throughout this book to help network administrators (or people who want to become network wireless administrators) learn what they need to know to pass the CCNA Wireless exam (although I can’t think of anyone who’s passed the CCNA or the CCNA Wireless exams without some type of hands-on experience).

For Cisco Authorized hands-on training, please see www.lammle.com. Each student will get hands-on experience by configuring their own controller and lightweight access points, as well as experience with WCS software, a wireless analyzer, and other tools.

What Does This Book Cover?

This book covers everything you need to know in order to pass the CCNA Wireless (640-721) exam. However, taking the time to study and practice with Cisco’s new wireless gear is the real key to success.

You will learn the following information in this book:

Chapter 1, Wireless Networks and Topologies, introduces you to wireless networking and topologies. You will learn the basics of wireless the way Cisco wants you to learn them. A review of switching, VLANs, and native VLANs is presented as well. There are written labs and plenty of review questions to help you focus on the exam objectives for this chapter.

Chapter 2, WLAN RF Fundamentals, provides you with the background necessary for discussing the real-world WLAN radio frequency fundamentals. This in-depth chapter picks up where Chapter 1 left off and starts discussing the pros and cons of radio frequencies and the basic principles of RF. Both written and practice exam questions are included at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 3, Spread Spectrum Technologies and Modulations, introduces you to modulating the RF signal you learned in Chapter 2. Although this is a technical chapter, Spread Spectrum is important information to understand for the CCNA Wireless objectives. Plenty of help is found in this chapter if you do not skip the written lab and review questions.

Chapter 4, Wireless Regulation Bodies, Standards, and Certifications, introduces you to the wireless standards and certifications that are in use today. Nonstandard wireless products are also covered in this chapter. Be sure to complete the written lab and review questions.

Chapter 5, Introduction to Wireless Security, provides you with the advanced wireless security that you must fully understand for the CCNA Wireless objectives. This is not the easiest chapter in the book, but it is imperative for your wireless career that you grasp the concepts provided in this chapter. Cisco’s objectives cover mostly nonproprietary security standards. Complete the written lab and review questions to help you focus on the chapter and reread as many times as necessary.

Chapter 6, Wireless Clients and the Cisco Extension (CCX), teaches you about the wireless clients that are used in today’s networks. Some of the objectives were already out of date when I wrote the book, so I tried to update the chapter as much as possible without going too far outside the objectives. The written lab, hands-on labs, and review questions will help you master the understanding you need to meet the objectives.

Chapter 7, Introduction to the Cisco Unified Wireless Network (CUWN), is where we can finally get out of the WLAN fundamentals and start talking Cisco-specific wireless with an introduction to the Cisco Unified Wireless Network (CUWN). This is a great chapter to start your understanding of the Cisco wireless solutions. The written lab and review questions will provide the direction you need to understand this portion of the exam.

Chapter 8, Introduction to the Cisco Mobility Express Wireless Architecture, provides an introduction to the less expensive alternative to the CUWN enterprise controllers and APs and discusses the Cisco Mobility Express, specifically the Cisco 500 series CUWN products. Go through the written lab and review questions as well as the hands-on labs to learn how to start configuring a small CUWN.

Chapter 9, Installing the Cisco Unified Wireless Network (CUWN), is where we start getting into the enterprise model of the CUWN and learn about the controller and configuration of a larger network. The written lab and review questions reinforce the material, but the hands-on labs are critical to your success on the exam objectives.

Chapter 10, Configuring Wireless Security on the CUWN, covers the security options in the enterprise products for the CUWN and how to configure the networks. Written and hands-on labs, along with review questions, will help you study for the security configuration portion of the CCNA written exam.

Chapter 11, Wireless Control System (WCS), is not a small chapter, but the WCS objectives are not as large as the chapter. I added much more information in this chapter than is necessary for the CCNA Wireless exam, but I wanted to provide you with information that is hard to find but necessary when designing and implementing an enterprise CUWN. The hands-on labs, written lab, and review questions will help you grasp the CCNA Wireless objectives in full.

Chapter 12, WLAN Maintenance and Troubleshooting, is another large chapter, but all the information I added in this chapter is fair game in the objectives. WLAN maintenance and troubleshooting is one of the main jobs of a CCNA Wireless certified administrator. The hands-on lab, written lab, and review questions focus on the exam objectives.

How to Use This Book

If you want a solid foundation for the serious effort of preparing for the Cisco Certified Network Associate Wireless (640-721) exam, then look no further. I have spent hundreds of hours putting together this book with the sole intention of helping you to pass the CCNA Wireless exam and learn how to configure Cisco controllers and lightweight access points (among hundreds of other things!).

This book is loaded with valuable information, and you will get the most out of your studying time if you understand how I put the book together.

To best benefit from this book, I recommend the following study method:

1. Take the assessment test immediately following this introduction. (The answers are at the end of the test.) It’s okay if you don’t know any of the answers; that’s why you bought this book! Carefully read over the explanations for any question you get wrong. This information should help you plan your study strategy. My recommendation is to just start reading from Chapter 1 and don’t stop until you’re all the way through Chapter 12.

2. Study each chapter carefully, making sure that you fully understand the information and the test objectives listed at the beginning of each one. Pay extra-close attention to any chapter that includes material covered in questions you missed in the assessment test.

3. Complete each written lab at the end of each chapter. Do not skip these written exercises because they directly relate to the CCNA Wireless objectives and what you must glean from the chapters in which they appear. Do not just skim these labs! Make sure you understand completely the reason for each answer.

4. Complete all hands-on labs in the chapter (not all chapters have hands-on labs), referring to the text of the chapter so that you understand the reason for each step you take. If you do not have Cisco equipment available, either buy some from eBay or your local Cisco reseller, or rent some Cisco Wireless pods from a Cisco Authorized training center.

5. Answer all the review questions related to each chapter. (The answers appear at the end of the chapters.) Note the questions that confuse you and study those sections of the book again. Do not just skim these questions! Make sure you understand completely the reason for each answer. Remember that these will not be the exact questions you find on the exam; they are written to help you understand the chapter material.

6. Try your hand at the two bonus exams that are included on the companion CD. The questions in these exams appear only on the CD. Check out www.lammle.com for more Cisco exam prep questions. The questions found at my website will be updated at least monthly, if not weekly or even daily! Before you take your test, be sure to visit my website for questions, videos, audios, and other useful information that might be available.

7. Test yourself using all the flashcards on the CD. This is a brand-new updated flashcard program to help you prepare for the CCNA Wireless exam. It is a great study tool!

To learn every bit of the material covered in this book, you’ll have to apply yourself regularly, and with discipline. Try to set aside the same time period every day to study, and select a comfortable and quiet place to do so. If you work hard, you will be surprised at how quickly you learn this material.

If you follow the steps listed here and study and practice the review questions, bonus exams, and the electronic flashcards, as well as all the written and hands-on labs, it would be hard to fail the CCNA Wireless exam. However, studying for the CCNA Wireless exam is like trying to get in shape—if you do not go to the gym every day, you won’t get in shape.

Recommended Home Lab Setup

It is critical to get some hands-on experience with both Cisco controllers and lightweight access points. The following is a list of equipment I recommend you try to acquire (at a minimum) for your home lab studies. If you are concerned about the high cost of purchasing the equipment, keep in mind that Cisco hardware can be easily resold on used markets such as Craigslist or eBay. Combine that fact with adding an extremely hot certification to your resume, and it’s an investment well worth the initial cost.

This equipment should give you the ability to practice configuring Cisco Unified Wireless Networks (CUWNs) using the command line, web GUI, and CCA methods detailed in this book. There are various combinations of controllers and lightweight APs that you can use that will get the same results as the products I listed here. Keep in mind that the CUWN 500 series devices can also be used, but I don’t recommend them because of their limited upgrade path, and they do not cover all the exam objectives.

Todd Lammle Videos and Audios

I have created a full CCNA series of videos and audios that can be purchased in either DVD or iPod downloadable format. These can be found at www.lammlepress.com. While you’re there, be sure and check out my forum and blog, which is updated weekly at www.lammle.com.

What’s on the CD?

We worked hard to provide some great tools to help you with your certification process. All of the following tools should be loaded on your workstation when you’re studying for the test.

The Sybex Test Preparation Software

The test preparation software prepares you to pass the CCNA Wireless exam. In this test engine, you will find all the review and assessment questions from the book, plus two additional bonus exams that appear exclusively on the CD.

Electronic Flashcards for the PC

To prepare for the exam, you can read this book, study the review questions at the end of each chapter, and work through the practice exams included in the book and on the companion CD. But wait, there’s more! You can also test yourself with the flashcards included on the CD. If you can get through these difficult questions and understand the answers, you’ll know you’re ready for the CCNA exam.

The flashcards include over 100 questions specifically written to hit you hard and make sure you are ready for the exam. Between the review questions, bonus exams, and flashcards on the CD, you’ll be more than prepared for the exam.

CCNA Wireless Study Guide (640-721) in PDF

Sybex offers the CCNA Wireless Study Guide (640-721) in PDF on the CD so you can read the book on your PC or laptop. (Acrobat Reader is also included on the CD.)

Where Do You Take the Exams?

You may take the CCNA Wireless exam at any of the Pearson VUE authorized centers (www.vue.com) or call (877) 404-EXAM (3926).

To register for a Cisco Certified Network Associate exam:

1. Determine the number of the exam you want to take. (The CCNA Wireless exam number is 640-721.)

2. Register with the nearest Pearson VUE testing center. At this point, you will be asked to pay in advance for the exam. As of this writing, the exam is $250 and must be taken within one year of payment. You can schedule exams up to six weeks in advance or as late as the same day you want to take it—but if you fail a Cisco exam, you must wait five days before you will be allowed to retake it. If something comes up and you need to cancel or reschedule your exam appointment, contact Pearson VUE at least 24 hours in advance.

3. When you schedule the exam, you’ll get instructions regarding all appointment and cancellation procedures, the ID requirements, and information about the testing center location.

Tips for Taking Your CCNA Wireless Exam

The CCNA Wireless exam contains about 75–85 questions and must be completed in 90 minutes or less. This information can change per exam. You must get a score of about 85 percent to pass this exam, but again, each exam can be different.

Many questions on the exam have answer choices that at first glance look identical—especially the syntax questions! Remember to read through the choices carefully because close doesn’t cut it. If you get commands in the wrong order or forget one measly character, you’ll get the question wrong. So, to practice, do the hands-on exercises at the end of this book’s chapters over and over again until they feel natural to you.

Also, never forget that the right answer is the Cisco answer. In many cases, more than one appropriate answer is presented, but the correct answer is the one that Cisco recommends. On the exam, you’re always instructed to pick one, two, or three, never choose all that apply. The CCNA Wireless 640-721 exam may include the following test formats:

Multiple-choice single answer

Multiple-choice multiple answer

Drag-and-drop

Fill-in-the-blank

Simulations

In addition to multiple choice and fill-in response questions, Cisco Career Certification exams may include performance simulation exam items, which makes hands-on experience even more important before taking the exam.

Here are some general tips for exam success:

Arrive early at the exam center so you can relax and review your study materials.

Read the questions carefully. Don’t jump to conclusions. Make sure you’re clear about exactly what each question asks.

When answering multiple-choice questions that you’re not sure about, use the process of elimination to get rid of the obviously incorrect answers first. Doing this greatly improves your odds if you need to make an educated guess.

You can no longer move forward and backward through the Cisco exams, so double-check your answer before clicking Next since you can’t change your mind.

After you complete an exam, you’ll get immediate, online notification of your pass or fail status, a printed Examination Score Report that indicates your pass or fail status, and your exam results by section. (The test administrator will give you the printed score report.) Test scores are automatically forwarded to Cisco within five working days after you take the test, so you don’t need to send your score to them. If you pass the exam, you’ll receive confirmation from Cisco, typically within two to four weeks, sometimes longer.

How to Contact the Author

You can reach Todd Lammle through his forum at www.lammle.com.

Assessment Test

1. You need to change the native VLAN on a switched trunk link. Which IOS command and prompt is correct?

A. switch(config)#switchport trunk native vlan 500

B. switch(config-if)#switchport native vlan 400

C. switch(config-if)#switchport trunk native vlan 300

D. switch(config)#switchport trunk-access native vlan 200

2. When a station is roaming through an ESS network, how is the station informed that it has roamed?

A. The station will not know it has roamed because the SSID is the same on all APs.

B. The MAC address of each station is stored in the MAC Address Table on the AP.

C. The AP assigns a derived MAC address for each SSID on the AP.

D. The Trunk link connected to the AP uses frame tagging to identify each frame using only 802.1q.

3. If you have an AP with an output of 20dB, connected to a 21dBi antenna and a 50-foot cable, what is your EIRP?