Wireless LANs

Characteristics
IEEE 802.11

PHY
MAC
Roaming
.11a, b, g, h, i

Textbooks: Jochen Schiller, Mobile Communications / Mobilkommunikation, published

by Pearson, available in English and German
http://www.inf.fu-berlin.de/inst/ag-tech/resources/mobile_communications.htm
Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

Characteristics of wireless LANs

Advantages

very flexible within the reception area

Ad-hoc networks without previous planning possible
(almost) no wiring difficulties (e.g. historic buildings, firewalls)
more robust against disasters like, e.g., earthquakes, fire - or users pulling
a plug...

Disadvantages

typically very low bandwidth compared to wired networks

(1-10 Mbit/s)
many proprietary solutions, especially for higher bit-rates, standards take
their time (e.g. IEEE 802.11)
products have to follow many national restrictions if working wireless, it
takes a very long time to establish global solutions like, e.g., IMT-2000

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

Design goals for wireless LANs

global, seamless operation

low power for battery use
no special permissions or licenses needed to use the LAN
robust transmission technology
simplified spontaneous cooperation at meetings
easy to use for everyone, simple management
protection of investment in wired networks
security (no one should be able to read my data), privacy (no one should
be able to collect user profiles), safety (low radiation)
transparency concerning applications and higher layer protocols, but also
location awareness if necessary

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

Comparison: infrared vs. radio transmission

Infrared

uses IR diodes, diffuse light,

multiple reflections (walls,
furniture etc.)

Advantages
simple, cheap, available in
many mobile devices
no licenses needed
simple shielding possible

Disadvantages
interference by sunlight, heat
sources etc.
many things shield or absorb IR
light
low bandwidth

Example

IrDA (Infrared Data Association)

interface available everywhere

Radio

typically using the license free

ISM band at 2.4 GHz

Advantages
experience from wireless WAN
and mobile phones can be used
coverage of larger areas
possible (radio can penetrate
walls, furniture etc.)

Disadvantages
very limited license free
frequency bands
shielding more difficult,
interference with other electrical
devices

Example

WaveLAN, HIPERLAN,
Bluetooth

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

Comparison: infrastructure vs. ad-hoc networks

infrastructure
network
AP
AP

wired network

AP: Access Point

AP

ad-hoc network

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

802.11 - Architecture of an infrastructure network

Station (STA)

802.11 LAN

STA1

802.x LAN

Basic Service Set (BSS)

BSS1

Portal

Access
Point

Access
Point

ESS

group of stations using the same

radio frequency

Access Point

Distribution System

station integrated into the wireless

LAN and the distribution system

Portal

BSS2

bridge to other (wired) networks

Distribution System

STA2

terminal with access mechanisms

to the wireless medium and radio
contact to the access point

802.11 LAN

STA3

interconnection network to form

one logical network (EES:
Extended Service Set) based
on several BSS

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

802.11 - Architecture of an ad-hoc network

Direct communication within a limited
range

802.11 LAN

STA1

Station (STA):
terminal with access mechanisms to
the wireless medium
Independent Basic Service Set
(IBSS):
group of stations using the same
radio frequency

STA3

IBSS1

STA2

IBSS2
STA5
STA4

802.11 LAN

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

IEEE standard 802.11

fixed
terminal

mobile terminal

infrastructure
network
access point
application

application

TCP

TCP

IP

IP

LLC

LLC

LLC

802.11 MAC

802.11 MAC

802.3 MAC

802.3 MAC

802.11 PHY

802.11 PHY

802.3 PHY

802.3 PHY

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

802.11 - Layers and functions

MAC

PLCP Physical Layer Convergence Protocol

access mechanisms, fragmentation,
encryption

MAC Management

clear channel assessment signal

(carrier sense)

PMD Physical Medium Dependent

synchronization, roaming, MIB,

power management

modulation, coding

PHY Management

channel selection, MIB

Station Management

LLC
MAC

MAC Management

PLCP
PHY Management
PMD

coordination of all management

functions

Station Management

PHY

DLC

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

802.11 - Physical layer

3 versions: 2 radio (typ. 2.4 GHz), 1 IR

data rates 1 or 2 Mbit/s

FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum)

spreading, despreading, signal strength, typ. 1 Mbit/s

min. 2.5 frequency hops/s (USA), two-level GFSK modulation

DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum)

DBPSK modulation for 1 Mbit/s (Differential Binary Phase Shift Keying),

DQPSK for 2 Mbit/s (Differential Quadrature PSK)
preamble and header of a frame is always transmitted with 1 Mbit/s, rest
of transmission 1 or 2 Mbit/s
chipping sequence: +1, -1, +1, +1, -1, +1, +1, +1, -1, -1, -1 (Barker code)
max. radiated power 1 W (USA), 100 mW (EU), min. 1mW

Infrared

850-950 nm, diffuse light, typ. 10 m range

carrier detection, energy detection, synchonization

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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DSSS PHY packet format

Synchronization

synch., gain setting, energy detection, frequency offset compensation

SFD (Start Frame Delimiter)

1111001110100000

Signal

data rate of the payload (0A: 1 Mbit/s DBPSK; 14: 2 Mbit/s DQPSK)

Service

Length

future use, 00: 802.11 compliant

length of the payload

HEC (Header Error Check)

protection of signal, service and length, x16+x12+x5+1

128

synchronization

16
SFD

PLCP preamble

16

16

signal service length HEC

bits

variable
payload

PLCP header

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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802.11 - MAC layer I - DFWMAC

Traffic services

Asynchronous Data Service (mandatory)

exchange of data packets based on best-effort
z support of broadcast and multicast
z

Time-Bounded Service (optional)

z

implemented using PCF (Point Coordination Function)

Access methods

DFWMAC-DCF CSMA/CA (mandatory)

collision avoidance via randomized back-off mechanism
z minimum distance between consecutive packets
z ACK packet for acknowledgements (not for broadcasts)
z

DFWMAC-DCF w/ RTS/CTS (optional)

Distributed Foundation Wireless MAC
z avoids hidden terminal problem
z

DFWMAC- PCF (optional)

z

access point polls terminals according to a list

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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802.11 - MAC layer II

Priorities

defined through different inter frame spaces

no guaranteed, hard priorities
SIFS (Short Inter Frame Spacing)
z

PIFS (PCF IFS)

z

highest priority, for ACK, CTS, polling response

medium priority, for time-bounded service using PCF

DIFS (DCF, Distributed Coordination Function IFS)

z

lowest priority, for asynchronous data service

DIFS
medium busy

DIFS
PIFS
SIFS

contention

next frame
t

direct access if
medium is free DIFS
Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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802.11 - CSMA/CA access method I

DIFS

contention window
(randomized back-off
mechanism)

DIFS
medium busy
direct access if
medium is free DIFS

next frame
t
slot time

station ready to send starts sensing the medium (Carrier Sense

based on CCA, Clear Channel Assessment)
if the medium is free for the duration of an Inter-Frame Space (IFS),
the station can start sending (IFS depends on service type)
if the medium is busy, the station has to wait for a free IFS, then the
station must additionally wait a random back-off time (collision
avoidance, multiple of slot-time)
if another station occupies the medium during the back-off time of
the station, the back-off timer stops (fairness)

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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802.11 - competing stations

DIFS

DIFS

station1
station2

DIFS
boe

bor

boe

busy

DIFS
boe bor

boe

busy

boe busy

boe bor

boe

boe

busy

station3
station4

boe bor

station5

busy

bor
t

busy

medium not idle (frame, ack etc.)

boe elapsed backoff time

packet arrival at MAC

bor residual backoff time

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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802.11 - CSMA/CA access method II

Sending unicast packets

station has to wait for DIFS before sending data

receivers acknowledge at once (after waiting for SIFS) if the packet was
received correctly (CRC)
automatic retransmission of data packets in case of transmission errors

DIFS
sender

data
SIFS

receiver

ACK
DIFS

other
stations

waiting time

data
t

contention

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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802.11 - Frame format

Types

control frames, management frames, data frames

Sequence numbers

important against duplicated frames due to lost ACKs

Addresses

receiver, transmitter (physical), BSS identifier, sender (logical)

Miscellaneous

sending time, checksum, frame control, data

bytes

2
2
6
6
6
2
6
Frame Duration/ Address Address Address Sequence Address
Control
ID
1
2
3
Control
4

bits

0-2312

Data

CRC

Protocol
To From More
Power More
Type Subtype
Retry
WEP Order
version
DS DS Frag
Mgmt Data

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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MAC address format

scenario
ad-hoc network
infrastructure
network, from AP
infrastructure
network, to AP
infrastructure
network, within DS

to DS from
DS
0
0
0
1

address 1 address 2 address 3 address 4

DA
DA

SA
BSSID

BSSID
SA

BSSID

SA

DA

RA

TA

DA

SA

DS: Distribution System

AP: Access Point
DA: Destination Address
SA: Source Address
BSSID: Basic Service Set Identifier
RA: Receiver Address
TA: Transmitter Address

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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802.11 - MAC management

Synchronization

try to find a LAN, try to stay within a LAN

timer etc.

Power management

sleep-mode without missing a message

periodic sleep, frame buffering, traffic measurements

Association/Reassociation

integration into a LAN

roaming, i.e. change networks by changing access points
scanning, i.e. active search for a network

MIB - Management Information Base

managing, read, write

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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Synchronization using a Beacon (infrastructure)

beacon interval

access
point
medium

B
busy

busy

B
busy

B
busy
t

value of the timestamp

beacon frame

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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Synchronization using a Beacon (ad-hoc)

beacon interval

station1

B1

B1
B2

station2
medium

busy

busy

value of the timestamp

B2
busy
B

busy
beacon frame

t
random delay

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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802.11 - Roaming
No or bad connection? Then perform:
Scanning

scan the environment, i.e., listen into the medium for beacon signals or
send probes into the medium and wait for an answer

Reassociation Request

station sends a request to one or several AP(s)

Reassociation Response

success: AP has answered, station can now participate

failure: continue scanning

AP accepts Reassociation Request

signal the new station to the distribution system

the distribution system updates its data base (i.e., location information)
typically, the distribution system now informs the old AP so it can release
resources

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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WLAN: IEEE 802.11b

Data rate
1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbit/s, depending on
SNR
User data rate max. approx. 6
Mbit/s

Transmission range
300m outdoor, 30m indoor
Max. data rate ~10m indoor

Frequency

Free 2.4 GHz ISM-band

Security

Limited, WEP insecure, SSID

Cost

100 adapter, 250 base station,

dropping

Availability

Connection set-up time

Connectionless/always on

Quality of Service

Typ. Best effort, no guarantees

(unless polling is used, limited
support in products)

Manageability

Limited (no automated key

distribution, sym. Encryption)

Special Advantages/Disadvantages
Advantage: many installed systems,
lot of experience, available
worldwide, free ISM-band, many
vendors, integrated in laptops,
simple system
Disadvantage: heavy interference
on ISM-band, no service
guarantees, slow relative speed
only

Many products, many vendors

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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IEEE 802.11b PHY frame formats

Long PLCP PPDU format
128

16

synchronization

SFD

16

16

signal service length HEC

PLCP preamble

bits

variable
payload

PLCP header

192 s at 1 Mbit/s DBPSK

1, 2, 5.5 or 11 Mbit/s

Short PLCP PPDU format (optional)

56
short synch.

16
SFD

16

16

signal service length HEC

PLCP preamble
(1 Mbit/s, DBPSK)

bits

variable
payload

PLCP header
(2 Mbit/s, DQPSK)
96 s

2, 5.5 or 11 Mbit/s

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

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Channel selection (non-overlapping)

Europe (ETSI)
channel 1

2400

2412

channel 7

channel 13

2442

2472

22 MHz

2483.5
[MHz]

US (FCC)/Canada (IC)
channel 1

2400

2412

channel 6

channel 11

2437

2462

22 MHz

Slides courtesy of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Schiller, http://www.jochenschiller.de/

2483.5
[MHz]

25