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 Frequen Range Speed
cy
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 WiMax 10-66 GHz 75Mbps, if range is <4

35 miles miles
50Mbps, if range is 4-6
miles range
17Mbps, if is >6 miles 14
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
RESPONSE:
SSID  Access Point continuously transmits
SSID
“BeaconPassive
Frames”Scanning
containing network’s
OPEN SSID.
PROBE
REQUEST

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

Laptop Access Point

(Wireless PC Card)

Solution: Encryption 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 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) 30

 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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