"WIRELESS COMMUNICATION"

ABSTRACT
Wireless networks are nowadays the most popular means of data communication. A wireless network
is defined as a network protocol that enables online content to be viewed and accessed via wireless
devices such as cell phones, laptops and handheld devices. Bluetooth is a simple type of wireless
networking that allows the formation of a small network with up to eight devices being connected at
once.Wireless networks may operate on licensed or unlicensed portions of the frequency spectrum.
Some of the types of wireless networks that we come across are WLANS(Wireless Local Area
Networks),WPANS(Wireless Personal Area Networks),WMANS( Wireless Metropolitan Area
Networks),WWANS(Wireless Wide Area Networks).As far as application point of view the different
categories of wireless networks are CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data), HSCSD (High Speed
Circuit Switched Data), PDC-P (Packet Data Cellular),GPRS(General Packet Radio
Service),1xRTT(1x Radio Transmission Technology), Bluetooth, MMDS(Multichannel Multipoint
Distribution Service),LMDS(Local Multipoint Distribution Service),WiMAX (Worldwide
Interoperability for Microwave Access),802.11(Wi-Fi)The advantages offered by wireless networks
lure the users around the world to switch to wireless networks. But users have to compromise with the
speed limitations offered by wireless networks. Security of a wireless network is influenced by
unauthorized access and viruses. It will be more beneficial if Security levels of wireless networks are
improved. There are broadly three methods of security available when it comes to wireless networking
and they are Wep (Wired equivalent privacy), Ssid (service set identifier), Mac (Media access
control) address filtering. Convenience and mobility are just two of the benefits that attract users. Will
the world of networking ever be completely wire free? I guess well have to wait and see!!!

Introduction
Whether its because you have made a call using a mobile phone, received a message on
your pager, checked your email from a PDA, we have all come across a wireless data or
voice network!
If a user, application or company wishes to make data portable, mobile and
accessible then wireless networking is the answer. A wireless networking system would
rid of the downtime you would normally have in a wired network due to cable problems.
It would also save time and money due to the fact
that you would spare the expense of installing a lot of cables. Also, if a client computer
needs to relocate to another part of the office then all you need to do is move the machine
with the wireless network card.
Wireless networking can prove to be very useful in public places libraries, guest
houses, hotels, cafeterias, and schools are all places where one might find wireless access
to the Internet. From a financial point of view, this is beneficial to both the provider and
the client. The provider would offer the service for a charge probably on a pay per use
system, and the client would be able to take advantage of this service in a convenient
location; away from the office or home.

What is a network?
A network is a set of devices connected by media links. A node can be a computer,
printer, or any other device capable of sending and receiving data generated by other
nodes on the network. The links connecting the devices are often called communication
channels.
Types of networks
A) Token ring networks
B) Ethernet networks
C) Wireless networks

What is a wireless network?

A network protocol that enables online content to be viewed via wireless devices Such
as cellphones, laptops and handhelds are called a wireless network.
Bluetooth is a simple type of wireless networking that allows the formation of a
small network with up to eight devices being connected at once. Such devices would
include PDAs, Laptops, Mobile Phones and Personal Computers. However, Bluetooth
may also be found in keyboards, mice, headsets and mobile phone hands-free kits,
amongst others. It was originally invented by Ericsson in 1994. In 1998 the Bluetooth
SIG (Special Interest Group) was formed by a small number of major companies
Ericsson, Nokia, Intel and Toshiba to help each other develop and promote the
technology. Bluetooth falls under personal area
networking since it is has a very short range 30 to 300 feet. This sort of range adds to
the security of such a technology in that if someone wanted to sniff your connection they
would not only need special equipment but they would have to be fairly close to you. The
main features of Bluetooth are that unlike Infra Red, the
signal is not affected by walls it uses radio technology, it is not very expensive, and has
little power consumption.
Wireless data networks exist in such number and variety as to be difficult to
categorize and compare. Some wireless data networks run over wireless voice
networks, such as mobile telephone networks. CPDP, HSCSD, PDC-P, and GPRS are
examples. Other wireless networks run on their own physical layer networks, utilizing
anything from antennas built into handheld devices to large antennas mounted on towers.
802.11, LMDS, and MMDS are examples. A few wireless networks are intended only to
connect small devices over short distances. Bluetooth is an example.
Wireless networks which run over other wireless networks often utilize the lower
layer networks to provide security and encryption. Stand-alone wireless networks
either provide their own security and encryption features or rely upon VPN's (Virtual
Private Networks) to provide those features. In many cases, multiple layers of security
and encryption may be desirable. Some wireless networks are fixed, meaning
that antennas do not move frequently. Other wireless networks are mobile, meaning that
the antenna can move constantly. This is sometimes a feature of the specific
implementation and antenna design, instead of an inherent limitation of the wireless
network specification. Wireless networks may operate on licensed or unlicensed
portions of the frequency spectrum.

Types of Wireless Networks

a)WLANS: Wireless Local Area Networks
WLANS allow users in a local area, such as a university campus or library, to form a
network or gain access to the internet. A temporary network can be formed by a small
number of users without the need of an access point; given that they do not need access
to network resources.

b)WPANS: Wireless Personal Area Networks

The two current technologies for wireless personal area networks are Infra Red
(IR)and Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15). These will allow the connectivity of personal devices
within an area of about 30 feet. However, IR requires a direct line of site and the
range is less.

c)WMANS: Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks

This technology allows the connection of multiple networks in a metropolitan area
such as different buildings in a city, which can be an alternative or backup to laying
copper or fiber cabling.

d) WWANS: Wireless Wide Area Networks

These types of networks can be maintained over large areas, such as cities or countries,
via multiple satellite systems or antenna sites looked after by an ISP. These types of
systems are referred to as 2G (2nd Generation) systems.

Below is a table indicating the range that wireless data networks can handle:
Meters

Network

0-10

Personal Area Network

0-100

Local Area Network

0-10000

Wide Area Network

Common Wireless Network Types based on application point of view

Major types of wireless networks include:
CDPD

Cellular Digital Packet Data

HSCSD

High Speed Circuit Switched Data

PDC-P

Packet Data Cellular

GPRS

General Packet Radio Service

1xRTT

1x Radio Transmission Technology

Bluetooth
IrDA
MMDS
LMDS
WiMAX
802.11

Multichannel Multipoint Distribution

Service
Local Multipoint Distribution Service
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave
Access
Wi-Fi

Advantages of wireless communication

Laptops are easier to use and so are used more often. To hook up to the network, a
student merely opens his laptop, inserts a wireless card and turns on the machine. Thats
all. The wireless connection eliminates the need to find a hub, unravel a cord, walk or
reach several feet, and plug in. The ease of access to the network encourages precisely
what schools want to see: greater use of the laptops and greater integration of the
technology into the curriculum. Faculty members who had been put off by the sheer
physical effort of getting a room of students online seem more likely to consider
assignments to use the web. Ease of use also encourages spontaneity. Inside or outside
class, students and faculty can turn to their laptops to collaborate or answer questions as
soon as the need arises.
The system saves time. With access easy, setup is fast. Valuable as this is for one
user, it is even more so for several notably, groups of students in classrooms. With
wires, teachers report as much as five minutes spent setting up and shutting down the
laptops for class. A wireless network frees as much as ten minutes of extra learning time
each period potentially as much as an hour a day for students who are using laptops in
several different courses.
Wireless connections also improve productivity outside the classroom. Students
can get to work in study hall in a flash. Faculty finds it easier to use small bits of time.
Wireless works anywhere, so users can move around. No longer tethered to a 15-foot
patch cord, students and teachers with working batteries can move around the classroom,
even rearrange desks if desired. Outside class, students and faculty can move from
classroom to office to conference room as they choose without logging on and off and
plugging in and unplugging.

Disadvantages of wireless communication

Wireless systems are slower. Existing wireless technology does not offer the
performance of wired systems. How much slower it operates depends on the task at
hand. While there is little difference in simple and frequent - uses such as checking email and browsing the web, more complex tasks such as downloading large files and
using multimedia software all go far more slowly. Indeed, the difference between the
speed of wired and wireless systems is not very significant when dealing with sites such
as sites on the Internet that are not located on the school server. Wireless systems are
harder to supervise in the classroom. Some students take advantage of the ease of use of
wireless to send e-mail, play games or otherwise tune out during class. Classroom
distractions have always been part of school. Wireless cards make it easier for students to
be distracted. One consequence is that teachers are encouraged to make their students
active and involved participants in class rather than passive recipients of explanations or
lectures.
Wireless systems are not truly wireless. While wireless technology eliminates the
need for a cord connecting the user to the network, students still need to plug their
laptops into an electrical outlet unless their batteries are charged. Students are not always
reliable about recharging their batteries at night, charges run out and many aging batteries
can no longer hold a charge. So electrical wires remain.

Wireless communication security

Unfortunately, no computer network is truly secure. It's always theoretically possible
for eavesdroppers to view or "snoop" the traffic on any network, and it's often possible to
add or "inject" unwelcome traffic as well. However, some networks are built and
managed much more securely than others. For both wired and wireless networks alike,
the real question to answer becomes - is it secure enough?
Wireless networks add an extra level of security complexity compared to
wired networks. Whereas wired networks send electrical signals or pulses of light
through cable, wireless radio signals propagate through the air and are naturally easier to
intercept. Signals from most wireless LANs (WLANs) pass through exterior walls and
into nearby streets or parking lots.
Network engineers and other technology experts have closely scrutinized wireless
network security because of the open-air nature of wireless communications. The practice
of war driving, for example, exposed the vulnerabilities of home WLANs and
accelerated the pace of security technology advances in home wireless equipment.
Overall, conventional wisdom holds that wireless networks are now "secure
enough" to use in the vast majority of homes, and many businesses. Security features
like 128-bit WEP and WPA can scramble or "encrypt" network traffic so that its
contents can not easily be deciphered by snoopers. Likewise, wireless routers and access
points (APs) incorporate access control features such as MAC address filtering that
deny network requests from unwanted clients. Obviously every home or business must
determine for themselves the level of risk they are comfortable in taking when
implementing a wireless network. The better a wireless network is administered, the more
secure it becomes. However, the only
truly secure network is the one never built!

Security methods for wireless communication

The following are three methods of security available when it comes to wireless:

a)WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)

Wired Equivalent Privacy is intended to stop the interception of radio frequency
signals by unauthorized users and is most suitable for small networks. This is so
because there is no key management protocol and each key must be entered manually
into the clients this proves to be a very time consuming administrative
task. WEP is based on the RC4 encryption algorithm by RSA Data Systems. It works
by having all clients and Access Points configured with the same key for encryption and
decryption.

b) SSID (Service Set Identifier)

SSID acts a simple password by allowing a WLAN network to be split up into different
networks each having a unique identifier. These identifiers will be programmed into
multiple access points. To access any of the networks, a client computer must be
configured with a corresponding SSID identifier for that network.
If they match then access will be granted to the client computer.

c) MAC (Media Access Control) address filtering

A list of MAC addresses belonging to the client computers can be inputted into an
Access Point and thus only those computers will be allowed access. When a computer
makes a request, its MAC address is compared to that of the MAC address list on the
Access Point and permission granted or denied. This is a good method of security but
only recommended for smaller networks as there is a high rate of work
involved in entering each MAC address into every Access Point.

By taking example of Bluetooth, which is a simple wireless network, we can better

understand the security issues of a wireless network. Bluetooth is a specification for short
distance wireless communication between two devices.
Fixed/Mobile

Mobile

Circuit/Packet Both
Max
Bandwidth
Range

1Mb

Frequency
Host Network

2.40GHz-2.483.5Ghz (U.S. and Europe) or

2.472Ghz-2.497Ghz (Japan)
None

Definer

Bluetooth SIG

URL

http://www.bluetooth.org/

10 meters

Bluetooth Security
Bluetooth security is based upon device authentication, not user authentication. Each
device is either trusted or untrusted. Bluetooth devices are identified by unique 48-bit
identifiers, much like Ethernet MAC addresses.

Bluetooth SecurityModes
Bluetooth features three security modes.
Mode

Name

Description

Non-secure

No security is implemented

Service-level
security
Link-level
security

Access is granted to individual services

Security is enforced at a common level for all

applications at the beginning of the connection

The Future of Wireless communication

About twenty per cent of homes with broadband Internet have WLANS, and this
number is set to increase. It is predicted that worldwide hotspots have now reached
30,000 and will grow to about 210,000 within the next five years. Most large hotels
already offer Wi-Fi and with business travelers being the ones who are willing to pay for
wireless access, it is most likely that the hotel industry will be the next big growth area
for hotspots. 802.11n, the next Wi-Fi speed standard, is set to offer a bandwidth of
around 108Mbps and is still under development. Wi-Fi security should be bettered
with the release of the 802.11i standard which will be out in the third quarter of this year.
If you are after assured quality of service then the 802.11e standard will be of interest to
you this will ensure that packets are delivered in a timely fashion. With speeds of 70
Mbps and a range of up to 30 miles, the 802.16 standard better known as WiMAX, is
sure to be a hit. This should make an impact within the next two years, although Intel
have announced they will start shipping WiMAX enabled chips in the second half of this
year.
Even though the approval of 802.11n isnt expected until the end of 2006,
hardware manufacturers such as Belkin have already started to offer Pre-N routers and
wireless network adapters. These offer improved network speed and range which
would benefit users who wish to transfer larger files and stream audio/video. With Pre-N,
an Access Point and Wireless NIC Card 10 feet away from each other have an
average throughput of about 40mbps.
Hardware vendors, such as Linksys and D-Link have also announced the use of
MIMO (Multiple- In-Multiple-Out) in their products. MIMO allows the signal to be
bounced off several antennas and paths so that data delivery is guaranteed. Basically,
many unique data streams are passed in the same frequency
channel. It is a technology that allows for the boosting of wireless bandwidth and
range, effectively providing better performance for wireless multimedia and
entertainment systems.
Convenience and mobility are just two of the benefits that attract the users
worldwide. Will the world of networking ever be completely wire free? I guess well
have to wait and see!