Netplus9e - PPT - Mod 06

CompTIA
Network+ Guide
to Networks,
Ninth Edition
Module 6: Wireless Networking
Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not
be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Module Objectives
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. Describe characteristics of wireless transmissions
2. Explain 802.11 standards and innovations
3. Plan a Wi-Fi network
4. Secure a Wi-Fi network
5. Troubleshoot a Wi-Fi network
Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Characteristics of Wireless Transmissions
• Wireless networks (WLANs) are networks that transmit signals through the air via RF (radio
frequency) waves
• Wired and wireless signals share many similarities including the use of the same Layer 3
and higher protocols
• The nature of the atmosphere makes wireless transmission different from wired
transmission
The Wireless Spectrum (1 of 6)
• The wireless spectrum is the frequency range of electromagnetic waves used for data and
voice communication
• The wireless spectrum spans frequency ranges or bands between 9 kHz and 300 GHz
• Some bands have only a single frequency (called a fixed frequency) for that band
• RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) uses electromagnetic fields to store data on a
small chip in an RFID tag, which includes an antenna that can transmit and receive, and
possibly a battery
• RFID is commonly used for inventory management
• NFC (near-field communication) is a form of RFID that transfers data wirelessly over very
short distances
• Signal can be transmitted one way by an NFC tag, or smart tag
• The NFC tag collects power from the smartphone or other device by magnetic induction
Figure 6-1 These programmable NFC

tags have sticky backs for attaching to
a flat surface like a wall, desk, or car
dashboard
• Z-Wave is a smart home protocol that provides two basic types of functions:
• Signaling to manage wireless connections and control to transmit data and commands
between devices
• A Z-Wave network controller (called a hub) receives commands from a smartphone or
computer and relays the commands to various smart devices on its network
• ZigBee is a low-powered, battery-conserving wireless technology
• It is designed to handle small amounts of data
• Zigbee is used in IoT devices for purposes such as building automation, HVAC control,
AMR (Automatic Meter Reading), and fleet management
• Bluetooth technology unites separate entities under a single communication standard

• Bluetooth hops between frequencies within that band to help reduce interference
• Most Bluetooth devices require close proximity to form a connection, with the exact
distance requirements depending on the class of Bluetooth device
• ANT+ technology is based on the ANT protocol, which is an ad-hoc wireless protocol
operating at about 2.4 GHz
• ANT+ gathers and tracks information from sensors typically embedded in heart rate
monitors, GPS devices, and other activity monitoring devices
• ANT+ can also sync data from multiple devices for the same activity
• Such as a smartwatch, smartphone, bicycle computer, or fitness equipment
• IR (infrared) technology is used primarily to collect data through various sensors

• IR exists just below the spectrum visible to the human eye
• IR sensors are used to collect information such as the following:
• Presence or level of liquid
• Variations in reflections from skin caused by variations in blood flow
• Proximity to the device
• Commands from a control device
Figure 6-4 The wireless spectrum
Channel Management
• Most wireless devices implement one of two technologies:

• FHSS (frequency hopping spread spectrum)
• DSSS (direct sequence spread spectrum)
• How each wireless standard in the 2.4 GHz range uses its allotted band:
• Wi-Fi uses DSSS
• Bluetooth uses FHSS
• ZigBee uses DSSS
Antennas
• Wireless signals originate from electrical current traveling along a conductor

• The electrical signal travels from the transmitter to an antenna, which then emits the signal
as a series of electromagnetic waves into the atmosphere
• At the destination, another antenna accepts the signal and a receiver converts it back to
current
• Two antennas must be tuned to the same frequency in order to use the same channel
• An antenna’s radiation pattern describes the relative strength over a three-dimensional
area of all electromagnetic energy that antenna sends or receives
• Directional (unidirectional) antenna – Issues wireless signals along a single direction
• Omnidirectional antenna – Issues and receives wireless signals with equal strength, clarity
in all directions
• The geographical area that an antenna can reach is known as its range
Signal Propagation (1 of 4)
• Propagation refers to the way in which a wave travels from one point to another
• LOS (line-of-sight) occurs when the signal travels in a straight line directly from transmitter
to receiver
• Wireless signals do not usually follow a straight line
• When obstacles are in a signal’s way, the signal may:
• Pass through the object
• Be absorbed by the object
• Attenuation – the farther the signal moves away from the transmission source, the more it
weakens
• Wireless signals can be amplified by increasing the power of the transmission or
extended by repeating the signal from a closer broadcast point called a wireless range
extender
• Fading – as a signal runs into obstacles, its energy will gradually fade
• Excessive fading can cause dropped connections or slow data transmission
• Interference – electromagnetic waves can interfere with wireless communications
• Wireless signals are more vulnerable to noise
• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is the proportion of noise to the strength of a signal
• Refraction – as a wave travels through objects the wave’s direction, speed, and wavelength
are altered (or refracted)
• Reflection – the wave encounters an obstacle and reflects, or bounces back toward its
source
• Scattering – when a wireless signal encounters an object that has small surface
dimensions compared with the signal’s wavelength, it’s diffused or scattered in multiple
directions
• Diffraction – a wireless signal is diffracted, or split into secondary waves, when it
encounters an obstruction
• Wireless signals follow different paths to destination, known as multipath signals
Figure 6-9 Multipath signal

propagation
802.11 WLAN Standards
• WLANs work at OSI Layers 1 and 2

• They support TCP/IP higher-layer OSI protocols and operating systems
• Most popular standards used by WLANs is referred to as Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity)
• Notable Wi-Fi standards
• 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax
• 802.11n and later modify the way frames are used at the MAC sublayer (lower portion of
the Data Link layer)
• The LLC sublayer is primarily concerned with multiplexing, flow and error control, and
reliability
802.11 Innovations (1 of 3)
• Several innovations have been implemented that contribute to making later 802.11
standards much faster and much more reliable:
• Channel bonding – two adjacent 20-MHz channels can be bonded to make 40-MHz
channel
• It more than doubles the bandwidth available in single 20-MHz channel
• MIMO (multiple input-multiple output) – multiple access point and client device antennas
may issue signal to one or more receivers
• MIMO increases range and a network’s throughput
• MU-MIMO (multiuser MIMO) – a newer technology that allows multiple antennas to
service multiple clients simultaneously
• MU-MIMO reduces congestion and contributes to faster data transmission
• MU-MIMO is available with WAVE 2 802.11ac products
• Several innovations have been implemented that contribute to making later 802.11
standards much faster and much more reliable (continued):
• OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) – supports more efficient
multiuser functionality for 80211 ax devices
• Frame aggregation combines multiple frames into one larger frame
• Networks can use one of two techniques for combining multiple data frames:
▶ A-MSDU (Aggregated Mac Service Data Unit)
▶ A-MPDU (Aggregated Mac Protocol Data Unit)
Figure 6-12 A-MSDU and A-MPDU

aggregated frames
Access Method (1 of 2)
• 802.11 MAC services append 48-bit physical addresses to frame to identify source and
destination
• The use of the same physical addressing scheme as other Ethernet networks allows easy
combination with other IEEE networks
• Wireless devices are not designed to simultaneously transmit and receive
• 802.11 standards specify the use of CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision
Avoidance) procedures to access a shared medium
• Uses ACK packets to verify every transmission and requires more overhead than 802.3
• RTS/CTS (Request to Send/Clear to Send) protocol ensures packets are not inhibited by
other transmissions
• RTS/CTS decreases network efficiency, but can be efficient for large transmission
packets
Access Method (2 of 2)
Figure 6-13 CSMA/CA uses ACK

messages to confirm successful
transmission
Association and Wireless Topologies (1 of 3)
• Association is the process where packets are exchanged between computer and an
access point in order to gain Internet access
• Scanning occurs when a wireless devices surveys its surroundings for an access point
• In active scanning the wireless client takes the initiative by transmitting a special frame
known as a probe
• In passive scanning the AP takes the initiative
• The wireless devices listens for special signal known as a beacon fame
• SSID (service set identifier) is a unique character string identifying an access point
• The SSID is contained in the beacon frame information
• The SSID is configured in the AP’s configuration utility and it is recommended that it be
changed from the default setting
• IEEE terms that reflect the most common wireless topologies include the following:
• IBSS (Independent basic service set) using an ad hoc topology – a small number of
nodes closely positioned transmit directly to each other without an intervening connectivity
device
• BSS (basic service set) using an infrastructure topology – a group of stations share an
access point
• The identifier for this group of nodes is known as a BSSID (basic service set identifier)
• ESS (extended service set) using a mesh topology – several access points are
connected to same LAN network
• These APs are configured and managed by a wireless LAN controller
• Clients that belong to the same ESS share a special identifier called an ESSID
(extended service set identifier)
• The ESSID allows a user to roam, or change from AP to AP
Figure 6-17 A network with multiple

BSSs form an ESS – devices can be
moved from one room to the next
without losing network connectivity
IEEE 802.11 Frames (1 of 2)
• 802.11 specifies a MAC sublayer frame type

• These frame types are divided into three groups:
• Management frames – association and reassociation
• Control frames – medium access and data delivery
• Examples of control frames include ACK and RTS/CTS frames
• Data frames – carry data sent between stations
IEEE 802.11 Frames (2 of 2)
Figure 6-19 Basic 802.11 data frame

compared with an 802.3 Ethernet II
frame
Knowledge Check Activity 6-1
Which type of identifier allows wireless clients to roam freely from AP to AP?
a. BSSID
b. IP address
c. ESSID
d. Transmitter address
Knowledge Check Activity 6-1: Answer
Which type of identifier allows wireless clients to roam freely from AP to AP?
Answer: c. ESSID
Within an ESS (extended service set), a client can associate with any one
of many APs that use the same ESSID (ESS identifier). This allows users
to roam, or change from AP to AP, without losing wireless network
service.
Implementing a Wi-Fi Network
• This section describes:

• WLAN technologies and how to design small WLANs
• How to install and configure access points and clients on larger networks
Determine the Design (1 of 4)
• Home or small office network, called a SOHO network, might call for only one access point
• The AP device often combines switching, routing, and other network functions
• It connects wireless clients to LAN and acts as an Internet gateway
• Many home or office networks include IoT (Internet of Things) devices
• Examples of IoT devices that might be a part of a home or office network include the
following:
• Health monitors, exercise equipment, GPS locators, and smartwatches
• Smart speakers
• Smart thermostats
• Smart doorbells
• Security cameras
• Smart refrigerators
• Consider the following when deciding where to install an AP:

• Distance
• Type and number of obstacles
• Coverage
• Interference
• Larger WLANs warrant a more systematic approach to access point placement
• A site survey assesses client requirements, facility characteristics, coverage areas
• A site survey will help determine access point arrangement ensuring reliable wireless
connectivity within a given area
• A thorough site survey might include:

• Studying building blueprints to identify potential obstacles
• Consider whether Wi-Fi access points will be used as wireless bridges to create remote
wired access to the network
• Determine whether certain floors require multiple APs
• Measure the signal coverage and strength from other WLANS
• Test proposed access point locations
• Test wireless access from the farthest corners of your space
• Consider the materials used in objects that aren’t always present in the environment
• Consider how the wireless portions of the LAN will integrate with the wired portions
Figure 6-26 An enterprise-scale

wireless network
Configure Wi-Fi Connectivity Devices
• APs vary in which wireless standards they support, their antenna strength, and other
features
• Variables set during installation include the following:
• Administrator password
• SSID and whether or not the SSID is broadcast
• Security options
• Whether or not DHCP is used
• If something goes awry during your SOHO router configuration, you can force a reset of all
the variables you changed
Configure Wi-Fi Clients
• Configuration varies from one client type to another

• As long as an AP is broadcasting its SSID, clients in its vicinity will detect it and offer the
user the option to associate with it
• On-boarding – involves installing a specific program or app onto a device to give it trusted
access to certain portions of the network
• Off-boarding – involves removing programs that gave devices special permissions on the
network
• Administrators need a feature that allows them to off-board remotely (in case AP is lost or
stolen)
• This feature is called a remote wipe
Wi-Fi Network Security
• By default, the 802.11 standard offers no security

• Authentication – allows a client to log on to the network either by providing the correct
password for the SSID or by providing user credentials processed by an authentication
server
• MAC filtering prevents the AP from authenticating any device whose MAC address is
not listed
• Encryption algorithms – scramble data into a format that cannot easily be interpreted if the
signal is intercepted
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)
• WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) dynamically assigns every transmission its own key
• 802.11i incorporates an encryption key generation and management scheme known as
TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) to improve security for legacy WEP-based devices
• TKIP accomplished the following improvements:
• Message integrity
• Key distribution
• Encryption
WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access, Version 2)
• WPA2 uses stronger data confidentiality methods

• CCMP, which is short for Counter Mode with CBC (Cipher Block Chaining) MAC (Message
Authentication Code) Protocol, helps ensure data confidentiality with both encryption and
packet authentication by providing the following:
• Message integrity – ensures incoming packets are coming from their declared source
• Encryption – uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), which provides faster and more
secure encryption than TKIP
Personal and Enterprise (1 of 2)
• The most secure communication is made possible by combining a RADIUS server with
WPA/WPA2
• Known as WPA-Enterprise or WPA2-Enterprise
• RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service) is an open source authentication and
authorization service
• A RADIUS server is used in cooperation with an authentication mechanism called EAP
• EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) provides the framework for authenticating clients
and servers
• EAP functions alongside RADIUS by organizing communications with the network client
devices, while RADIUS handles the actual authentication on the server
Personal and Enterprise (2 of 2)
Figure 6-28 EAP messages are

encapsulated in RADIUS messages
Other Security Configurations
• Additional security options include the following:

• AP and antenna placement
• Geofencing
• Guest network
• Wireless client isolation
• Captive portal
• IoT access considerations
Security Threats to Wi-Fi Networks
• War driving – a hacker searches for unprotected wireless networks by driving around with a
laptop configured to receive and capture wireless data transmissions
• War chalking – hackers draw symbols with chalk on the sidewalk or wall near a vulnerable
AP to make it known to other hackers
• Evil twin – a rogue AP planted in a network’s geological area to pose as an authorized AP
• WPA attack – involves an interception of the network keys communicated between stations
and APs
• Also called WPA cracking
• WPS attack – involves cracking a PIN in order to access an APs settings
• The pin can be easily cracked through a brute force attack
Wi-Fi Network Tools
• Two types of software tools you should have:

• Spectrum analyzer – a device that can assess the quality of the wireless signal
• Wireless analyzer (Wi-Fi analyzer) – software that can evaluate Wi-Fi network availability,
optimize Wi-Fi signal settings, and help identify Wi-Fi security threats
• List of capabilities common to wireless testing tools:
• Identify transmitting access points, stations, and channels
• Measure signal strength from an AP
• Indicate the effects of attenuation, signal loss, and noise
• Interpret signal strength information
• Ensure proper association and reassociation between APs
• Capture and interpret traffic
• Measure throughput and assess data transmission errors
• Analyze characteristics of each channel
Avoid Pitfalls (1 of 2)
• The following lists some wireless configuration pitfalls to avoid

• No connection – when you cant get the Wi-Fi client to connect to the AP:
• Wrong SSID
• Encryption protocol mismatch
• Incorrect passphrase
• Static channel utilization
• Mismatched RF band
• Mismatched standards
• Long AP association time
Avoid Pitfalls (2 of 2)
• Slow connections – when dealing with slow Wi-Fi connections:

• Insufficient wireless coverage
• RF attenuation/signal loss
• Interference
• Channel overlap
• Wireless standard specifications
• Simultaneous wired and wireless connections
• Problems with firmware updates
• Incorrect antenna type
• Mismatched antenna polarization
• Client saturation or overcapacity
• Client disassociation issues
Knowledge Check Activity 6-2
Which device will let you determine all frequencies within a scanned range that
are present in a specific environment, not just Wi-Fi?
a. Wi-Fi analyzer
b. Captive portal
c. Wireless LAN controller
d. Spectrum analyzer
Knowledge Check Activity 6-2: Answer
Which device will let you determine all frequencies within a scanned range that
are present in a specific environment, not just Wi-Fi?
Answer: d. spectrum analyzer

A spectrum analyzer can assess the quality of a wireless signal by
scanning a band of frequencies for signals and noise. A Wi-Fi analyzer
can evaluate Wi-Fi network availability as well as help optimize Wi-Fi
signal settings or help identify Wi-Fi security threats. A captive portal is
the first page a new client sees in the browser when connecting to the
guest network. A wireless LAN controller is used to configure and
manage APs in a mesh network.
Summary
Now that the lesson has ended, you should be able to:
• Describe characteristics of wireless transmissions
• Explain 802.11 standards and innovations
• Plan a Wi-Fi network
• Secure a Wi-Fi network
• Troubleshoot a Wi-Fi network

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CompTIA

Module 6: Wireless Networking

1. Describe characteristics of wireless transmissions

2. Explain 802.11 standards and innovations

3. Plan a Wi-Fi network

4. Secure a Wi-Fi network

5. Troubleshoot a Wi-Fi network

Figure 6-1 These programmable NFC

• Bluetooth technology unites separate entities under a single communication standard

• IR (infrared) technology is used primarily to collect data through various sensors

Figure 6-4 The wireless spectrum

• Most wireless devices implement one of two technologies:

• Wireless signals originate from electrical current traveling along a conductor

Figure 6-9 Multipath signal

• WLANs work at OSI Layers 1 and 2

▶ A-MPDU (Aggregated Mac Protocol Data Unit)

Figure 6-12 A-MSDU and A-MPDU

Figure 6-13 CSMA/CA uses ACK

Figure 6-17 A network with multiple

• 802.11 specifies a MAC sublayer frame type

Figure 6-19 Basic 802.11 data frame

• This section describes:

• Consider the following when deciding where to install an AP:

• A thorough site survey might include:

Figure 6-26 An enterprise-scale

• Configuration varies from one client type to another

• By default, the 802.11 standard offers no security

• WPA2 uses stronger data confidentiality methods

Figure 6-28 EAP messages are

• Additional security options include the following:

• Two types of software tools you should have:

• The following lists some wireless configuration pitfalls to avoid

• Slow connections – when dealing with slow Wi-Fi connections:

Answer: d. spectrum analyzer

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