CSE574-16-05A: IEEE 802.

11 Wireless LANs Part I: Basics (Part 1 of 2)

Transcript:
Overview: IEEE 802.11 Physical Layers
This module introduces Wi-Fi basics and serves as the first of two modules on the topic. The content is
divided as follows:
1. Module Structure:
o Part 1: Covers general Wi-Fi features and basics.
o Part 2: Focuses on detailed differences between standards such as 802.11a, b, c, and others.
2. Topics Covered:
o Key features of Wi-Fi.
o Physical layers and their functions.
o MAC (Media Access Control): How Wi-Fi manages access to the network.
o Architecture: Structural design of Wi-Fi networks.
o Frame format: The structure of data packets in Wi-Fi.
o Power management: Techniques to optimize power consumption.
The second module will delve deeper into the specifics of different Wi-Fi standards and technologies.
802.11 vs. Wi-Fi
1. Key Difference:
o 802.11: A standard developed by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers).
o Wi-Fi: A trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance, a separate organization focused on ensuring
interoperability.
2. Purpose of the Wi-Fi Alliance:
o Simplifies implementation of the 802.11 standard, which includes hundreds of optional
features.
o Ensures interoperability by deciding which options to implement.
o Certifies devices with the Wi-Fi logo, guaranteeing compatibility across manufacturers.
3. Why Buy Wi-Fi Equipment?
o Devices with the Wi-Fi logo are guaranteed to work with other Wi-Fi-certified devices,
regardless of manufacturer.
o Implementing 802.11 without coordination may result in devices that cannot communicate.
 4. Wi-Fi vs. IEEE:
o IEEE creates the 802.11 standard as a broad framework.
o The Wi-Fi Alliance selects and enforces specific subsets of 802.11 for compatibility.
5. Additional Notes:
o "Wireless Fidelity" refers to compatibility and interoperability.
o For more information:
▪ Visit Wi-Fi.org for Wi-Fi details.
▪ Visit IEEE.org for 802.11 standards.

IEEE Standards Numbering System

1. Origin of "802":
o The name "802" may refer to the formation of the first IEEE standards committee in
February 1980 (80-02).
o The first standard under 802 was for Ethernet (802.3).
2. 802 Standards Group:
o 802 is a broad group of standards for networking technologies, such as:
▪ 802.3: Ethernet
▪ 802.11: Wi-Fi
▪ 802.16: WiMAX
▪ 802.15: Zigbee
o All 802 standards share common features like security (802.10), management (802.1), and
logical link control.
3. Subgroups and Amendments:
o Standards within 802 (e.g., 802.11) have subgroups represented by letters (e.g., 802.11a,
802.11i).
o Uppercase Letters: Represent independent, permanent standards (e.g., 802.11A, 802.1B).
o Lowercase Letters: Temporary amendments that may later merge into the base standard
(e.g., 802.11i).
▪ Example: 802.1w (2001) merged into 802.1D (2004) and no longer exists as a
separate standard.
4. Numbering Conventions:
o Amendments originally followed a sequence (e.g., a, b, c, ... z, aa, ab).
 o Modern amendments are appended to the base standard (e.g., 802.1Qau).
o Amendments eventually integrate back into the main standard, which is periodically
updated.
5. Case Sensitivity in Standards:
o Standards with no case are base standards (e.g., 802.11).
o Uppercase indicates permanent, independent standards.
o Lowercase indicates temporary amendments.
This system ensures a structured approach to managing networking standards while allowing for updates
and improvements.
Key Points on Wi-Fi Spectrum, Channels, and Band Usage
1. 802.11 Evolution and License-Exempt Spectrum:
o The original 802.11 standard (1997) supported only 1-2 Mbps, but newer versions (e.g.,
802.11-2012) provide higher speeds.
o Wi-Fi operates on license-exempt spectrum, allowing legal use without obtaining a
license. "Unlicensed" is often misused but technically refers to illegal usage.
o ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) bands are used for Wi-Fi and other devices,
though their applications aren't limited to ISM purposes.
2. Frequency Bands for Wi-Fi:
o Wi-Fi uses 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands:
▪ 2.4 GHz: Spans 2.4–2.5 GHz, providing ~100 MHz bandwidth (80 MHz usable).
▪ 5 GHz: Offers wider bandwidth (5.725–5.875 GHz) and less interference, with
~150 MHz available.
o As 2.4 GHz became crowded (used by phones, microwaves, etc.), devices shifted to the 5
GHz band.
3. Channel Allocation in 2.4 GHz:
o The 2.4 GHz band is divided into 5 MHz-wide channels. Wi-Fi uses 20 MHz channels
(combining four 5 MHz channels).
o Non-overlapping channels are spaced to avoid interference:
▪ Common non-overlapping channels: 1, 6, and 11.
▪ Channels like 2, 3, or 4 overlap with adjacent channels, causing interference.
4. Channel Allocation in 5 GHz:
o The 5 GHz band also uses 5 MHz-wide channels, but Wi-Fi groups them into 20 MHz
channels.
 o There are 12 non-overlapping channels, such as 36, 40, 44, and 48.
o Unlike the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz spectrum is divided into two discontinuous ranges
(e.g., 5150–5350 MHz and 5725–5825 MHz).
5. Key Concepts and Limitations:
o The 2.4 GHz band allows fewer non-overlapping channels (3 total: 1, 6, 11) due to its
limited bandwidth.
o The 5 GHz band provides more non-overlapping channels, enabling better performance
with reduced interference.
o Despite the numbering system, Wi-Fi uses 20 MHz-wide channels, consuming multiple 5
MHz blocks at a time.
These distinctions highlight why channel planning and frequency band selection are critical for optimal Wi-
Fi performance.
Evolution of Wi-Fi Standards and Frequency Band Usage
1. Initial Physical Layers and Infrared Technology:
o The early Wi-Fi standards included three physical layers:
▪ Two radio-based layers operating at 2.4 GHz (1-2 Mbps).
▪ One infrared (IR) layer using light, which is no longer used.
2. Introduction of Higher Speeds (1999):
o 802.11a:
▪ Operated at 5 GHz, achieving 54 Mbps using OFDM over a 20 MHz channel.
▪ Required new radio circuitry due to the shift to a higher frequency band.
o 802.11b:
▪ Operated at 2.4 GHz, achieving 11 Mbps using enhanced coding techniques but
not OFDM.
▪ Popular due to compatibility with existing 2.4 GHz hardware.
3. Development of 802.11g:
o 802.11g combined the advantages of 802.11a and b:
▪ Used OFDM like 802.11a but operated at 2.4 GHz, enabling higher speeds (up to
54 Mbps) without requiring new radio hardware.
▪ Became a widely adopted standard alongside 802.11b.
4. Adoption and Consumer Equipment:
o Early devices often supported only one frequency band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).
 o Modern, higher-end equipment increasingly supports dual-band operation (both 2.4 GHz
and 5 GHz), though this remains more expensive.
These advancements highlight the progression from basic, slower Wi-Fi technologies to modern standards
that balance speed, compatibility, and cost.
Hidden Node Problem and Collision Avoidance in Wi-Fi
1. Hidden Node Problem in Wireless Communication:
o Issue: Devices A, B, and C have limited visibility of each other:
▪ A can hear B, and B can hear C, but C cannot hear A.
o This creates a problem where A and C could transmit to B simultaneously, causing a
collision at B, which neither A nor C can detect.
2. Why CSMA-CD Doesn’t Work in Wireless:
o Collision Detection (CD) used in Ethernet is ineffective in wireless networks because:
▪ The sender cannot detect collisions due to the hidden node issue.
▪ Only the receiver (B) can detect the collision and must notify the sender to stop.
3. Collision Avoidance (CSMA-CA):
o Wireless networks use Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance
(CSMA-CA) instead:
▪ Instead of detecting collisions, devices avoid them by seeking permission to
transmit.
▪ Communication involves four packets for each data packet:
1. Request to Send (RTS): Sender asks for permission to transmit.
2. Clear to Send (CTS): Receiver grants permission if the channel is clear.
3. Data Packet: Sender transmits the data.
4. Acknowledgment (ACK): Receiver confirms successful reception.
4. Impact on Efficiency:
o Compared to Ethernet (one packet per transmission), wireless requires additional overhead
due to the RTS-CTS-Data-ACK process to ensure collision-free communication.
This highlights how Wi-Fi protocols address the hidden node problem and manage wireless communication
differently from Ethernet.
Four-Way Handshake in Wi-Fi Communication
1. Four-Way Handshake Process:
o For every data packet, Wi-Fi employs a four-step handshake:
1. RTS (Request to Send): Sender requests permission to transmit.
2. CTS (Clear to Send): Receiver grants permission.
3. Data: Sender transmits the data packet.
4. ACK (Acknowledgment): Receiver confirms successful receipt.
2. Collision Management:
o If two devices send RTS packets simultaneously, they may collide, but:
▪ Only the RTS packets are lost, not the larger data packets.
▪ RTS packets are small and their retransmission causes minimal delay.
3. Efficiency:
o By using RTS-CTS before sending data, potential data packet collisions are avoided,
saving the need to retransmit long data packets, which would waste more time and
resources.
This approach ensures more reliable communication in wireless networks while minimizing data loss due
to collisions.
Media Access Control (MAC) in Wi-Fi
1. CSMA/CA Overview:
o Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA):
▪ Devices listen to the channel before transmitting (carrier sense).
▪ Collisions are avoided by using a short RTS (Request to Send) message.
▪ If the channel is busy, devices back off by waiting a random amount of time before
retrying.
o Collision Detection (CD) is not possible in Wi-Fi due to the hidden node problem.
2. Packet Exchange Process:
o Each transmission involves a four-way handshake:
▪ RTS → CTS (Clear to Send) → Data → ACK (Acknowledgment).
o RTS/CTS mechanism ensures that large data packets are not lost in collisions.
o Every packet includes a time duration field, indicating how long the transmission will
take.
 3. Backoff and Contention:
o Devices that experience collisions back off exponentially:
▪ Initial random wait time (e.g., between 0-1 time units).
▪ After collisions, the backoff range doubles (e.g., 0-3, 0-7).
o This reduces the chance of repeated collisions.
4. Traffic Prioritization:
o Three inter-frame spaces (IFS) define priority levels:
▪ SIFS (Short IFS): Used for time-critical packets like ACKs, RTS, and CTS.
▪ PIFS (Point Coordination Function IFS): Used for periodic, reserved traffic.
▪ DIFS (Distributed Coordination Function IFS): Used for general, non-reserved
traffic.
5. Access Cycle:
o Each access point periodically sends a beacon to synchronize and provide:
▪ Network name, timing information, and other details.
o The cycle consists of:
▪ Contention-Free Period: Reserved slots for high-priority traffic.
▪ Contention Period: Open access for general traffic.
6. Key Variables for MAC Operations:
o NAV (Network Allocation Vector): Timer indicating how long the channel will be busy.
o Backoff Count: Tracks how many times a device has backed off.
o Contention Window: Defines the range of random backoff times.
7. Exponential Backoff:
o With each collision, devices increase the backoff range exponentially to reduce further
collisions.
o This ensures fairness and efficiency in channel access.
This approach ensures reliable communication, prioritizes time-critical traffic, and minimizes collisions in
a shared wireless medium.