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Wireless LAN
PLANNING AND BUILDING A WLAN

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Objectives 2

• List the steps for planning a network

• Tell how to select a WLAN
• Discuss how to perform site survey
• Explain the options for designing the layout
of a WLAN (Adhoc or Infrastructure)

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Planning fora New Network 3

• Assessing needs
• Determining costs
• Gathering information
✓ site survey, layout, securityissues
• Selecting a WLAN
✓ Compatibility and interoperability
✓ Choice of wireless standards to follow

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AssessingNeeds 4

• Look at the organization as a whole

✓ Whether WLAN is needed or not.
✓ Mobility is necessary for productivity
• Look at current network uses and requirements ( How it
plays part in generating revenue? How network supports
the organizational needs?
✓ What applications are running?
✓ Look at the strength and weakness of the network
and then identify needs)
• Document the current network
✓ then see if upgrade isrequired

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DeterminingCosts 5
• Hardware costs
✓ Access points
• Use of antennas if service in particular direction is
needed.
• Number of access points
• Coverage area
• Performance requirements and bandwidth needed)
✓ WirelessNICs
• Installation and maintenance expenses
• Support and additional training for technical
staff

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Gathering Information 6

• Implementing the network needs information of

✓ site survey, layout (arrangement), securityissues
• Send out a request for information (RFI)to find out what
vendors have to offer
✓ The products that can fulfill their requirements
• Compare the RFIagainst industry standard and business
requirements
✓ patterns that emerge from vendor’s response

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Selecting a WLAN 7

• Compatibility and interoperability

• Proprietary versus standard
• Radio-based versus infrared

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Compatibility
• Compatibility between a WLAN and an existing network is
generally notan issue
• Network operating systems recognize and support WLAN
stations much like they recognize and support wired clients.
✓ In WLAN changes are in the physical and Data Link Layers

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Interoperability 9

• WLANs are not always interoperable

✓ Different WLAN technologies cannot interoperate
• FHSS vs DSSS, 802.11a vs 802.11b and g
• Systems using different radio frequency bands cannot
communicate
✓ Older WLAN systems from different vendors may
not always interoperate, even if they are using the
same technology and frequency band ( must be
Wi Fi certified)
✓ Wi-Fi CERTIFIED is an internationally-recognized seal of
approval for products indicating that they have met industry-
agreed standards for interoperability, security, and a range of
application specific protocols.
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Radio-based versus Infrared
• Radio-based is best solution for mostWLAN
applications
✓ Radio waves do not have the limitations of light and
heat waves
✓ Radio waves can travel great distances and can
penetrate non-metallic objects
• Infrared suited for
✓ Stations that are near sensitive scientific or
medical equipment
✓ A network that handles sensitive data

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RequestingVendor Proposals

• Submit a request for proposal (RFP)

✓ Precise specifications for products and
services the organization intends to buy
• Analyze the returned proposals and make a final
decision

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Wireless SiteSurvey 12

• Measures the strength and quality of the signal and the

resulting transmission speeds and throughput ( throughput is
an actual measure of how much data is successfully transferred
from source to destination)
✓ Achievable in all different locations aroundthe office
✓ Should ideally be performed using the same type and
model of equipment that will eventually be installed
• Factors identified by a site survey include:
✓ Security features and policies required
✓ Radio signal range (distance requirements)
✓ Number of channels required (based on user/application
load)
✓ Throughputrequired
✓ Location of AP radios and antennas
✓ Location of client devices

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 Wireless SiteSurvey 13

• (continued…)

• Factors identified by a site survey include (continued…):

• Type of client adapters (WNICs) and whether external antennas may be
required
• Power requirements
• Growth requirements and impact on current design
• Potential interference sources and their location
• Standards and frequencies to be implemented (802.11a or g)
• Requirements for integration with the company’s wired network

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Designing theWLAN Layout

• Mode (Adhoc or Infrastructure)

• Coverage area
• Number of users
• Network utilization
• Number and type of physical obstructions
• Noise levels

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Peer toPeer

• Peer to Peer or Ad hoc mode, allows the radio

network interface card (NIC) to operate in what the
standard refers to as an independent basic service set
(IBSS)network configuration.
• With an IBSS,there are no access points. User devices
communicate directly with each other in a peer-to-
peer manner.

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Peer-to-peer versus InfrastructureMode

• Peer-to-peer
✓ Wireless stations communicate directly among
themselves without using an access point
✓ Also known as ad hoc mode or Independent
Basic Service Set (IBSS)
• Infrastructure
✓ Wireless stations communicate through one (Basic
Service Set or BSS) or more (Extended Service Set or
ESS) access points

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Peer-to-peer versus InfrastructureMode

• Peer-to-peer
✓ Use when wireless stations need to communicate only with
each other
• Infrastructure ( When connected to the wired
network)
✓ Use BSSwhen one access point can cover the service
area for the stations and users cannot roam beyond this
area
✓ Use ESS if multiple access points are needed

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Coverage Area 18

• Infrastructure mode
✓ Position stations as close as reasonably possible to an
access point
• Peer-to-peer mode
✓ Position stations as close as reasonably possible to other
stations
• Take physical obstructions into consideration

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Factors that CanReduce Distance ofSignals

• Physical obstructions
✓ Examples: walls, doors
• Interference from other devices emitting signals
✓ Examples: microwave ovens, fax machines, elevator
motors

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Factors that CanReduce Distance ofSignals

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Factors that CanReduce Distance ofSignals

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Coverage Area 22

• Distance between the stations directly affects the speed of

the network

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WLAN Using Infrastructure Mode

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WLAN UsingPeer-to-peer Mode

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Number ofUsers 25

• Distance has an impact on bandwidth

• As more users are added to the network, the amount
of network traffic increases, which has a negative
impact on bandwidth

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Access Points: Area of Coverage
Data rate supported decreases with increase in distance

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Access Points: Area ofCoverage

• Use a range extender antenna if

the access point needs to be
installed in an obstructed or
closed location
• Adding more AP increases
throughput ( few users
contending for AP)
• Situations where large files have
to be transferred, need more AP

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Access Points

• Most WLANs have a software

utility known as a site survey
that assists in placement of
access points
• Shows signal strength, Noise
level, S/N, Biterror rate.
• Link test causes active
scanning

An active WiFi survey is when a surveying device is connected

to the WiFi network and records signal measurements based on
the performance of the connection.

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Separate Networks versus Cells

• Cells (ESSnetwork)
✓ All access points use the same frequency
✓ Users can roam freely between cells

• Separate networks
✓ Each access point (network) has a unique frequency
✓ Each user is configured to use only one of the networks
✓ Can prevent too many users from roaming to a particular
coverage area
✓ Can help balance the load among access points

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Cells 31

Clients can associate according to signal strength

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Separate Networks 32

Could be different IP address, needs DHCP

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Mobility InSeparate Network

• Many vendors have created their own protocols for

handing off between access points in separate
network
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol(DHCP)
➢ One solution to handing off when a user roams to
another network

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Summary

• Consider requirements and costs

• Gather information of site survey, layout and security issues
• Request for information from vendors
• Select standard based on compatibility and interoperability
• Request for proposal from vendor
• Analyze the retuned proposal and make final decision

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More Information

• https://www.lifewire.com/home-network-diagrams-4064053
• https://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=2186207&seqNu
m=3
• https://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=426639
• https://www.accessagility.com/blog/wireless-lan-wifi-rfp-sample
• https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/3245P_WLAN_Network_
__9_drawings___Add_1__2___320421.pdf
• https://www.ncbroadband.gov/technical-
assistance/playbook/building-network/putting-together-your

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