Introduction to IEEE 802.

11

BY: SURAJ CHANDRA REDDY(130)

SLIDE INCLUDES:

◦Introduction
◦IEEE 802.11 Standards
◦IEEE 802.11 Architecture
◦IEEE 802.11 Terminology
 Introduction

Created and maintained by IEEE

Set of media control(MAC) and physical layer
Used to implement wireless local area network(WLAN)
In the frequency band 2.4,3.6,5 and 60 GHz
Wi-fi refers to the IEEE 802.11 communication WLAN
 IEEE 802.11 Standards

802.11 represents the IEEE designation for wireless networking. Several wireless networking
specifications exist under the 802.11 banner. The Network+ objectives focus on 802.11, 802.11a,
802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n. All these standards use the Ethernet protocol and the CSMA/CA
access method. The 802.11 wireless standards can differ in terms of speed, transmission ranges,
and frequency used, but in terms of actual implementation they are similar. All standards can use
either an infrastructure or ad hoc network design, and each can use the same security protocols.
IEEE 802.11: There were two variations on the initial 802.11 wireless standard. Both offered 1
or 2Mbps transmission speeds and the same RF of 2.4GHz. The difference between the two
was in how data traveled through the RF media. One used FHSS, and the other used DSSS.
The original 802.11 standards are far too slow for modern networking needs and are now no
longer deployed.
IEEE 802.11a: In terms of speed, the 802.11a standard was far ahead of the original 802.11
standards. 802.11a specified speeds of up to 54Mbps in the 5GHz band, but most commonly,
communication takes place at 6Mbps, 12Mbps, or 24Mbps. 802.11a is incompatible with the
802.11b and 802.11g wireless standards.
IEEE 802.11b: The 802.11b standard provides for a maximum transmission speed of 11Mbps.
However, devices are designed to be backward-compatible with previous 802.11 standards that
provided for speeds of 1, 2, and 5.5Mbps. 802.11b uses a 2.4GHz RF range and is compatible with
802.11g.
IEEE 802.11g: 802.11g is a popular wireless standard today. 802.11g offers wireless transmission
over distances of 150 feet and speeds up to 54Mbps compared with the 11Mbps of the 802.11b
standard. Like 802.11b, 802.11g operates in the 2.4GHz range and therefore is compatible with it.
IEEE 802.11n: The newest of the wireless standards listed in the Network+ objectives is 802.11n.
The goal of the 802.11n standard is to significantly increase throughput in both the 2.4GHz and the
5GHz frequency range. The baseline goal of the standard was to reach speeds of 100Mbps, but
given the right conditions, it is estimated that the 802.11n speeds might reach a staggering
600Mbps. In practical operation, 802.11n speeds will be much slower.
802.11ah (HaLow): It is created for low data rate, long range sensors and controllers. To increase
the relatively short range of WiFi—specifically for IoT sensors that don’t require high data rates
802.11ah was introduced. HaLow (as it’s nicknamed) is 900 megahertz WiFi, meant for long-range
data transmission.
 IEEE 802.11 Architecture

The architecture of the IEEE 802.11 WLAN is designed to support a network where most decision
making is distributed to mobile stations. This type of architecture has several advantages. It is tolerant of
faults in all of the WLAN equipment and eliminates possible bottlenecks a centralized architecture would
introduce. The architecture is flexible and can easily support both small, transient networks and large,
semi permanent or permanent networks. In addition, the architecture and protocols offer significant
power saving and prolong the battery life of mobile equipment without losing network connectivity
Two network architectures are defined in the IEEE 802.11 standard:
◦ Infrastructure network: An infrastructure network is the network architecture for providing
communication between wireless clients and wired network resources. The transition of data from the
wireless to wired medium occurs via an AP. An AP and its associated wireless clients define the
coverage area. Together all the devices form a basic service set (refer figure 1).
◦ Point-to-point (ad-hoc) network: An ad-hoc network is the architecture that is used to support
mutual communication between wireless clients. Typically, an ad-hoc network is created
spontaneously and does not support access to wired networks. An ad-hoc network does not require an
AP.
 IEEE 802.11 Terminology

Single Band
◦ Single band devices run on only a 2.4 GHz band and have a weaker signal. This means their range will be not be as far as a dual band
device. This does not necessarily mean that single band devices are inferior. For those who live in small apartments or need a wireless
device just for a single office, a single band device may provide plenty of range and signal strength for that small area. Generally
speaking, many wireless devices run off of the 2.4 GHz signal band, like cordless phones and other electronic devices. Users who have
multiple computers, phones, or electronic devices that run on this signal band may experience interference/congestion.
Dual Band
◦ Dual band devices run on both a 2.4 GHz band and a 5.0 GHz band which delivers 5x the capacity of the 2.4 GHz band with less
congestion and interference. Because they have multiple signal bands, dual band wireless cards provide a greater range for their signal,
and greater overall signal strength. In areas that are crowded with 2.4GHz signals from competing routers and/or other cordless devices,
interference often occurs. In this situation, a dual band router seamlessly switches from 2.4GHz to 5GHz and avoids the interference.
Dual band devices are important for those who are certain that multiple users will need to be connected to the internet at one time.
1X1
◦ 1X1 devices utilize a single 802.11transmit/receive antenna and a single radio stream. 1x1 devices are commonly used in portable
electronics such as PDAs, mobile phones, etc. due to their limited size.
2X2
◦ 2X2 devices utilize dual 802.11 transmit/receive antennas and dual radio streams. More antennas and data streams mean faster speeds,
fewer dead zones, fewer dropped connections, and better coverage.
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