Wireless LAN Technologies and Products

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Chapter 4

• Wireless LAN Technologies and Products

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Wireless LAN Products
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Choosing a WLAN

• What are the applications? Is mobility required?
• What level of performance is acceptable?
• Will infrared satisfy the needs?
• To what backbone networks do we need to connect?
• With what network OS do we need to work?
• Is it secure?
• How easy is it to install? To use? To manage?
• How much does it cost? (500)

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Current Applications

• Wire replacement applications
• Mobile computing applications

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(No Transcript)
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Lucent WaveLAN
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Product Line
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Network Topology
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Components of AP

• A wireless LAN adaptor to communicate with the
  wireless nodes
• A wired adaptor to communicate over the backbone
• MAC layer bridging software to filter traffic
  from the backbone to the wireless subnet

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System Engineering Spec.

• The radio
• 902-928 MHz ISM band
• 2.4-2.483 GHz ISM band
• 250 mw power output in 900 MHz band, 100 mw in
  the 2.4 GHz band
• MAC
• CSMA/CA

• Modulation
• DSSS
• DQPSK
• Protocols supported
• Novell NetWare 2.x and 3.x
• TCP/IP
• LAN manger
• Windows for workgroups
• Banyan VINES

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APs Functions

• MAC layer transparent bridge (IEEE 802.1D)
• Filtering/forwarding
• Automatic learning and aging
• Spanning tree algorithm
• SNMP management
• Radio path diagnostics
• Access control
• Net ID

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Supported PHY Types of Ethernet

• 10BaseT
• Twisted pair Ethernet
• 10Base2
• Thin wire Ethernet
• 10Base5
• Thick wire Ethernet

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DEC
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Product Line
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Protocols Supported

• Pathworks V4.1
• Novell NetWare 2.x and 3.x
• TCP/IP
• LAN manager
• Windows for workgroups
• Banyan VINES

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Products in the World
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Products

• DECtransporter for the MS-DOS/MS-Windows
• A TCP/IP package
• Enables cellular connection with appropriate
  modem, or a wired connection with appropriate
  modem
• DECtransporter for OpenVMS VAX
• A TCP/IP to packet radio network gateway
• Enables connection to a private network over a
  public packet radio network such as Mobitex or
  ARDIS

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Remote Connectivity Configuration
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Solectek AIRLAN
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Protocols Supported
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Proxim RangeLAN 2
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Product Line
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Network Topology
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System Technology

• FHSS
• 2.4-2.483 GHz ISM band
• 15 independent channels
• CSMA/CA
• 100 mw transmitted power
• GaAs semiconductor
• Power from computers internal battery

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APs Capabilities

• MAC layer bridge
• Spanning tree protocol
• Roaming from one bridge to another
• Transparent to all Ethernets
• SNMP agent provided
• Diverse protocols supported
• Novell NetWare 2.x, 3.x, 4.x, Lite
• LAN manager
• Windows for Workgroups

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ISA Equipment

• Interface card
• Antenna
• Software
• Manual

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Installation

• Hardware
• Confirm default setting on card
• Install card in computer
• Screw antenna onto connector in back of card

• Software
• Copy configured IPX.COM driver to hard disk
• Load the IPX driver and DOS shell, NETX
• Copy the LOGIN.EXE file

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Xircom Netwave
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Product Line
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Technology

• FHSS
• 50 mw power output
• 2.4-2.483 GHz ISM band
• Hop every 0.1s
• Synchronized system

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Network Topology
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Two Kinds of Ad Hoc Nets

• Public hoc networks
• Anyone in range can join a public ad hoc network
• Named ad hoc networks
• One station must start a named network
• Other stations join if they specify the name
• Optional encryption is available

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IBM Wireless LAN
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Technology

• FHSS in the 2.4 GHz band
• 100 mw power output
• Antenna receive polarization diversity
• TDMA MAC layer (FCFS)
• Ethernet and Token Ring compatibility
• SNMP agent

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Administration Function

• Authentication and privacy
• Users are registered with WNA (wireless network
  administrator) and provided secret keys
• Registered stations are authenticated by AP
• Optional encryption is available
• Interference management through change of hopping
  pattern

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Motorola Altair
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Technology

• Not SS
• In the 18 GHz band
• Low power- 25 mw
• Comprised of a control module (CM) and a user
  module (UM)
• 8x11.5x3 inches in size
• Antenna internal to module
• Packaging similar for both modules

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Network Topology
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Windata
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Product Line
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The Hub Functions

• Connectivity of transceivers
• Synchronization
• Access security
• Power control
• Network management

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SNMP Functions

• Enabling and disabling transceivers
• Adding and deleting access to stations
• Monitoring performance
• Checking status of radio link

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Network Topology
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RadioLAN
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Product Line

• ISA card
• Parallel port version
• RadioLAN/10 Access Unit
• Radio transceiver
• Base station

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OS and Driver Support
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Photonics
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Product Line (for PC)

• PCMCIA II card
• ISA card
• Collaborative parallel option
• AP
• External transceiver

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IR Transceiver
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Diffuse IR
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Network Topology
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Spectrix
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Network Topology
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Network Block Diagram
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InfraLAN
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Directed IR Transceiver
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Network Topology (Token Ring)
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Network Topology (Ethernet PTP)
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Network Topology (Ethernet Hub)
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Comparisons (Mobile)
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Comparisons (Wire Replacement)
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References

• Rifaat A. Dayem, Mobile Data Wireless LAN
  Technologies, Chapter 7.