Introduction to
Wireless LAN (WLAN)
• Definition: WLAN stands for Wireless Local Area Network.
• Purpose: Allows devices to connect and communicate wirelessly within a limited area.
• Commonly used in homes, offices, schools, and public places
• Wireless LANS can be divided into two operational modes: Infrastructure mode and Adhoc
mode, depending on how the network is formed.
Infrastructure mode
• Several computers are connected over the air to a central AP that in
turn links to the wired network.
• A laptop computer with a wireless LAN interface is able to access the
backend wired network across different APs in an intermittent or real-
time fashion.
Adhoc mode
• It is more flexible than infrastructure mode in that it does not
require any central or distributed infrastructure for the devices or
computers to operate.
WLAN Architecture
• Stations (STAs): Devices connected to WLAN (e.g., phones, laptops)
• Access Points (APs): Act as hubs for wireless communication
• Basic Service Set (BSS): AP + connected clients
• Extended Service Set (ESS): Multiple BSSs connected
Characteristics of Wireless LANs
• Advantages:
• Flexibility: Within radio coverage, nodes can communicate without further
restriction. Radio waves can penetrate walls, senders and receivers can be
placed anywhere. (also invisible, e.g., within devices, in walls etc.).
• Planning: Only wireless ad-hoc networks allow for communication without
previous planning, any wired network needs wiring plans.
• Robustness: Wireless networks can survive disasters, e.g., earthquakes or
users pulling a plug. If the wireless devices survive, people can still
communicate.
• Cost: After providing wireless access to the infrastructure via an access
point for the first user, adding additional users to a wireless network will
not increase the cost.
CONT....
• Disadvantages:
• Quality of service: WLANS typically offer lower quality than their wired counterparts.
The main reasons for this are the lower bandwidth due to limitations in radio
transmission (e.g., only 1-10 Mbit/s user data rate instead of 100-1,000 Mbit/s),
higher error rates due to interference (e.g., 10-4 instead of 10-12 for fiber optics),
and higher delay/delay variation due to extensive error correction and detection
mechanisms.
• Restrictions: All wireless products have to comply with national regulations.Several
government and non-government institutions worldwide regulate the operation and
restrict frequencies to minimize interference.
• Safety and security: Using radio waves for data transmission might interfere with
other high-tech equipment in, e.g., hospitals. Special precautions have to be taken to
prevent safety hazards.
Types of WLAN Protocols
• IEEE 802.11 or WiFi has a number of variations, the main among
which are −
• 802.11a Protocol− This protocol supports very high transmission speeds of
54Mbps. It has a high frequency of 5GHz range, due to which signals have
difficulty in penetrating walls and other obstructions. It employs Orthogonal
Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).
• 802.11b Protocol − This protocol operates within the frequency range of
2.4GHz and supports 11Mbps speed. It facilitates path sharing and is less
vulnerable to obstructions. It uses Carrier Sense Multiple Access with
Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) with Ethernet protocol.
CONT...
• 802.11g Protocol − This protocol combines the features of 802.11a and
802.11b protocols. It supports both the frequency ranges 5GHz (as in 802.11a
standard) and 2.4GHz (as in 802.11b standard). Owing to its dual features,
802.11g is backward compatible with 802.11b devices. 802.11g provides high
speeds, varying signal range, and resilience to obstruction. However, it is
more expensive for implementation.
• 802.11n Protocol − Popularly known as Wireless N, this is an upgraded
version of 802.11g. It provides very high bandwidth up to 600Mbps and
provides signal coverage. It uses Multiple Input/Multiple Output (MIMO),
having multiple antennas at both the transmitter end and receiver ends. In
case of signal obstructions, alternative routes are used. However, the
implementation is highly expensive.
IEEE 802.11 Standards Overview
• 802.11a: 5 GHz, up to 54 Mbps
• 802.11b: 2.4 GHz, up to 11 Mbps
• 802.11g: 2.4 GHz, up to 54 Mbps
• 802.11n: Dual band, MIMO, up to 600 Mbps
• 802.11ac/ax: Gigabit speeds, better efficiency (Wi-Fi 5/6)
MAC Layer in WLAN (802.11 MAC)
• Handles access to the shared wireless medium
• Uses Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance
(CSMA/CA)
• Frames: Beacon, Probe, Authentication, Association, Data
CSMA/CA Explained
• Carrier sensing before transmitting
• Avoids collisions using:
• Interframe Spaces (IFS)
• Backoff timer
• Acknowledgments (ACK)
Advantages and Limitations of
WLAN
• Advantages:
• Wireless mobility
• Easy installation
• Scalability
• Limitations:
• Interference
• Limited range
• Security vulnerabilities
