Wireless LAN
Dr. N. Ganesan with Contributions
from Ms. Phuong Ly
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Key Terms
Compaq Wireless Equipment
Install & Configure a Wireless Access Point
Install & Configure a Wireless PC/PCI Card
Live Demonstration
Conclusion
Introduction
• A wireless local area network (LAN) is a
flexible data communications system
implemented as an extension to, or as an
alternative for, a wired LAN.
• Using radio frequency (RF) technology,
wireless LANs transmit and receive data
over the air, minimizing the need for wired
connections.
Why Wireless?
•
•
•
•
•
Extension of wired LAN
Alternative for a wired LAN
Ease of installation
Mobile users
Scalability
What is IEEE 802.11?
• IEEE 802.11 standard created in 1997 to
facilitate interoperability between differing
brands of wireless LANs (2 Mbps)
• IEEE 802.11b High Rate standard ratified in
1999 allows 11 Mbps (backward compatible
to 802.11)
What is spectrum?
• The spectrum is know as the range of
existing frequencies.
• Spread spectrum is the technique used to
transmit information through the air.
• First used by the military for use in reliable,
secure, mission-critical communication
systems.
Two types of spread spectrum
• FHSS: Frequency-hopping spreadspectrum uses a narrowband carrier that
changes frequency in a pattern known to
both transmitter and receiver.
• DSSS: Direct-sequence spread-spectrum
generates a redundant bit pattern for each
bit to be transmitted. This bit pattern is
called a chip. The longer the chip, the
greater the probability that the original data
can be recovered.
DSSS vs FHSS
Compaq Wireless Equipment
Compaq WL100 11 Mbps
• Wireless LAN PC Card (PCMCIA) Type II
• IEEE 802.11b High Rate Direct Sequence
Spread Spectrum
• Backward compatible with IEEE 802.11
• Supports all major networking standards
including: TCP/IP, IPX, NetBEUI
• Price: $199
Compaq WL200 11 Mbps
• Wireless LAN PCI Card
• IEEE 802.11b High Rate Direct Sequence
Spread Spectrum
• Backward compatible with IEEE 802.11
• Supports all major networking standards
including: TCP/IP, IPX, NetBEUI
• Price: $199
Compaq WL400 11 Mbps
•
•
•
•
Wireless LAN Hardware Access Point
IEEE 802.11b High Rate DSS
Backward compatible with IEEE 802.11
Supports all major networking standards: TCP/IP,
IPX/SPX, NetBEUI
Price: $899
• Capacity
– 50 nominal users who are mostly idle and check on occasional text
based e-mail
– 25 mainstream users who use a lot of e-mail and down/up load
moderately sized files
– 10-20 power users who are constantly on the network and deal
Compaq WL300 11 Mbps
• Wireless LAN Software Access Point
• Delivers same features as a WL400, but at a
significantly lower cost
• Enables a computer connected to the wireless
LAN to act as an access point
Price: $125
• Capacity
– 25 nominal users who are mostly idle and check on occasional text
based e-mail
– 15 mainstream users who use a lot of e-mail and down/up load
moderately sized files
– 5-10 power users who are constantly on the network and deal with
large files
Range of Access Points
• Data transmission rates decreases as users
get farther from the access point:
– Up to 100’
– Up to 150’
– Up to 300’
==> Up to 11 Mbps
==> Up to 5.5 Mbps
==> Up to 2 Mbps
Types of Access Points
• Hardware Access Point
– Act as a Router/Bridge between the Wireless and Wired Network
– Has both 10/100 BaseT/10 Base2 connectors and PCMCIA Slot or built in
Radio
– Self Contained Unit
– Can use remote administration to set parameters or monitor network
• Software Access Point
– Runs on an existing computer on the Network in the background
– Can be used with either Win95/98 or Win NT
– Must be used on a computer with both Wireless and wired network
connections
– Can use remote administration to set parameters or monitor network
LAN Models
• Ad-hoc Networking (Peer-to-Peer Networking)
– Known as “Peer-to-Peer” networking
– Easiest to deploy and is ideal for small offices
– Able to share files, printer with other wireless computers that are within
range and in your wireless workgroup
• Infrastructure Networking
– The key difference between a structured wireless network and an Ah-hoc
wireless network is the addition of one extra element:
• An access Point
– Unlike “Peer-to-Peer” networking, where networked computers send data
directly to each other, structured networked computers communicate with
each other through a dedicated Access Point.
– Allows computers on the wireless network to access the wired network’s
resources and tools, including internet access, email, ftp, and print sharing.
LAN Models
Setting up Infrastructure Networking
• Hardware and software equipment:
–
–
–
–
–
Compaq WL400 Hardware Access Point
Wireless Hardware Access Point Software
Compaq WL100 Wireless PC Card (PCMCIA)
Wireless PC Card & PCI Card Software
Dell Notebook
Hardware Access Point Installation
• Plan your wireless LAN layout
– Range of 100 to 300 feet
• Connect the Access Point
– Place the Access Point in the planned location.
– Connect the Power Adapter to the Access Point, and to a power
outlet.
– Raise the antennas to a vertical position.
– Connect an Ethernet RJ-45 cable to an Ethernet jack and to the
Access Point.
– Power on the Access Point.
– Your network is now ready for configuring
Installing AP Manager
• Install AP Manager
– Connect the PC on which you would like to install AP
Manager to the same Ethernet segment as the Access
Point.
– Insert the Compaq Wireless LAN Hardware Access
Point CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM disc
drive.
– Click Start-->Run, and type D:\setup.exe. Click OK.
– Follow the on-screen installation wizard instructions.
Configuring the Access Point
• To run the AP Manager:
– Select Start-->Programs-->AP Manager.
• The AP Manager main window displays:
Configure the Access Point using the
Build from Network Wizard
• In the AP Manager main window, select File-->Build from
Network:
Configure the Access Point using the
Build from Network Wizard
• If the settings are correct, click on Next to accept them, OR
• If the PC is connected to more than one network or if the
detected network address or network mask is wrong, click
on Change. The Network Select dialog box displays:
• Enter the network settings to be used, click on OK to
return to the Network Properties dialog box, then click on
Next.
Configure the Access Point using the
Build from Network Wizard
• The Find Access Points dialog box displays. The Build
from Network wizard scans for and displays all available
Access Points on the network.
Configure the Access Point using the
Build from Network Wizard
• If all Access Points are displayed, click on Next, OR
• If any Access Point intended for your LAN is not
displaying, click on Rescan network to rescan the network
for all Access Points. If all Access Points are now
displayed, click on Next, OR
• To manually assign an IP address to the Access Point, click
on Add manual. The Manual Add Access Point dialog box
displays. Enter the MAC address and a valid IP address.
Click on OK and click on Next.
Configure the Access Point using the
Build from Network Wizard
• The Access Point Settings dialog box displays. Enter the
Network ID (SSID). Only clients and Access Points that
share the same SSID are able to communicate with each
other.
Configure the Access Point using the
Build from Network Wizard
• After you set the SSID and/or Channel, click on Next. It
will take you to the Network Security dialog box:
• The Community String functions as a password for
network management, preventing unauthorized persons
from changing the network security and Access Point
settings. Please enter the Community String.
Configure the Access Point using the
Build from Network Wizard
• To complete the configuration, click on Finish. The
Commit to Network dialog box displays. Access Point
Manager generates a configuration file and updates the
Access Point with new settings.
Configure the Access Point using the
Build from Network Wizard
• Click on Close after Access Point Manager completes the
update.
• To save the configuration file you just created, select
File-->Save in the AP Manager main window. You can
open the saved configuration file anytime you want to
make changes to the network.
Installation of a PC/PCI Card
• There are two steps to the installation of a
wireless PC/PCI Card (Compaq WL100/200)
– Hardware Installation
– Driver and Software Installation
PC/PCI Card Hardware Installation
• Hardware Installation
– For PC Card, with Windows 95 or 98 running,
insert the WL100 LAN card into an available
PCMCIA slot.
– For PCI Card, install the PCI card onto your
computer and power it on. Connect the
external antenna to the PCI card.
– Continue with the Driver and Software
Installation section.
Driver and Software Installation
• Driver and Software Installation
– Insert the Compaq 11 Mbps Wireless LAN CD-ROM.
– Follow the on-screen Windows directions to find and install the
drivers.
– After the driver installation, a System Settings Change dialog box
displays and request to restart the computer, click Yes to accept.
– After Windows has restarted, ensure that the Compaq 11 Mbps
Wireless LAN CD-ROM is in the drive, select Start-->Run, type
D:\setup.exe and click OK. The Welcome dialog box displays.
– Accept the Software License Agreement by clicking Yes.
– Enter the SSID in the SSID field and click Next.
– Select the network mode in which your wireless client computer
will operate and click Next.
– Accept the default installation and program folders for the software
and click Next. Windows Setup copies files and installs the
software
– Select Yes, I want to restart my computer now. Click Finish.
Live Demonstration
Other Wireless Hardware Vendors
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
3-Comm’s Wireless LAN products
Aironet (now owned by Cisco Systems)
BreezeCOM
C-Spec Corporation
Compaq
CYLINK
Dayna Communications
Diablo Research Corporation
Ericcson’s WLAN page
FreeWave
Glenayre
GRE America
Intersil
Hummingbird
Informine
IBM
Inficom
Intel Wireless Products
Kar1Net
Low Power Radio Solutions Ltd.
Lucent Technologies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Microwave Data Systems
Moseley Associates Inc.
NDC Wireless LAN page
Netwave Technologies, Inc.
Nokia Wireless LAN
Nu-Metrics
OTC Telecom
Peek Trafic
Persoft
Pragmatic Communications Systems,
Inc.
Proxim
Pulse Engineering
RDC Communication Ltd.
Solectek
Symbol Technologies Inc.
Systems Alternatives, Inc.
UC Wireless (formerly Utilicom)
WaveAccess Wireless Systems
WaveRider
WiLan
Reference
•
•
•
•
http://www.compaq.com
http://www.cisco.com
http://www.wireless.com
http://www.vicomsoft.com/knowledge/reference/w
ireless1.html
• http://computer.org/students/looking/summer97/ie
ee802.htm
• http://www.internetweek.com/columns01/rash011
501.htm
• http://www.internetweek.com/columns01/rash012
201.htm
Wireless LAN
The End
Thank You!