Wireless LANs

Wireless LANs

1. Defining Wireless LANS

   • Comparing Wireless LANs to Wired LANs
     • Similarities with Wired and Wireless LANs
     • Distance from User Device to Switch or AP
     • Maximum Bit Rates (Speeds)
     • Bit Rate Variations Over Time
     • Shared Bandwidth Versus Dedicated Bandwidth
     • Summary of Comparisons
   • Wireless LAN Standards
     • IEEE WLAN Standards
     • The Wi-Fi Alliance
     • Cooperation and Interoperability
   • WLAN Roles
     • WLAN-Only LAN Edge
     • Wired and Wireless LAN Edge
     • Small Office/Home Office WLANs
     • Single-Site Networks and Public WLAN Hotspots

2. Exploring WLAN Physical Layer Features

   • WLAN Topologies
     • Independent Basic Service Set (Ad Hoc)
     • Basic Service Set
     • Extended Service Set
   • Coverage Areas and Speed
     • Coverage and Speed with an Omnidirectional Antenna
     • Antenna Gain (Power) and Direction
   • Wireless LAN Radio Frequencies
     • Electromagnetic Spectrum
     • Frequency Bands and Government Regulation
     • Frequency Channels
     • Increasing Capacity with Nonoverlapping Channels
   • Key Differences in 802.11 Standards

3. Exploring WLAN Common Features

   • WLAN Frames and Addresses
   • Associating with an Access Point
     • Management and Control Frames
     • Discovering Existing Wireless LANs
     • Associating with an Access Point
   • Access Point Operation
     • Translating 802.3 and 802.11 Data Frames
     • Queuing and Buffering
     • AP Switching Logic