Wireless local area networks (WLANs) use either radio frequency or infrared transmission to connect devices within a local coverage area and provide internet access through an access point. There are two main network architectures - infrastructure networks with an access point that controls communication, and ad-hoc networks that allow direct communication between nodes without infrastructure. IEEE 802.11 standards define the physical and media access control layers for wireless LANs and allow them to integrate with wired Ethernet networks through bridges.

1. MOBILE
COMMUNICATION
Wireless
LAN

2. INTRODUCTION
• A wireless local area network (WLAN) links two or
more devices using some wireless distribution
method, and usually providing a connection
through an access point to the wider internet. This
gives users the mobility to move around within a
local coverage area and still be connected to the
network. Most modern WLANs are based on IEEE
802.11 standards, marketed under the Wi-Fi brand
name. Wireless LANs have become popular in the
home due to ease of installation, and in
commercial complexes offering wireless access to
their customers for free.

3. Infra red vs Radio Transmission
• Today, two different basic transmission
technologies can be used to set up WLANs.
• One technology is based on the transmission
of infra red light, the other one, which is much
more popular, uses radio transmission in the
GHz range.
• Both technologies
• can be used to set up ad-hoc connections for
work groups, to connect, e.g., a desktop
• with a printer without a wire, or to support
mobility within a small area.

4. • Infra red technology uses diffuse light
reflected at walls, furniture etc. or directed
light if a line-of-sight (LOS) exists between
sender and receiver. Senders can be simple
light emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes.
• The main advantages of infra red technology
are its simple and extremely cheap senders
and receivers which are integrated into nearly
all mobile devices available today.
PDAs, laptops, notebooks, mobile phones etc.
have an infra red data association (IrDA)
interface.
• No licenses are needed for infra red
technology and shielding is very simple.
• Electrical devices do not interfere with infra
red transmission.

5. • Advantages of radio transmission include the
long-term experiences made with radio
transmission for wide area networks
(e.g., microwave links) and mobile cellular
phones. Radio transmission can cover larger
areas and can penetrate (thinner)
walls, furniture, plants etc.

6. Infrastructure networks
• Many WLANs of today need
an infrastructure network.
Infrastructure networks not
only provide access to other
networks, but also include
forwarding functions, medium
access control etc. In these
infrastructure-based wireless
networks, communication
typically takes place only
between the wireless nodes
and the access point, but not
directly between the wireless
nodes.

7. • Typically, the design of infrastructure-based
wireless networks is simpler because most
of the network functionality lies within the
access point, whereas the wireless clients
can remain quite simple. This structure is
reminiscent of switched Ethernet or other
star-based networks, where a central
element (e.g., a switch) controls network
flow. This type of network can use different
access schemes with or without collision.
Collisions may occur if medium access of
the wireless nodes and the access point is
not coordinated. However, if only the
access point controls medium access, no
collisions are possible.

8. Ad-hoc networks
• Ad-hoc wireless networks, however, do not
need any infrastructure to work. Each node
can communicate directly with other
nodes, so no access point controlling medium
access is necessary.

9. • The network is ad hoc because it does not rely on a
preexisting infrastructure, such as routers in wired
networks or access points in managed
(infrastructure) wireless networks.
Instead, each node participates in routing by
forwarding data for other nodes, and so the
determination of which nodes forward data is made
dynamically based on the network connectivity. In
addition to the classic routing, ad hoc networks can
use flooding for forwarding the data.
• In ad-hoc networks, the complexity of each node is
higher because every node has to implement
medium access mechanisms, mechanisms to
handle hidden or exposed terminal problems, and
perhaps priority mechanisms, to provide a certain
quality of service.

10. System architecture
• Wireless networks can exhibit two different basic system
architectures, infrastructure-based or ad-hoc.
• Figure shows the components of an infrastructure and a
wireless part as specified for IEEE 802.11.

11. • Several nodes, called stations (STAi), are connected to
access points (AP).
• Stations are terminals with access mechanisms to the
wireless medium and radio contact to the AP.
• The stations and the AP which are within the same radio
coverage form a basic service set (BSSi). The example
shows two BSSs – BSS1 and BSS2 – which are connected
via a distribution system.
• A distribution system connects several BSSs via the AP to
form a single network and thereby extends the wireless
coverage area. This network is now called an extended
service set (ESS) and has its own identifier, the ESSID.
• The ESSID is the ‘name’ of a network and is used to
separate different networks. Without knowing the ESSID
(and assuming no hacking) it should not be possible to
participate in the WLAN.

12. • In addition to infrastructure-based
networks, IEEE 802.11 allows the building of
ad-hoc networks between stations, thus
forming one or more independent BSSs (IBSS)
as shown in Figure

13. Protocol architecture
• As indicated by the standard number, IEEE 802.11
fits seamlessly into the other 802.x standards for
wired LANs. Figure shows the most common
scenario of IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN connected to a
switched IEEE 802.3 Ethernet via a bridge.

14. PHY and MAC layer of IEEE 802.11

15. Made by:
Jagjit Singh Wilku