Open-source 4G radio:
It's time to start WiMAX and LTE hacking

        Alexander Chemeris
Disclaimer


             I'm not an expert,
                I'm a hacker.



Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
I'm hacking WiMAX.

               You should too.


Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
Mobile WiMAX
 ●
   Standardized by WiMAX Forum
 ●
   Air interface - a profile of IEEE 802.16-
   2009 OFDMA mode.
        ●
            IEEE 802.16 — http://goo.gl/SUpqE
        ●
            WiMAX profies — http://goo.gl/k1xjK
 ●
   Deployed release 1.5.
 ●
   Core network - IETF protocols


Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
Mobile WiMAX vs LTE
 Mobile WiMAX
 ● developed by Internet Providers community
 ● «evolution of WiFi»


 ● appeared first




 LTE
 ● developed by telecom community
 ● based on WiMAX ideas


 ● but with other patents



Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
Orthogonal frequency-division
         multiplexing (OFDM)




 Refer to "Intuitive Guide to Principles of Communications"
 Tutorial 22 - Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM, DMT):
 http://www.complextoreal.com/chapters/ofdm2.

Alexander Chemeris         @chemeris         Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
OFDMA (frequency)
                                                 combined




                                                 user 1

                                                 user 2

                                                 user 3

                                                 user 4

                                     frequency

Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
OFDMA (time and frequency)




Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
TDD and FDD
            Frequency Division                         Time Division
             Duplexing (FDD)                          Duplexing (FDD)
                                                          default

               DL       DL                     DL        UL       DL       UL
frequency




               UL       UL
                radio    radio                   radio             radio
               frame    frame                   frame             frame


                                             time

Alexander Chemeris               @chemeris          Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
WiMAX frame




Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
WiMAX frame




Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
OFDMA frame




Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
Mobile WiMAX
 ●
   Many bands, mostly 2 GHz — 5 GHz
 ●
   Scalable bandwidth: 1.5 MHz — 20 MHz
 ●
   Usually TDD
 ●
   Supports various MIMO and beam-forming




Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
LTE differences
 ●
   Uplink uses SC-FDMA for power efficiency
 ●
   Power efficient synchronization
 ●
   More dynamic parameters at PHY level
 ●
   Hierarchical telecom-like protocol

 For details: http://goo.gl/HAAgm



Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
wimax-scanner
 ●
   Mobile WiMAX receiver
 ●
   LGPL
 ●
   Matlab code for broadcast decoding
 ●
   Wireshark for MAC layer decoding



     http://code.google.com/p/wimax-scanner

Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
wimax-scanner ToDo
 ●
   Port to C(++)
 ●
   Improve algorithms in Matlab
 ●
   More WiMAX recordings
 ●
   More WiMAX recordings in MIMO mode
 ●
   Transmitter side

     http://code.google.com/p/wimax-scanner

Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
Other open-source 3G&4G
     UMTS and LTE implementations in GPL
      http://www.openairinterface.org

 ●
   Closed style development
 ●
   Targets academia
 ●
   Hackers should engage


Alexander Chemeris   @chemeris   Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
Alexander Chemeris

Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
      twitter: @chemeris

         Radio Village
      local GSM: 901138

Open source 4G radio

  • 1.
    Open-source 4G radio: It'stime to start WiMAX and LTE hacking Alexander Chemeris
  • 2.
    Disclaimer I'm not an expert, I'm a hacker. Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 3.
    I'm hacking WiMAX. You should too. Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 4.
    Mobile WiMAX ● Standardized by WiMAX Forum ● Air interface - a profile of IEEE 802.16- 2009 OFDMA mode. ● IEEE 802.16 — http://goo.gl/SUpqE ● WiMAX profies — http://goo.gl/k1xjK ● Deployed release 1.5. ● Core network - IETF protocols Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 5.
    Mobile WiMAX vsLTE Mobile WiMAX ● developed by Internet Providers community ● «evolution of WiFi» ● appeared first LTE ● developed by telecom community ● based on WiMAX ideas ● but with other patents Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 6.
    Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) Refer to "Intuitive Guide to Principles of Communications" Tutorial 22 - Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM, DMT): http://www.complextoreal.com/chapters/ofdm2. Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 7.
    OFDMA (frequency) combined user 1 user 2 user 3 user 4 frequency Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 8.
    OFDMA (time andfrequency) Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 9.
    TDD and FDD Frequency Division Time Division Duplexing (FDD) Duplexing (FDD) default DL DL DL UL DL UL frequency UL UL radio radio radio radio frame frame frame frame time Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 10.
    WiMAX frame Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 11.
    WiMAX frame Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 12.
    OFDMA frame Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 13.
    Mobile WiMAX ● Many bands, mostly 2 GHz — 5 GHz ● Scalable bandwidth: 1.5 MHz — 20 MHz ● Usually TDD ● Supports various MIMO and beam-forming Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 14.
    LTE differences ● Uplink uses SC-FDMA for power efficiency ● Power efficient synchronization ● More dynamic parameters at PHY level ● Hierarchical telecom-like protocol For details: http://goo.gl/HAAgm Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 15.
    wimax-scanner ● Mobile WiMAX receiver ● LGPL ● Matlab code for broadcast decoding ● Wireshark for MAC layer decoding http://code.google.com/p/wimax-scanner Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 16.
    wimax-scanner ToDo ● Port to C(++) ● Improve algorithms in Matlab ● More WiMAX recordings ● More WiMAX recordings in MIMO mode ● Transmitter side http://code.google.com/p/wimax-scanner Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 17.
    Other open-source 3G&4G UMTS and LTE implementations in GPL http://www.openairinterface.org ● Closed style development ● Targets academia ● Hackers should engage Alexander Chemeris @chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com
  • 18.
    Alexander Chemeris Alexander.Chemeris@gmail.com twitter: @chemeris Radio Village local GSM: 901138