Wireless LAN Components

Wireless LANs consist of components similar to traditional Ethernet-wired LANs. In fact,

wireless LAN protocols are similar to Ethernet and comply with the same form factors. The big
difference, however, is that wireless LANs don't require wires.

User Devices

Users of wireless LANs operate a multitude of devices, such as PCs, laptops, and PDAs. The use
of wireless LANs to network stationary PCs is beneficial because of limited needs for wiring.
Laptops and PDAs, however, are commonly equipped with wireless LAN connectivity because
of their portable nature. User devices might consist of specialized hardware as well. For
example, bar code scanners and patient monitoring devices often have wireless LAN
connectivity.

Radio NICs

A major part of a wireless LAN includes a radio NIC that operates within the computer device
and provides wireless connectivity. A wireless LAN radio NIC, sometimes referred to as a radio
card, often implements the 802.11 standard. The cards generally implement one particular
physical layer, such as 802.11a or 802.11b/g. As a result, the radio card must utilize a version of
the standard that is compatible with the wireless LAN. Wireless LAN radio cards that implement
multiple versions of the standard and provide better interoperability are becoming more
common.

Radio cards come in a variety of form factors, including: ISA, PCI, PC card, mini-PCI, and CF.
PCs generally utilize ISA and PCI cards; but PDAs and laptops use PC cards, mini-PCI, and CF
adapters.

Access Points

An access point contains a radio card that communicates with individual user devices on the
wireless LAN, as well as a wired NIC that interfaces to a distribution system, such as Ethernet.
System software within the access point bridges together the wireless LAN and distribution sides
of the access point. The system software differentiates access points by providing varying
degrees of management, installation, and security functions. Figure 5-1 shows an example of
access-point hardware.

Figure 5-1. Wireless LAN Access Points Connect Wireless LANs to Wired Networks (Photo
Courtesy of Linksys)

In most cases, the access point provides an http interface that enables configuration changes to
the access point through an end-user device that is equipped with a network interface and a web
browser. Some access points also have a serial RS-232 interface for configuring the access point
through a serial cable as well as a user device running terminal emulation and Telnet software,
such as hyper terminal.

Configuring an Access Point

Look at the basic radio configuration settings for a Cisco 350 access point. These types
of settings are common for other access points as well.

One parameter that you should set is the service set identifier (SSID). The SSID
provides a name for the specific wireless LAN that users will associate with. For
security purposes, it's a good idea to set the SSID to something other than the default
value.

For most applications, set the transmit power of the access point to the highest value,
which is typically 100 milliwatt (mW) in the United States. This will maximize the
range of the wireless LAN. The actual maximum effective power output is 1 watt, but
the lower transmit power allows enough margin to allow the use of a higher-gain
antenna and still remain within limitations.

In the United States, set the access point to operate on any one of the channels in the
range from 1 through 11. When installing only one access point, it doesn't matter which
channel you choose. If you install multiple access points, or you know of a nearby
wireless LAN within range of yours, you need to select different non-overlapping
channels (such as channels 1, 6, and 11) for each access point within range of one
another.

As a minimum, activate wired equivalent privacy (WEP) encryption as a minimum

level of security. You'll need to assign an encryption key that all user devices will need
in order to interface with the access point with encrypted data. If you choose to
implement 40-bit keys, enter 10 hexadecimal characters, with each character having the
value of 1 through 9 or A through F. The 104-bit keys require 26 hexadecimal
characters. Keep in mind that 40-bit keys correspond with 64-bit encryption and 104-
bit keys correspond with 128-bit encryption to the addition of a 24-bit initialization
vector in both cases.

Routers

By definition, a router transfers packets between networks. The router chooses the next best link
to send packets on to get closer to the destination. Routers use Internet Protocol (IP) packet
headers and routing tables, as well as internal protocols, to determine the best path for each
packet.

A wireless LAN router adds a built-in access point function to a multiport Ethernet router. This
combines multiple Ethernet networks with wireless connections. A typical wireless LAN router
includes four Ethernet ports, an 802.11 access point, and sometimes a parallel port so it can be a
print server. This gives wireless users the same ability as wired users to send and receive packets
over multiple networks.
Routers implement the Network Address Translation (NAT) protocol that enables multiple
network devices to share a single IP address provided by an Internet service provider (ISP).
Figure 5-2 illustrates this concept. Routers also implement Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP) services for all devices. DHCP assigns private IP addresses to devices. Together, NAT
and DHCP make it possible for several network devices, such as PCs, laptops, and printers to
share a common Internet IP address.

Figure 5-2. NAT and DHCP Are Essential Protocols That Routers Implement

Wireless LAN routers offer strong benefits in the home and small office setting. For example,
you can subscribe to a cable modem service that provides a single IP address through DHCP to
the router, and the router then provides IP addresses through DHCP to clients on your local
network. NAT then maps a particular client on the local network to the ISP-assigned IP address
whenever that client needs to access the Internet. As a result, you need a router if you plan to
have more than one networked device on a local network sharing a single ISP-assigned address.
Instead of having one box for the router and another box for the access point, a wireless LAN
router provides both in the same box. Routers, however, are seldom used in larger
implementations, such as hospitals and company headquarters. In these cases, access points are
best because the network will have existing wired components that deal with IP addresses.

Repeaters

Access points, which require interconnecting cabling, generally play a dominant role for
providing coverage in most wireless LAN deployments. Wireless repeaters, however, are a way
to extend the range of an existing wireless LAN instead of adding more access points. There are
few standalone wireless LAN repeaters on the market, but some access points have a built-in
repeater mode.

A repeater simply regenerates a network signal to extend the range of the existing network
infrastructure. (See Figure 5-3.) A wireless LAN repeater does not physically connect by wire to
any part of the network. Instead, it receives radio signals from an access point, end-user device,
or another repeater; it retransmits the frames. This makes it possible for a repeater located
between an access point and distant user to act as a relay for frames traveling back and forth
between the user and the access point.

Figure 5-3. Wireless LAN Repeaters Are Simple Devices That Require No Cabling

As a result, wireless repeaters are an effective solution to overcome signal impairments such as
RF attenuation. For example, repeaters provide connectivity to remote areas that normally would
not have wireless network access. An access point in a home or small office might not quite
cover the entire area where users need connectivity, such as a basement or patio. The placement
of a repeater between the covered and uncovered areas, however, will provide connectivity
throughout the entire space. The wireless repeater fills holes in coverage, enabling seamless
roaming.

A downside of wireless repeaters, however, is that they reduce performance of a wireless LAN. A
repeater must receive and retransmit each frame on the same radio channel, which effectively
doubles the amount of traffic on the network. This problem compounds when using multiple
repeaters, because each repeater will duplicate the data sent. Therefore, be sure to plan the use of
repeaters sparingly.

Antennae
Most antennae for wireless LANs are omnidirectional and have low gain. Nearly all access
points, routers, and repeaters come standard with omnidirectional antennae. Omnidirectional
antennae satisfy most coverage requirements; however, consider the use of optional directive
antennae to cover a long, narrow area. In some cases, the antenna is integrated within a radio
card or access point and there is no choice to make. If a need exists to use a directive antenna
(higher gain), ensure that the radio card or access point has an external antenna connector.