1. Wireless Networks
Dave Abbott

2. Wireless Networking Overview
Wireless networking technologies Include
global voice and data networks, which allow users to establish wireless connections across long distances
to infrared light and radio frequency technologies that are optimized for short-range wireless connections.
Dave Abbott

3. Wireless Networking Overview
Devices commonly used for wireless networking include:-
Laptop computers
Desktop computers
Mobile phones,
Tablets and E-readers.
Wireless devices such as mice and headphones
Dave Abbott

4. Wireless Networking Overview
Wireless technologies serve many practical purposes.
Mobile users can use their cellular phone to access .
Travellers with portable computers can connect to the Internet through base stations installed in airports, railway stations, and other public locations.
At home, users can connect devices on their desktop to synchronize data and transfer files.
Dave Abbott

5. Defining Standards
To lower costs, ensure interoperability, and promote the widespread adoption of wireless technologies
Organizations such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA)
And the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Are participating in several major standardization efforts.
Dave Abbott

6. Defining Standards
For example, IEEE working groups are defining how information is transferred from one device to another
Whether radio waves or infrared light are used, for example
Plus how and when a transmission medium should be used for communications.
By developing wireless networking standards, organizations such as the IEEE address power management, bandwidth, security, and issues that are unique to wireless networking.
Dave Abbott

7. Wireless Network Types
As with wired networks, wireless networks can be classified into different types based on the distances over which data can be transmitted.
Dave Abbott

8. Wireless wide area networks (WWANs)
WWAN technologies enable users to establish wireless connections over remote public or private networks.
These connections can be maintained over large geographical areas, such as cities or countries
Using multiple antenna sites or satellite systems maintained by wireless service providers.
Dave Abbott

9. Wireless wide area networks (WWANs)
Dave Abbott

10. Wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs)
WMAN technologies enable users to establish wireless connections between multiple locations within a metropolitan area
For example, between multiple office buildings in a city or on a university campus, without the high cost of laying fibre or copper cabling and leasing lines.
In addition, WMANs can serve as backups for wired networks, should the primary leased lines for wired networks become unavailable.
Dave Abbott

11. Wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs)
WMANs use either radio waves or Microwave to transmit data.
Broadband wireless access networks, which provide users with high-speed access to the Internet, are now in increasing demand.
City centres are now offering Wireless access through Wi-Fi zones.
One of the largest being City of London Wi-Fi network which offers free Wi-Fi to all.
Dave Abbott

12. Wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs)
Dave Abbott

13. Wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs)
Dave Abbott

14. Wireless local area networks (WLANs)
WLAN technologies enable users to establish wireless connections within a local area
For example, within a corporate or campus building, or in a public space, such as an airport.
WLANs can be used in temporary offices or other spaces where the installation of extensive cabling would be prohibitive, or to supplement an existing LAN so that users can work at different locations within a building at different times.
Dave Abbott

15. Wireless local area networks (WLANs)
WLANs can operate in two different ways.
In infrastructure WLANs, wireless stations (devices with radio network cards or external modems) connect to wireless access points that function as bridges between the stations and the existing network backbone.
Or In peer-to-peer (ad hoc) WLANS, several users within a limited area, such as a conference room, can form a temporary network without using access points, if they do not require access to network resources.
Dave Abbott

16. Wireless local area networks standards
802.11g is a standard, which specifies data transfer at a maximum rate of 54 Mbps over a 2.4 GHz frequency band.
802.11a has 54 Mbps transfer rates but operating a 5 GHz, unfortunately this is not compatible with g
802.11n was designed to improve on g in the amount of bandwidth supported by utilizing multiple wireless signals and antennas (called MIMO technology) instead of one.
The newest generation of Wi-Fi is ac which utilizes dual-band wireless technology, supporting simultaneous connections on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands ac offers backward compatibility to g/n and bandwidth rated up to 1300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band plus up to 450 Mbps on 2.4 GHz.
Dave Abbott

17. Wireless local area networks (WLANs)
Dave Abbott

18. Wireless local area networks (WLANs)
Dave Abbott

19. Wireless personal area networks (WPANs)
WPAN technologies enable users to establish ad hoc, wireless communications for devices (such as PDAs, cellular phones, or laptops) that are used within a personal operating space (POS).
A POS is the space surrounding a person, up to a distance of 10 meters.
Currently, the two key WPAN technologies are Bluetooth and infrared light.
Dave Abbott

20. Wireless personal area networks (WPANs)
Bluetooth is a cable replacement technology that uses radio waves to transmit data to a distance of up to 30 feet.
Bluetooth data can be transferred through walls, pockets, and briefcases.
Technology development for Bluetooth is driven by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which published the Bluetooth version 1.0 specification in the latest Bluetooth version 5 is faster and can transmit 4 times further.
Dave Abbott

21. Wireless personal area networks (WPANs)
Dave Abbott

22. Wireless Networks connectivity
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23. Wireless security
There are three main methods of implementing wireless security
WEP
WPA/ WPA2
MAC address filtering
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24. Wired Equivalent Privacy
WEP was included as the privacy of the original IEEE standard ratified in September 1999
Since 2001, several serious weaknesses in the protocol have been identified by cryptanalysts with the result that today a WEP connection can be cracked with readily available software within minutes
Dave Abbott

25. Wi-Fi Protected Access
WiFi Protected Access (WPA) is the new security standard adopted by the WiFi Alliance consortium. WiFi compliance ensures interoperability between different manufacturer’s equipment.
WPA delivers a level of security way beyond anything that WEP could offer and the new version WPA2 is even more secure
WPA requires users to enter a key in order to access the network this prevents unauthorized access.
Dave Abbott

26. MAC address filtering
Most (Wi-Fi) access points allow the network administrator to enter a list of MAC (Media Access Control) addresses that are allowed to communicate on the network.
This functionality, known as MAC Address Filtering enables the wireless router to deny access to any MAC address not specifically allowed onto the network.
Dave Abbott

27. MAC address filtering
This requires that every new device on the network has it's MAC address entered into the database as an authorized device .
This is performed in the router web interface
Because no software encryption is added there are less overheads so the wireless signal can be stronger
Dave Abbott