Whi h Wireless

Which Wi l Where?
Wh ?
Applying wireless from the rooftop to the desktop

Presented by Ernest Schirmer

Di t T
Director, Technology
h l C
Consulting
lti
Acentech, Inc.
Architectural Acoustics
Str ct ral D
Structural Dynamics
namics
Environmental Noise
Video-Teleconferencing
Telecommunications Systems
Audio Visual and Sound Systems
Audio-Visual
Voice, Data and Multimedia Infrastructure

8 Interplex Dr. Ste 218 Trevose, PA 19053

215-245-8244 eschirmer@acentech.com
 Which Wireless Where?
Applying wireless from the rooftop to the desktop

• Agenda
•Frequency allocation
• Types of wireless connectivity
• The 802 alphabet soup
• Near
Near-field
field magnetic
• Zigbee
• Bluetooth
• Ultra-wideband
• WiFi
 Which Wireless Where?
Applying wireless from the rooftop to the desktop

• Agenda (continued)
• Infrared wireless
•WiMAX
• Microwave and laser technology
• General design considerations
• Survey tools
• WLAN antennae
• Mesh networks
• Power-over-Ethernet
 Which Wireless Where?
Applying wireless from the rooftop to the desktop

• Agenda (continued)
• Cellular telephone vs. WLAN bandwidth
p
• WLAN telephones
• Emerging technologies
• Trivia
• To learn more
• Wireless is already the Next Big Thing.
Wireless Technologies: What are they good for?

• Voice: telephony, radio networks.

• Data: wireless local area networks.
• Security: cameras.
• Video: still, full-motion.
• Building automation and control.
• Sensor telemetry.
• Tracking: GPS, RFID.
• Machine-to-Machine (M2M).
 Sidebar:
Sensor Power Sources
 Sidebar:
P
Power Sources
S
Terminology
Frequency: The number of times per second a
signal repeats. The term “Hertz” (abbreviated
Hz) is used instead of cycles per second to honor
the German scientist, Gustav Hertz.

For example, middle “C” on a piano vibrates 256

times per second or 256 Hz
Hz.
Common Frequency Prefixes: At higher
frequencies, prefixes are used to eliminate the
needd tto write
it outt the
th entire
ti number.
b

• Kilo = 1,000 (thousand)

• Mega = 1,000,000 (million)
• Giga = 1,000,000,000 (billion)
• Tera = 1,000,000,000,000 (trillion)
Licensed Radio Operations: A frequency or
q
radio service that requires coordination with
other users, the approval of the Federal
Communications Commission and the
i
issuing
i off a radio
di license.
li

Examples
p of licensed services:
 Commercial AM/FM and TV stations
 Fire, police and EMS radios
 Some microwave systems
Unlicensed
U li d Radio
R di Operations:
O i A ffrequency
or radio service that does not require a
license from the Federal Communications
Commission.

Examples of unlicensed services:

 Microwave ovens
 Cordless phones
 Citizen band and Family Radio Service
 Remote control cars and planes
 Garage door openers
Note that
N h some radiodi systems may be
b a
combination of licensed and unlicensed
services.

 Companies that operate cell phone

networks must have an FCC license, but
the end-user just buys a phone and starts
using it
it.

 In the United States, a pilot no longer

needs a radio operator’s license (but must
get a license when flying into a foreign
country).
country)
Unlicensed operations are subject to FCC
technical standards and specifications.
However, assuming the equipment is operating
correctly and meets FCC specifications, there is
no protection from interference.

The main subject of this course will be the

unlicensed 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, &
Medical ((ISM)) band of frequencies. As the
name ISM implies, many different types of
equipment are designed to use the same
q
frequencies. Under the right
g conditions this
can lead to interference and poor
communications.
Frequency
q y Assignments
g
 AM Radio

TV TV TV TV
2/4 5/6 FM 7/13
Common examples:
C l
300 Hz - 4 Kilohertz (KHz)
telephone bandwidth

880 Kilohertz (KHz):

AM radio station

101 5 Megahertz (MHz):

101.5
FM radio station

2.4 Gigahertz (GHz):

Microwave ovens, WLANs
– AM R
Radio:
di 580 tto 1610 Kil
Kilohertz
h t (KH
(KHz))

– Low band VHF TV: 54 - 88 Megahertz (MHz)

– (channels 2 to 6)

– FM Radio: 88 - 108 MHz

– Aviation: 108 to 136 MHz

– High
Hi h b
bandd VHF TV
TV: 174 tto 216 MH
MHz
– (channels 7 – 13).
– Unlicensed radio equipment:
 Baby monitors, cordless phones, CB
radios, walkie-talkies,
radios walkie talkies etc.
etc
– Industrial, Medical, Scientific (ISM)
 902 - 928 MHz
cordless phones
 2.400-2.483 Gigahertz (GHz)
Microwave ovens, amateur radio
 5.150-5.350 GHz US)
 5.725-5.825 GHz (Canada)
– No FCC protection from interference.
 Primary Unlicensed Frequency Allocations
902MHz 928MHz 2.4000GHz 2.4835GHz 5.725GHz 5.850GHz

900MHz 2.4GHz 5.8GHz

The 2.4
Th 2 4 GH
GHz bband
d iis authorized
th i d
worldwide for unlicensed operations.
Types of Wireless Connectivity
Wireless Networking: Making it Work
Specialized Equipment
 Useful Range vs
vs. Technology

• Ultra short-range: Near-Field Magnetic Communications

• Very short-range: Zigbee

• Short-range: Bluetooth, Ultra-Wide Band

• Enterprise: WiFi

• Metro or Campus: WiMAX

• Point-to-Point: WiFi, microwave, laser

Useful Range vs. Data Rate
The Alphabet Soup of Wireless
Networking Standards
– 802.1x Extensible Authorization Protocol.
– 802.11a 54 Mbps at 5 GHz.
– 802.11b 11 Mbps at 2.4 GHz.
– 802.11d International freq. coordination
– 802.11e Quality of Service.
– 802.11f Access Point Interoperability.
– 802.11g
802 11 54 Mpbs
M b att 22.4
4 GH
GHz.**
*802.11b compatible.
– 802.11h Adds frequency and power control to
802.11a.
– 802.11i
802 i Enhanced
h d security
i and d encryption.
i
Requires “forklift” upgrade if using first-
generation equipment
equipment.
– 802.11k Advanced radio resource mgmt.
– 802.11n Multiple input/Multiple output
(MiMo)
Multiple antennae, 600+ Mbps data rate
– 802.11p Automotive 5.9 GHz band for direct
short-range communications.
– 802.11r Fast roaming between APs
– 802.
802.11s
s Extended
te ded Se
Service
ce Set ((Mesh)
es )
– 802.11u Internetworking
(e.g. WiFi to cellular)
– 802.11v Wireless network management
– 802.11w Protected management frames
– 802.11x User-authentication
– 802.15 Personal Area Networks
– 802.16 Broadband wireless local access.
 “Last mile” access in competition with telephone and
cable service providers.
– 802.20 Mobil Broadband Wireless Access
 Low latency (< 20 ms)
ms).
 Realtime data rates up to 1 Mbps at 150 MPH
 Porsche has done field trials of 1 Mbps at 206 MPH.
 Ultra Short-range:
g
Near Field Magnetic
Communications
– NFMC
– Standard: None (Proprietary).
– Range:
R 4 tto 6 ffeet.
t
– Data Rate: 384 kilobits/second (typical)
– Frequency: 10 – 15 megahertz range.
– Power: 100 nanowatts.
– Relatively unaffected by conductive (metal)
objects or people.
people

 The strength of the magnetic field “bubble” decreases

at the 6th power with distance compared to radiated
electric fields which decrease at the 2nd power.
– NFMC
– Battery life (1 AA cell): 25 hours active use;
3 months on standby.
– Current applications: wireless audio and
headsets.
– Chipset manufactured by Aura
Communications.

– Note: NFMC is not the same as NFM. NFM

refers to Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) technology.
 Very Short-range:
Short range:
Personal Area Networks (PAN)
Zigbee
– ZIGBEE
– Standard: IEEE 802
802.15.4
15 4
– Range: 30 to 300 feet
– Data Rate: 20 Kbps
p ((868 MHz))
– Data Rate: 40 Kbps (915 MHz)
– Data Rate: 250 Kbps (2.4 GHz)
– Power: <10 microamps (sleep mode)
– ZIGBEE
– Up to 255 nodes per network
network.
– Very low-cost electronics (<$2).
– Securityy was not ppart of original
g
specification.
– Latest specification includes three levels of
security.
– Minimal hardware requirements.
 Short-range:
Personal Area Networks (PAN):
Bl t th
Bluetooth
– BLUETOOTH
– Standard: IEEE 802.15.1
– Range: 30 to 300 feet.
– Data
D t Rate:
R t 723 Kilobits/second
Kil bit / d (Kbps)
(Kb )
– Data Rate: 3 megabits/second (peak).
– Power: <100 microamps (sleep mode)mode).
– 79 1 MHz channels.
– Upp to 7 clients form a ppiconet. Multiple
p
piconets can link to form scatternets.
 Short-range:
g
Ultra-Wideband
– ULTRA-WIDEBAND
– Sta
Standard:
da d: None*
o e (based o
on IEEE
802.15.3a)
– Range: 6 to 30 feet.
– Data Rate: 480 Mbps at 6 feet.
– Data Rate: 110 Mbps at 30 feet.

– IEEE UWB committee disbanded at meeting in Hawaii

January 19, 2006.
Enterprise WiFi
Standard Freq. Typ. Data Max. Data
Rate Rate
802.11a 5 GHz 25 Mbps 54 Mbps
802.11b 2.4 GHz 6.5 Mbps 11 Mbps
802.11g 2.4 GHz 25 Mbps 54 Mpbs
802.11n 2.4 GHz 200 Mbps
p 540 Mbps
p
5 GHz
• Conservative design assumptions suggest:
• 802 11b ~100’
802.11b 100 radius for 11 Mbps
Mbps.
• 802.11a ~ 50’ radius for 54 Mbps.
• 802.11gg ~ 50’ radius for 22/54
/ Mbps.
p
• 802.11n ~ 50’ radius for 100 Mbps.
• Building materials and contents affect range.
Infrared Wireless Technology
gy
• Historical note: Many wireless networking
technologies
g had an infrared interface,, but it
is rarely ever implemented.
• Once common on printers and laptops (the
little ruby-red
y window).
)
Metro
M t or CCampus:
WiMAX
– Standard: 802.16 (point-to-point).
– Standard: 802.16a (omnidirectional).
– Range:
R ~30
30 miles.
il
– Data Rate: 70 Mbps.
– Frequency: 10 – 60 GHz (802.16).
– Frequency: 2 – 11 GHz (802.16a).
– Power: 20 watts average power (typ).
– Designed to support mobile connectivity at
speeds up to >60 mph.
 Point-to-Point:
Point to Point:
Microwave & Laser
• Microwave
– Range g 2 to 30 miles depending
p g on
frequency.
 2 miles at 30 GHz - 30 miles at 2 GHz
– Multiple channels
channels.
 Modular systems add bandwidth as
needed.
 4 T1 circuits
i i plus
l analog
l video.
id
– License required, but easily obtained.
 Frequency
q y coordination eliminates
interference.
 Frequencies relatively easy to get.
– Cost effective at about $30,000 per link,
iinstalled.
t ll d
– No preventive maintenance.
– Subject
j to signal
g fade, ice, rain, etc.
• Laser
– Highest bandwidth available.
 Multiple T3s to 155 Mbps ATM.
 OC-3 (155 Mbps) to OC-48 (2.488 Gbps).
– 1,000 meter range.
– No license required.
required
– Cost effective at about $20,000 per link,
installed.
– Requires preventive maintenance.
– Subject to vibration, heat distortion, blocking
by sunlight, etc.
– Also known as Free Space Optical
Networking.
General Design Considerations
 A nna
Anten
Coverrage
C
Networking
ki

M lity
Mobil
N t

M agemeent
Mana
Admin
A nistra
ation
n
Wireless
Wi l S
Secur
rity
 Design Issues We Have Control Of:

 Suitable frequency or service

 Coverage (area)
 Capacity (simultaneous users)
 Bandwidth (applications)
( pp )
 Transmitting power (may be regulated)
 Channel selection
 Cabling
 El t i power
Electric
 Signal security
 Physical security
Design Issues We Don’t
Don t Have Control Of:

 Other users (same service or frequency)

 Building construction
 Signal reflection, deflection, refraction, etc.
 Rouge users (if no or weak security)
 Rouge WLAN access points (if access control
not used)
Terminology
Decibel:
D ib l Gain
G i (increase)
(i ) or loss
l (decrease)
(d ) off
signal strength measured as a ratio against a
standard or other reference value.
The ratio is expressed mathematically as:

dB = 10 log
l 10 (P1/P2)
Example: log10 (100/10) = 2
10 (2) = 20 dB
Common (power) dB values to remember are:
 3 dB = times 2 increase or 1/2 decrease
 6 dB = times 4 increase or 1/4 decrease
 20 dB = times 10 increase or 1/10 decrease
Attenuation: Signal loss caused by
transmission through a wire, the air, or
objects
bj t located
l t d between
b t the
th transmitter
t itt and
d
the receiver.
Attenuation: Radio signals traveling through
free space are attenuated according to a
“
“square law”
l ” formula.
f l

Signal strength = q/r2

Where q = signal source and r = distance

from the source.
source

 double the distance and the signal

d
decreases b
by a ffactor
t off 4 (or
( 1/4 off its
it prior
i
value).
 Common Building Materials
Attenuation at 2.4 GHz
( ll values
(all l are approximate)
i t )

Glass (non-tinted)-2 to -3 dB
Wood door -3 dB
Systems furniture -3 to -5 dB
Dry wall (sheetrock) -3
3 to -4
4 dB
Marble -5 dB
Brick -8 dB to -10 dB
C
Concrete
t (floor/wall)
(fl / ll) -10
10 tto -15
15 dB
Design Issues: Received Signal Strength

Pr = (Pt)(Gt)(Gr)(l/4πd)2
Where:
Pr Received p power
Pt Effective radiated power
Gt Antenna gain
Gr Receiver gain
λ wavelength in meters
π pi (3.1415962…..)
d distance in meters
Design Issues: Path Loss:
Path LossdB = 20 log (4l/π)+10 log (dn)
Where:
λ wavelength
l th in
i meters
t
π pi (3.1415962…..)
d distance in meters
n=
2.0 free space.
2 7 to 3
2.7 3.5
5 outdoor urban areas
areas.
3.0 to 5.0 shadowed outdoor urban areas.
1.6 to 1.8 in-building, direct line-of-sight.
3 0 tto 3
3.0 3.5
5 iin-building,
b ildi fabric
f b i covered
d
partitions.
4.0 to 6.0 in-building, obstructed, office.
2.0 to 3.0 in-building, obstructed,
warehouse.
 Design Issues: Link Budget:

Pr = Pt + Gt + Gr – Path loss - Lr

Where:
Pr Received power
Pt Effective radiated ppower
Gt Antenna gain
Gr Receiver gain
LR Receiver loss ((noise figure)*
g )
*A common specification for receiver
sensitivity is -93 dB.
Th iis, the
That h signal
i l at the
h receiver
i must be
b
at least -93 dB to be detected.
 Typical WLAN
Network Configuration
 Sit Survey
Site S

 For some radio systems a site survey can be

done. This involves measuring the signal
strength at specific locations or a given distance
f
from a test
t t antenna.
t

 After the survey is completed a contour map is

drawn. The lines on the map connect points of
equal signal strength just as the lines on a
weather map connect points of equal barometric
pressure.
 Site Survey

 Although this can be done for a WLAN it is much

more common to take a laptop and walk the
building to determine where additional access
points are needed to obtain reliable coverage in a
given area.
((Relatively)
y) Inexpensive
p Site Survey
y Tools
Wireless Networking Performance
• There can be large differences between the
specifications given in a manufacturer’s data
sheet and performance in the real world.
world
• Signal-to-noise ratio determines data rate.
g vs. Capacity
• Coverage p y Planning
g
WLAN Antennae
• Rough Rules of Thumb
– Doubling the height of an antenna has
approximately the same affect as increasing
transmitter power by a factor of 10.
– BUT doubling the height of an antenna or
increasing transmitting power by a factor of
ten does not double the coverage area. As a
rule
l off thumb,
th b reliable
li bl operating
ti range
increases by approximately 30%.
 Antenna Radiation Patterns

Non-directional
N di ti l
antenna

Directional
antenna
 Misc. Antennas

“Rubber Omni-directional Ceiling Antenna

Ducky”™
flexible antenna

Directional YAGI Antenna

Faceplate Antenna Slotted Coaxial Cable

 Ceiling
g Tile Antenna

• Armstrong iCeiling Product Line

– Dual-band
D l b d cellular
ll l + 2
2.4
4 GH
GHz 802
802.11b
11b antennas
t
Flat-panel (Patch) Antenna
External Directional Antenna
Tech Tools
Emerging
e g g Technologies
ec o og es
16 radios
16 antennae (22.5 degrees per sector)
1,000 users
1 GB Ethernet
Ti i
Trivia
 Which female Hollywood star invented spread
spectrum technology and received patent
#2,292,387 on Aug. 11, 1942?
(Technology first put into use during the 1962
C b
Cuban missile
i il crisis)
i i )
Hint: Born in Austria
Hint: Dropped out of school
Hint: Married six times
Hint: Worked with George g Antheil
Hint: Ms. Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler
Hint: HL
To Learn More
Newton s Telecom Dictionary
Newton’s
Author: Harry Newton
Publisher: Flatiron Publishing
• ISBN 0-979-38733-7

The
e one
o e to buy if you
you’re
e
buying only one!
Practical Packet Analysis:
Using Wireshark to Solve Real
World Network Problems
Author: Chris Sanders
Publisher: No Starch Press
ISBN: 11-593-27149-2
593 27149 2
The ARRL Handbook
Author: American Radio
Relay League (ARRL)
Publisher: ARRL
ISBN: 0-872-59144-1
Electromagnetics Explained
Author: Ron Schmitt
Publisher: Newnes
ISBN: 00-750-67403-2
750 67403 2
www.spiceworks.com
Thank You
Ernest Schirmer
Di
Director, Technology
T h l Consulting
C li
Acentech, Inc.
8 Interplex
I t l Drive,
D i Suite
S it 218
Trevose, PA 19053
215 - 245 - 7125
eschirmer@acentech.com
www acentech com
www.acentech.com