Lecture 5: Wireless

Local Area Networks

Dr. Reynold Cheng

This lecture is based on the textbook “W. Stallings, Wireless Communications and
Networks, Prentice Hall, 2001”, the slides (prepared by Tom Fronckowiak) and figures
provided at the Web site of the textbook, the lecture slides of Prof. Henry Chan and Prof.
Victor Leung.
Class Objectives
 LAN applications
 Types of applications
 Wireless LAN Infrastructure
 Requirements
 Wireless LAN Categories
 Infrared
(IR) LANs
 Spread Spectrum LANs
 Narrowband microwave

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Wireless LAN Applications
 LAN Extension
 Cross-building interconnect
 Nomadic Access
 Ad hoc networking

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LAN Extension
 Historical buildings have insufficient wirings and drilling
holes is prohibited
 Installation & maintenance of wired LAN not economical
 Wireless LAN is linked into a wired LAN on same premises
 Wired LAN
 Backbone
 Support servers and stationary workstations
 Wireless LAN
 Stations in large open areas
 Manufacturing plants, stock exchange trading floors, and warehouses

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Single-cell Wireless LAN

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Configuration of LAN Extension
 Control Module (CM)
 Interface for the wired LAN backbone to the
wireless LAN
 Access control logic (e.g., polling or token-
passing) to regulate access from end systems
 User Module (UM)
A hub that controls stations off a wired LAN

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Multiple-cell Wireless LAN

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Cross-Building Interconnect
 Connect LANs in nearby buildings
 Wired or wireless LANs
 Point-to-point wireless link is used
 Devices connected are typically bridges or
routers

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Nomadic Access
 Wireless link between a LAN hub and a
mobile data terminal equipped with an antenna
 Laptop computer or notepad computer
 Uses:
 Transfer data from a portable computer to an office
server
 Extended environment such as campus

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Infrastructure wireless LAN

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Ad Hoc Networking
 Temporary peer-to-peer
network set up to meet
immediate needs
 Example:
 Group of employees with
laptops convene for a
meeting; employees link
computers in a
temporary network for
duration of meeting

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Wireless LAN Requirements
 Throughput
 The media access control protocol should make as efficient use as
possible of the wireless medium
 Number of nodes
 Wireless LANs may need to support hundreds of nodes across multiple
cells
 Connection to backbone LAN
 Interconnection with stations on a wired backbone LAN
 Service area
 A typical converge area for a wireless LAN has a diameter of 100 to
300 m
 Battery power consumption
 Mobile battery-powered workstations need to have a long battery life

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Wireless LAN Requirements
 Transmission robustness and security
 Wireless LAN must permit reliable transmission and should
provide some level of security from eavesdropping
 Collocated network operation
 Interference (produced by 2 or more wireless LANs close to each
other) may thwart the normal operation of a MAC algorithm and
may allow unauthorized access to a particular LAN
 License-free operation
 Users would not prefer to secure a license for the frequency band
used by the LAN
 Handoff/roaming
 The MAC protocol used in wireless LAN should enable mobile
stations to move from one cell to another
 Dynamic configuration
 Addition, deletion and relocation of end systems should be
operated dynamically and automated without disruption to other
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Kiviat Graphs for Data Networks

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Wireless LAN Categories
 Based on transmission media
 Infrared (IR) LANs
 Microwave Radio
 Spreadspectrum LANs
 Narrowband microwave

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Comparison of Wireless LAN Technologies

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Strengths of Infrared over
Microwave Radio
 Spectrum for infrared virtually unlimited
 Possibility of high data rates
 Infrared spectrum unregulated
 Equipment inexpensive and simple
 Reflected by light-colored objects
 Ceiling reflection for entire room coverage
 Doesn’t penetrate walls
 More easily secured against eavesdropping
 Less interference between different rooms
 Can construct a very large infrared LAN
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Drawbacks of Infrared Medium
 Indoor environments experience infrared
background radiation
 Sunlight and indoor lighting
 Ambient radiation appears as noise in an infrared
receiver
 Transmitters of higher power required
 Limited by concerns of eye safety and excessive power
consumption
 Limits range

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IR Data Transmission Techniques
 Directed Beam Infrared
 Ominidirectional
 Diffused

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Directed Beam Infrared
 Used to create point-to-point links
 Range depends on emitted power and degree
of focusing
 Focused IR data link can have range of
kilometers
 Cross-building interconnect between bridges or
routers

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Token Ring LAN Using Point-to-Point Infrared
Links

Data

IR
tranceivers

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Ominidirectional
 Single base station within line of sight of all
other stations on the LAN
 The base station typically mounted on ceiling
 It acts as a multiport repeater
 The ceiling transmitter broadcasts signals received
by IR transceivers
 IR transceivers transmit with directional beam
aimed at the ceiling base unit
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Diffused
 All IR transmitters focused and aimed at a
point on diffusely reflecting ceiling
 IR radiation strikes ceiling
 Reradiated omnidirectionally
 Picked up by all receivers

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Configuration for Omnidirectional
Infrared LANs

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Network of Portable and Stationary Wireless
Stations Using Infrared

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Spread Spectrum LAN
Configuration
 Multiple-cell arrangement
 Within a cell, either peer-to-peer or hub
 Peer-to-peer topology
 No hub
 Access controlled with MAC algorithm
 CSMA
 Appropriate for ad hoc LANs

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Spread Spectrum LAN
Configuration
 Hub topology
 Mounted on the ceiling and connected to the backbone
 May control access
 May act as a multiport repeater
 Automatic handoff of mobile stations
 Stations in the cell either:
 Transmit to / receive from the hub only
 Broadcast using omnidirectional antenna

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Narrowband Microwave LANs
 Use of a microwave radio frequency band for
signal transmissions
 Relatively narrow bandwidth
 Licensed
 Unlicensed

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Licensed Narrowband RF
 Licensed within specific geographic areas to
avoid potential interference
 Motorola - 600 licenses in 18-GHz range
 Covers all metropolitan areas
 Due to licensing, independent LANs in nearby
locations don’t interfere
 Encrypted transmissions prevent eavesdropping

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Unlicensed Narrowband RF
 RadioLAN introduced narrowband wireless
LAN in 1995
 Uses unlicensed ISM spectrum
 Used at low power (0.5 watts or less)
 Operates at 10 Mbps in the 5.8-GHz band
 Range = 50 m to 100 m

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