Scribd
Upload
10K views

Protocol Architecture of IEEE802.11

The document describes the IEEE 802.11 protocol architecture for wireless LANs. It shows that the wireless LAN connects to a wired Ethernet network via a bridge, with the higher network layers appearing the same to both wireless and wired nodes. The IEEE 802.11 standard defines the physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) layers, with the PHY layer divided into the physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) and physical medium dependent sublayer (PMD). The MAC layer handles medium access, fragmentation, and encryption, while the PHY and MAC management layers control functions like association, authentication, power management, and channel tuning.

Uploaded by

Krishanu Modak
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
10K views

Protocol Architecture of IEEE802.11

The document describes the IEEE 802.11 protocol architecture for wireless LANs. It shows that the wireless LAN connects to a wired Ethernet network via a bridge, with the higher network layers appearing the same to both wireless and wired nodes. The IEEE 802.11 standard defines the physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) layers, with the PHY layer divided into the physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) and physical medium dependent sublayer (PMD). The MAC layer handles medium access, fragmentation, and encryption, while the PHY and MAC management layers control functions like association, authentication, power management, and channel tuning.

Uploaded by

Krishanu Modak
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Protocol architecture of IEEE802.

11

Fig: IEEE 802.11 protocol architecture and bridging

1. Fig above shows the most common scenario: an IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN
connected to a switched IEEE 802.3 Ethernet via a bridge.

2. The WLAN behaves like a slow wired LAN. Consequently, the higher layers
(application , TCP, IP) look the same for wireless nodes as for wired nodes. The
upper part of the data link control layer, the logical link control (LLC), covers the
differences of the medium access control layers needed for the different media.

3. The IEEE 802.11 standard only covers the physical layer PHY and medium
access layer M AC like the other 802.x LANs do.
4. The physical layer is subdivided into the physical layer convergence protocol
(PLCP) and the physical medium dependent sublayer PMD (see below).

Fig: Detailed IEEE


802.11 protocol
architecture and
management

5. The basic tasks of the MAC layer comprise medium access, fragmentation of
user data, and encryption .

6. The PLCP sublayer provides a carrier sense signal, called clear channel
assessment (CCA), and provides a common PHY service access point (SAP)
independent of the transmission technology.

7. Finally, the PMD sublayer handles modulation and encoding/decoding of


signals.

8. The M AC management supports the association and re-association of a station


to an access point and roaming between different access points. It also controls
authentication mechanisms, encryption, synchronization of a station with regard
to an access point, and power management to save battery power. It also maintains
the MAC management information base (MIB).

9. The main tasks of the PHY management include channel tuning and PHY MIB
maintenance.

10.Finally, station management interacts with both management layers and is


responsible for additional higher layer functions (e.g., control of bridging and
interaction with the distribution system in the case of an access point).

You might also like