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Unit2 WLAN

The document discusses the IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN standard, including defining the basic service set and extended service set architectures, the distributed coordination function and point coordination function MAC sublayers, and addressing mechanisms like CSMA/CA to prevent problems from hidden and exposed stations.

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25 views29 pages

Unit2 WLAN

The document discusses the IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN standard, including defining the basic service set and extended service set architectures, the distributed coordination function and point coordination function MAC sublayers, and addressing mechanisms like CSMA/CA to prevent problems from hidden and exposed stations.

Uploaded by

Chhavi
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
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Wireless LANs

IEEE 802.11

IEEE has defined the specifications for a wireless


LAN, called IEEE 802.11, which covers the physical
and data link layers.

Topics discussed in this section:


Architecture
MAC Sublayer
Physical Layer
Architecture

The standard defines two kinds of services:


1. Basic Service Set (BSS)
2. Extended Service Set (ESS).
1. Basic Service Set (BSS)

IEEE 802.11 defines the basic service set (BSS) as the building
block of a wireless LAN. A basic service set is made of
stationary or mobile wireless stations and an optional central
base station, known as the access point (AP). Figure 1 shows
two sets in this standard.
The BSS without an AP is a stand-alone network and cannot send
data to other BSSs. It is called an ad hoc architecture. In this
architecture, stations can form a network without the need of an
AP; they can locate one another and agree to be part of a BSS. A
BSS with an AP is sometimes referred to as an infrastructure
network.
Figure 14.1 Basic service sets (BSSs)
Extended Service Set (ESS)

• An extended service set (ESS) is made up of two or more


BSSs with APs.
• The BSSs are connected through a distribution system, which
is usually a wired LAN.
• The distribution system connects the APs in the BSSs. IEEE
802.11 does not restrict the distribution system; it can be any
IEEE LAN such as an Ethernet.
• The extended service set uses two types of stations: mobile
and stationary.
• The mobile stations are normal stations inside a BSS.
• The stationary stations are AP stations that are part of a wired
LAN. Figure 2 shows an ESS.
Figure 2 Extended service sets (ESSs)
Note

A BSS without an AP is called an ad hoc


network;
a BSS with an AP is called an
infrastructure network.
Station Types

IEEE 802.11 defines three types of stations based on their


mobility in a wireless LAN:
1. no-transition
2. BSS·transition
3. ESS-transition mobility.
• A station with no-transition mobility is either stationary (not
moving) or moving only inside a BSS.
• A station with BSS-transition mobility can move from one
BSS to another, but the movement is confined inside one ESS.
• A station with ESS-transition mobility can move from one
ESS to another. IEEE 802.11 does not guarantee that
communication is continuous during the move.
MAC Sublayer

IEEE 802.11 defines two MAC sublayers:


1. distributed coordination function (DCF)
2. point coordination function (PCF).

Figure 3 shows the relationship between the


two MAC sublayers, the LLC sublayer, and the
physical layer.
Figure 3 MAC layers in IEEE 802.11 standard
Distributed Coordination Function (DCF)
• One of the two protocols defined by IEEE at the MAC sublayer
is called the distributed coordination function (DCF).
• DCF uses CSMAICA as the access method.
• Wireless LANs cannot implement CSMA/CD for three reasons:
1. For collision detection a station must be able to send data and
receive collision signals at the same time. This can mean costly
stations and increased bandwidth requirements.
2. Collision may not be detected because of the hidden station
problem.
3. The distance between stations can be great. Signal fading could
prevent a station at one end from hearing a collision at the
other end.
Figure 4 CSMA/CA flowchart
Figure 5 CSMA/CA and NAV
Point Coordination Function (PCF)
• The point coordination function (PCF) is an optional access
method that can be implemented in an infrastructure
network (not in an ad hoc network). It is implemented on
top of the DCF and is used mostly for time-sensitive
transmission.
• PCF has a centralized, contention-free polling access
method. The AP performs polling for stations that are
capable of being polled. The stations are polled one after
another, sending any data they have to the AP.
• To give priority to PCF over DCF, another set of interframe
spaces has been defined: PIFS and SIFS. The SIFS is the
same as that in DCF, but the PIFS (PCF IFS) is shorter than
the DIFS. This means that if, at the same time, a station
wants to use only DCF and an AP wants to use PCF, the AP
has priority.
• Due to the priority of PCF over DCF, stations that only use
DCF may not gain access to the medium.
• To prevent this, a repetition interval has been designed to
cover both contention-free (PCF) and contention-based
(DCF) traffic.
• The repetition interval, which is repeated continuously, starts
with a special control frame, called a beacon frame.
• When the stations hear the beacon frame, they start their
NAV for the duration of the contention-free period of the
repetition interval.
• Figure 6 shows an example of a repetition interval.
Figure 6 Example of repetition interval
Figure 14.7 Frame format
Medium Access Control Sublayer - MAC Frame
Fields (1)
◼ Frame Control:
◼ Type of frame
◼ Control, management, or data
◼ Provides control information
◼ Includes whether frame is to or from DS, fragmentation information, and
privacy information
◼ Duration/Connection ID:
◼ Addresses:4
◼ Number and meaning of address fields depend on context
◼ Types include source, destination, transmitting station, and receiving
station
◼ Sequence Control
◼ Frame Body
◼ Frame Check Sequence
◼ 32-bit cyclic redundancy check
Table 1 Subfields in FC field
Figure 8 Control frames
Table 2 Values of subfields in control frames
Table 14.3 Addresses
Figure 9 Addressing mechanisms
Figure 10 Hidden station problem
Note

The CTS frame in CSMA/CA handshake


can prevent collision from
a hidden station.
Figure 11 Use of handshaking to prevent hidden station problem
Figure 12 Exposed station problem
Figure 13 Use of handshaking in exposed station problem

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