CSIT 413

Wireless Systems and Networks

Session 1 – Introduction to Wireless Communication

Lecturer: Dr. Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CS D

Contact Information: [email protected]

College of Education
School of Continuing and Distance Education
2014/2015 – 2016/2017
 Session Overview
• The session introduces Wireless Communications
Systems and provides an overview of a range of
applications of wireless data communications in
personal, local, metropolitan, and wide area networks.
• The session will also briefly discuss the following
wireless technologies:
– Bluetooth, WirelessHD, WiGig, satellite, cellular, Wi-Fi based
wireless LANs, and fixed broadband wireless communications
technologies.
• The specific details of each of these technologies will be
covered in later sessions.
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 2
 Goals and Objectives

• At the end of the session, the student will able to:

– Describe how wireless communications technologies are used
today
– List various applications of wireless communications technology
– Outline the advantages and disadvantages of wireless
communications technology
– List several types of wireless technologies and their purposes

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 3

 Session Outline
• How Wireless Technology Is Used.
• A Wireless World
• Bluetooth and Other Short-Range Wireless Technologies
• Satellite Networks
• Cellular Networks
• Wireless Local Area Networks
• Fixed Broadband Wireless
• Wireless Wide Area Network
• The Wireless Landscape
• Digital Convergence
• Wireless Advantages and Disadvantages
• Wireless Applications
• Wireless Advantages and Disadvantages
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 4
 How Wireless Technology is Used
• Wireless: describes all types of devices and technologies not
connected by a wire
• Wireless communications: transmission of digital data without the
use of wires
• Various forms of wireless data communications:
– Bluetooth
– WirelessHD
– WiGig
– Satellite
– Cellular
– Wi-Fi-based wireless LANs
– Fixed broadband wireless communications

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 5

 A Wireless World

• Wireless devices
– Distance: up to 330 feet (100 meters)
– Bandwidth: up to 300 Mbps
– Can also include Voice over IP (VoIP)
• Wireless network interface card (Wireless NIC)
– Sends and receives data over radio waves
• Smartphone: Combination mobile phone and personal digital
assistant (PDA)
• Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags: small chips
containing radio transponders

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 6

 A Wireless World

• World of Wireless Devices

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 7

 A Wireless World

Figure 1.1: Home wireless network (WLAN)

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 8

 Bluetooth and Other Short-Range
Wireless Technologies
• Bluetooth
– Wireless standard designed for very short ranges, typically a few
inches to 33 feet (10 meters)
– Main purpose is to eliminate cables between devices
– Current data rates is up to 24 Mbps
• Bluetooth communicates using small, low-power transceivers
called radio modules
• Link manager
– Special software that helps identify other Bluetooth devices,
create a link between them, and send and receive digital data

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 9

 Bluetooth and Other Short-
Range Wireless Technologies

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 10

 Bluetooth and Other Short-Range
Wireless Technologies
• WirelessHD and WiGig
– Can transfer video and sound at speeds between 7Gbps and 10Gbps
using Ultra Wide Band (UWB) communication technology
– Distance: up to 10 meters (only in a room with few or no obstacles)
– The greater the distance, the slower the transmission.

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 11

 Bluetooth and Other Short-Range
Wireless Technologies
• Piconet
– Wireless personal area network (WPAN)
– Consists of two or more Bluetooth devices that are exchanging data
with each other
– Up to seven devices can belong to a single WPAN

Figure 1.3: Bluetooth network (piconet) or WPAN between a cordless handset and a headset
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 12
 Satellite Networks
• Used to transmit data over long distance
• Repeater
– Located in the satellite itself and used to repeat the same signal
to another location down on the surface
– Used to transmit data from one earth station to another
– The modern satellite internet offers services to support data,
voice, and video applications.
– They are ideal for distance learning, disaster recovery,
government, Internet café businesses, embassies, hotels,
maritime transportations, banking and even mission-critical
military applications

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 13

 Satellite Networks

Figure 1.5: Satellite repeating a signal to another Earth station

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 14
 Cellular Networks
• Modern cellular telephone network
– Built around the concept of low-power transmitters
– With each “cell” handling a number of users
– Transmission towers are spread throughout a geographical area
– The same radio frequency channels can be reused by another
tower:
 Located a few kilometers away to avoid interference
 Maximizes the use of a limited range of frequency channels

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 15

 Cellular Networks

Figure 1.6: Smartphones - Blackberry Bold (left) and Apple iPhone (right)
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 16
 Cellular Networks

• 4G (fourth generation) technology

– Uses 100% digital transmission for both voice and data
– Transmission speed
• Over 150 Mbps when stationary
• 45 Mbps for slow-moving pedestrians
• 20 Mbps in a fast moving vehicle
• 3G (third generation) technology
– Has a theoretical maximum data transmission rate of
up to 21 Mbps
– Realistic speeds are between 3 to 11 Mbps
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 17
 Interval Level

Figure 1.7: Digital cellular network

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 18

 Wireless Local Area Networks

• Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) aka WIFI

– Extension of a wired LAN
• Connecting to it through a device called a wireless access
point
• Access point (AP or wireless AP)
– Relays data signals among all of the devices on the
wired network
• Each computer on the WLAN has a wireless
network interface card (NIC)
– Has an antenna built into it
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 19
 Wireless Local Area Networks

Figure 1.8: Clockwise from top left: a) access point with built-in antennas,
b) USB Wireless NIC, c) PCMCIA, and d) PCI Wireless NICs

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 20

 Wireless Local Area Networks
• Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
(IEEE) standards
– Established a series WLAN standards
– Most recent IEEE 802.11n-2009 (more commonly
known as IEEE 802.11n)
• Provides for transmission speeds of up to 600 Mbps and
covers distances up to 375 feet

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 21

 Wireless Local Area Networks
Wired LAN Switch

Table Top AP

Wall mount AP

Figure 1.10: Office WLAN

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 22
 Fixed Broadband Wireless

• Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN)

– Transmits at up to 256 Kbps over regular phone lines
• T1 lines
– Transmit at 1.544 Mbps
– Very costly option
• Cable modems
– Generally only available in residential areas
• Digital subscriber lines (DSL)
– Use either regular or special telephone lines
– Speed is dependent on distance between installation building
and nearest telephone switching office (CO or Central Office)
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 23
 Fixed Broadband Wireless

• Wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN)

– Covers a distance of up to 25 miles
– It is based on the IEEE 802.16 WIMAX Fixed Broadband
Wireless standard
– Uses radio waves and small custom antennas on the
rooftops of each building in WMAN
– Transmission speeds
• 75 Mbps at distances of up to 4 miles (6.4 km)
• 17 to 50 Mbps at distances over 6 miles (10 km)
– Newer versions of IEEE 802.16m standard will be able to
achieve average speeds up to 100 Mbps
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 24
 Fixed Broadband Wireless

Figure 1.11: IEEE 802.16 wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN)

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 25

 The Wireless Landscape
Wireless communications has become a standard means of
communication for people in many occupations and
circumstances

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD

Slide 26
 The Wireless Landscape

Table 1.1: Wireless data communications technologies

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 27
 The Wireless Landscape
• Speeds of wireless networks vary greatly depending on:
– Number of users connected
– Amount of data traffic
– Amount of interference present at the time
– Other factors will be discussed in later sessions
• Job market will increase for:
– Wireless engineers
– Wireless local area network managers
– Wireless technical support personnel

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 28

 Digital Convergence
• Digital convergence
– Refers to the power of digital devices to combine voice,
video, and text-processing capabilities
– As well as to be connected to business and home networks
and to the Internet
– Same concept applies to the development of VoIP networks
• Use the same protocols and media that once only
carried data
– Wireless technologies are used to fulfill many daily activities

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 29

 Wireless Applications
• Main areas
– Education
– Home entertainment and Home control systems
– Health Care
– Government and Military
– Office environments
– Event management
– Travel
– Construction and warehouse management
– Environmental research
– Industrial control
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 30
 Education

• Ideal application for colleges and schools

• Instructors can create classroom resources in their home
or school office and easily connect to campus network in
the classroom
• It frees students from having to go to a specific computer
lab or the library
– To get on the school’s computer network
• Wireless technology translates into a cost savings for
colleges
– Traditional classrooms become computer labs without the
expense of additional wiring

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 31

 Home Entertainment
• Wireless communication
– Enables people to download, distribute, and control all
forms of digital entertainment from anywhere in the house
– Examples:
• Wireless speakers, media players, game consoles, DVD
players, televisions, digital video recorders (DVRs), and
multimedia personal computers

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 32

 Home Control Systems
• Manufacturers are creating wireless systems that
enable us to:
– Control lights, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, drapes,
alarms, door locks, and home appliances
– Can control from locations throughout the house or even
from smartphones or tablets outside the home
– Internet of Things (IoT) concepts are derived from improved
wireless technology
• Several systems use the ZigBee Alliance
communications protocols and the IEEE 802.15.4
standard
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 33
 Health Care
• Administering correct medication in a hospital setting
– A major concern for the health care industry
• Wireless point-of-care computer systems
– Allow medical staff to access and update patient records
immediately
• Many hospitals use portable devices with barcode
scanners or RFID and a wireless connection
• Patients may have a barcoded or RFID-enabled
armband that can be scanned to access records
• System immediately verifies correct medication
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 34
 Government
• Wireless communication
– Lets residents, city employees, contractors, and utility staff
collect and transmit data to central databases
– Examples:
• Building inspectors can update permit data while at the
construction site
• City employees can locate and monitor municipal vehicles
– Delivers broadband connectivity to schools, libraries, and
government buildings
– Provides free Internet access to residents and attracts
visitors and businesspeople

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 35

 Military
• Latest devices allow military personnel in the field to:
– Use voice and the Internet
– Receive and transmit full-motion video
– Maneuver remote control survey drones
– Use digital battlefield maps
– Many other applications

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 36

 Office Environments
• Employees in all lines of work no longer have to be
away from the data they need
– To help them make decisions
• Wireless technologies allow businesses to create an
office where the traditional infrastructure doesn’t
exist
• During office renovations or reorganization
– Employees can move to another location and be
connected immediately

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 37

 Event Management
• Wireless networks
– Help identify a stolen or counterfeit ticket
– Can also give a real-time look at traffic flow
• Use to determine where staff might be needed
– In-progress game statistics are available to any fan in the
stadium with a wireless device

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 38

 Travel
• Wireless global positioning systems (GPS)
– Tie into emergency roadside assistance services
– OnStar roadside assistance is an example
• Satellite radio
– Transmits over 150 music and talk stations
• Airport terminals are offering wireless technologies to
passengers
• Airplanes themselves are being equipped with wireless
data access
• City transit systems are also “going wireless”
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 39
 Construction
• Wireless communications
– Send information from the job site to the main office
• Tardy subcontractor or problems with materials
– Alert when maintenance operations need to be performed
on equipment
• Bulldozers and earth graders are being turned into “smart”
equipment
• Exact location of dig coordinates can be transmitted to a
terminal on the bulldozer
• Track engine hours and equipment location

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 40

 Warehouse Management
• Implementing wireless technology is key for many
warehouse operations
• Warehouse management system (WMS) software
– Used to manage all of the activities from receiving through
shipping
• In the near future
– Most of the bar code functions, including inventory
counting, will be replaced by RFID tags
• Will eliminate the need for printing and affixing
labels
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 41
 Environmental Research
• Scientists are now using small, battery- or solar-cell
powered WLAN sensors
– In places that were previously difficult to access and
monitor
– Considered a major breakthrough in many scientific fields
• Has helped collect data that used to be very difficult or
impossible to collect and record

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 42

 Industrial Control
• Motes
– Remote sensors
– Can connect to a WLAN
• Then collect data and transmit it to a central location
• Manufacturing managers can monitor equipment
from an office
– Problems can be detected instantly
• Technicians in a control room can monitor status of
every machine or device
– Dispatch a technician when necessary

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 43

 Wireless Advantages and
Disadvantages
As with any new technology, wireless communications
offers both advantages and disadvantages

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 44

 Advantages of Wireless Networking
• Mobility
– Freedom to move about without being tethered by wires
– Permits many industries to shift toward an increasingly
mobile workforce
– Creating “flatter” organizations with fewer management
levels between top executives and regular employees
• Easier and less expensive installation
– Installing network cabling in older buildings can be a
difficult, slow, and costly task
– Makes it easier for any office to be modified with new
cubicles or furniture

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 45

 Advantages of Wireless Networking
• Increased reliability
– Network cable failures may be the most common source of
network problems
• Disaster recovery
– In the event of a disaster, managers can quickly relocate the
office
– Some planners keep laptop computers with wireless NICs
and access points in reserve
• Future Applications
– Every day, a new application for wireless data transmission
is thought of or implemented
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 46
Disadvantages of Wireless Networking
• Radio signal interference
– The potential for two signals to interfere exists
– Solution: locate source of interference and eliminate it
• Security
– It is possible for an intruder to be lurking outdoors with a
notebook computer and wireless NIC
• With the intent of intercepting the signals from a nearby
wireless network
– Some wireless technologies can provide added levels of
security
– Network managers can limit access
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 47
Disadvantages of Wireless Networking
• Health risks
– High levels of RF can produce biological damage through
heating effects
• Wireless devices emit low levels of RF while being used
• No clear picture of the biological effects of this type of
radiation has been found to date
– Science today does not yet permit anyone to draw a
definitive conclusion on the safety of wireless mobile
devices
• Be aware of the possibility and monitor ongoing scientific
research
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 48
 Summary
• Wireless communications have become
commonplace
• Wireless networks and devices are found in all circles
of life today
• Wireless wide area networks will enable companies
of all sizes to interconnect their offices
– Without the high cost charged by telephone carriers for
their landline connections
• WLAN applications are found in a wide variety of
industries and organizations
Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 49
 Summary
• Remote sensors capable of communicating using
wireless technologies
– Used in large manufacturing facilities to monitor
equipment and for scientific research
• Wireless communication advantages
– Mobility
– Easier and less expensive installation
– Increased network reliability
– Support for disaster recovery

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 50

 Summary
• Wireless communication disadvantages
– Radio signal interference
– Security issues
– Health risks

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 51

 Review Questions
• Explain the role of an access point (AP) in a WLAN
• Explain how a WAP cellular phone sends and receives
Internet data
• Explain how a WLAN can be used in a classroom
• Describe how wireless networks can reduce
installation time
• Explain how implementing a wireless network can be
helpful in case of disaster recovery

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 52

 References
Adapted from
• All materials in this slide are the sole property of Cengage
Learning 2014
• Chapter 1: Olenewa J. L. (2014). Guide to Wireless Communications. (3rd
ed.), Boston, MA 02210, USA: Course Technology
• Chapter 1: Hucaby D. (2016). CCNA Wireless 200-355 Official Cert Guide.
(1st ed.) Cisco Press .
• Chapter 1: Ciampa M. (2002). Guide to Wireless Communications. (1st ed.),
Thomson Course Technology.

Dr Jamal-Deen Abdulai, CSD Slide 53