information technologies the abc’s of wireless networking: an introduction to wlan tom seto amtec...

Information Technologies

The ABC’s of Wireless Networking: An Introduction to

WLAN

Tom SetoAMTec 2005


Alphabet Soup!

“802.11a, b, g, n, e”?

What is this alphabet soup?


Agenda

WPAN, WLAN, WWAN IEEE 802.11x Other Acronyms Wireless Security Wired Networks AirUC and RezNet


Wireless Area Networks

WPAN Personal Bluetooth 10m >1Mbps Cable replace-ment

WLAN Local

Area

802.11 100m Up to 54Mbps LAN

replace-ment

WWAN Wide

Area

(Cellular)

GSM World-wide 2.5G - 200kbps

3G - 2Mbps

Mobile


Current WLAN Technologies

Spectrum Speed Indoor

Range

Interoperable Name

WiFi Wireless Fidelity

802.11 2.4 GHz 2Mbps 100m 802.11b

802.11g

WiFi

802.11b 2.4 GHz 11Mbps 100m 802.11

802.11b

WiFi

802.11g 2.4 Ghz 54Mbps 100m 802.11

802.11b

WiFi

802.11a 5.7 Ghz 54Mbps 100m WiFi


Upcoming WLAN Technologies

Spectrum Speed Indoor

Range

Interoperable Name

802.11e 2.4 GHz or

5.7 Ghz

WiFi QOS

802.11n 2.4 GHz 200+Mbps 802.11b

802.11g

WiFi MIMO

802.11i Aka WPA2 WiFi Security

WECA Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance


Current WWAN Technologies

Spectrum Speed Outdoor

Range

Interoperable Carrier

1XRTT (CDMA2000)

800/1900 MHz

Up to 144Kbps

Cellular coverage

Mobility Telus

Bell

GSM/GPRS

(EDGE)

850/900/

1800/1900Mhz

150Kbps Cellular coverage

Mobility Rogers Wireless


Upcoming WWAN Technologies

Spectrum Speed Outdoor

Range

Interoperable Name

802.16-2004 2 to 11 GHz

70Mbps 50Km Point to multi-point

WiMax

802.16e Mobility WiMax


WLAN Security

WEP Wired Equivalent Privacy

Shared Key

WPA WiFi Protected Access

Different Key for each packet

Backwards Compatible to WEP

802.11i Aka WPA2 New design from gound up

Incompatible to WPA

802.1x Authentication Agents Authentication System

Authentication Server

VPN Virtual Private Network

Encryption Tunnel

Client to Server

Branch office

VPN SSL Secure Socket Layer

Web Page Clientless

Captive Portal

Authenctication Encryption via VPN SSL


• Fiber optics backbone• 816 kilometers of fiber• 32 Fiber nodes on campus• Remote direct connections to

Mount Royal College and University of Alberta

• Secure / Non Secure Networks

• Internet Access

Fiber Optic Backbone


• Over 10,000 Active Network Connections to support Research, Administration and Teaching

• Central Network Management (SNMP)

• 10/100/1000 Mbps Speeds• Gigabit backbone links• AirUC – wireless network

Network Connections


User Networks


Uof C Wireless

• AirUC http://www.ucalgary.ca/it/computing/netserv/wireless

• VPN access http://www.ucalgary.ca/it/computing/netserv/vpn

• RezNet http://www.ucalgary.ca/reznet


• Wireless network for all IT username holders

AirUC


• 150 Access Points (APs)

• 9 Buildings

• 7 Buildings have wired access as well

• 1600 pillows

• Checkin is Chaos– Patch detection– Virus scanning

• Need automated process

RezNet


• Two Models of WLAN Technologies– “FAT” Access Points

• What we’re used to.• Access points contain the intelligence• Can run standalone

– “Thin” Access Points• Access points have little or no intelligence• Controlled by “Wireless Switches”• Cannot run on their own• Easier configuration and management

WLAN


Building WLANs

• Installing APs

• Physical Security

• Power over Ethernet (POE) 802.3af

• AP management– Dead APs - probes


Hotspots

• Most Carriers have hotspots– Telus, Bell, Rogers, FatPort, etc.

• Banding together to allow access to anyone’s hotspot but billed by your carrier

information technologies the abc’s of wireless networking: an introduction to wlan tom seto amtec...

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