Description:

As we all know by now, wireless networks offer many advantages over fixed (or wired) networks. Foremost on that list is mobility, since going wireless frees you from the tether of an Ethernet cable at a desk. But that's just the tip of the cable-free iceberg. Wireless networks are also more flexible, faster and easier for you to use, and more affordable to deploy and maintain.

The de facto standard for wireless networking is the 802.11 protocol, which includes Wi-Fi (the wireless standard known as 802.11b) and its faster cousin, 802.11g. With easy-to-install 802.11 network hardware available everywhere you turn, the choice seems simple, and many people dive into wireless computing with less thought and planning than they'd give to a wired network. But it's wise to be familiar with both the capabilities and risks associated with the 802.11 protocols. And 802.11 Wireless Networks: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition is the perfect place to start.

This updated edition covers everything you'll ever need to know about wireless technology. Designed with the system administrator or serious home user in mind, it's a no-nonsense guide for setting up 802.11 on Windows and Linux. Among the wide range of topics covered are discussions on:

• deployment considerations
  
• network monitoring and performance tuning
  
• wireless security issues
  
• how to use and select access points
  
• network monitoring essentials
  
• wireless card configuration
  
• security issues unique to wireless networks

With wireless technology, the advantages to its users are indeed plentiful. Companies no longer have to deal with the hassle and expense of wiring buildings, and households with several computers can avoid fights over who's online. And now, with 802.11 Wireless Networks: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition, you can integrate wireless technology into your current infrastructure with the utmost confidence.

 

Table of Contents:

Foreword

Preface

1. Introduction to Wireless Networking

     Why Wireless?

     What Makes Wireless Networks Different

     A Network by Any Other Name...

2. Overview of 802.11 Networks

     IEEE 802 Network Technology Family Tree
     802.11 Nomenclature and Design

     802.11 Network Operations

     Mobility Support

3. 802.11 MAC Fundamentals

     Challenges for the MAC

     MAC Access Modes and Timing

     Contention-Based Access Using the DCF

     Fragmentation and Reassembly

     Frame Format

     Encapsulation of Higher-Layer Protocols Within 802.11

     Contention-Based Data Service

     Frame Processing and Bridging

4. 802.11 Framing in Detail

     Data Frames

     Control Frames

     Management Frames

     Frame Transmission and Association and Authentication States

5. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

     Cryptographic Background to WEP

     WEP Cryptographic Operations

     Problems with WEP

     Dynamic WEP

6. User Authentication with 802.1X

     The Extensible Authentication Protocol

     EAP Methods

     802.1X: Network Port Authentication

     802.1X on Wireless LANs

7. 802.11i: Robust Security Networks, TKIP, and CCMP

     The Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP)

     Counter Mode with CBC-MAC (CCMP)

     Robust Security Network (RSN) Operations

8. Management Operations

     Management Architecture

     Scanning

     Authentication

     Preauthentication

     Association

     Power Conservation

     Timer Synchronization

     Spectrum Management

9. Contention-Free Service with the PCF

     Contention-Free Access Using the PCF

     Detailed PCF Framing

     Power Management and the PCF

10. Physical Layer Overview

     Physical-Layer Architecture

     The Radio Link

     RF Propagation with 802.11

     RF Engineering for 802.11

11. The Frequency-Hopping (FH) PHY

     Frequency-Hopping Transmission

     Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying (GFSK)

     FH PHY Convergence Procedure (PLCP)

     Frequency-Hopping PMD Sublayer

     Characteristics of the FH PHY

12. The Direct Sequence PHYs: DSSS and HR/DSSS (802.11b)

     Direct Sequence Transmission

     Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK)

     The "Original" Direct Sequence PHY

     Complementary Code Keying

     High Rate Direct Sequence PHY

13. 802.11a and 802.11j: 5-GHz OFDM PHY

     Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)

     OFDM as Applied by 802.11a

     OFDM PLCP

     OFDM PMD

     Characteristics of the OFDM PHY

14. 802.11g: The Extended-Rate PHY (ERP)

     802.11g Components

     ERP Physical Layer Convergence (PLCP)

     ERP Physical Medium Dependent (PMD) Layer

15. A Peek Ahead at 802.11n: MIMO-OFDM

     Common Features

     WWiSE

     TGnSync

     Comparison and Conclusions

16. 802.11 Hardware

     General Structure of an 802.11 Interface

     Implementation-Specific Behavior

     Reading the Specification Sheet

17. Using 802.11 on Windows

     Windows XP

     Windows 2000

     Windows Computer Authentication

18. 802.11 on the Macintosh

     The AirPort Extreme Card

     802.1X on the AirPort

19. Using 802.11 on Linux

     PCMCIA Support on Linux

     Linux Wireless Extensions and Tools

     Agere (Lucent) Orinoco

     Atheros-Based cards and MADwifi

     802.1X on Linux with xsupplicant

20. Using 802.11 Access Points

     General Functions of an Access Point

     Power over Ethernet (PoE)

     Selecting Access Points

     Cisco 1200 Access Point

     Apple AirPort

21. Logical Wireless Network Architecture

     Evaluating a Logical Architecture

     Topology Examples

     Choosing Your Logical Architecture

22. Security Architecture

     Security Definition and Analysis

     Authentication and Access Control

     Ensuring Secrecy Through Encryption

     Selecting Security Protocols

     Rogue Access Points

23. Site Planning and Project Management

     Project Planning and Requirements

     Network Requirements

     Physical Layer Selection and Design

     Planning Access-Point Placement

     Using Antennas to Tailor Coverage

24. 802.11 Network Analysis

     Network Analyzers

     Ethereal

     802.11 Network Analysis Checklist

     Other Tools

25. 802.11 Performance Tuning

     802.11 Performance Calculations

     Improving Performance

     Tunable 802.11 Parameters

26. Conclusions and Predictions

     Standards Work

     Current Trends in Wireless Networking

     The End

Glossary

Index