802.11 Learning Guide

802.11 - The alphabet

802.11 is perhaps the fastest-changing network protocol around. We've gathered a wealth of information to get you up-to-speed quickly on the various specifications.

802.11 Quick Start

• 802.xx Fast Reference
• Glossary Definition: WLAN
• Glossary Definition: Wi-Fi
• Article: Wireless standards overview

The Alphabet

• 802.11a - an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless LANs and provides up to 54 Mbps in the 5 GHz band. 802.11a uses an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing encoding scheme rather than FHSS or DSSS.
• 802.11b - (also referred to as 802.11 High Rate or Wi-Fi) -- an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless LANS and provides 11 Mbps transmission in the 2.4 GHz band. 802.11b was a 1999 ratification to the original 802.11 standard, allowing wireless functionality comparable to Ethernet.
• 802.11d - a wireless network communications specification for use in countries where systems using other standards in the 802.11 family are not allowed to operate.
• 802.11e - a proposed enhancement to the 802.11a and 802.11b wireless LAN (WLAN) specifications. It offers quality of service (QoS) features, including the prioritization of data, voice, and video transmissions.
• 802.11g - offers transmission over relatively short distances at up to 54 megabits per second (Mbps), compared with the 11 Mbps theoretical maximum with the earlier 802.11b standard.
• 802.11h - intended to resolve interference issues introduced by the use of 802.11a in some locations, particularly with military radar systems and medical devices.
• 802.11i - an enhancement to 802.11 that offers additional security for WLAN applications
• 802.11j - Japanese regulatory extensions to 802.11a specification.
• 802.11k - a proposed standard for how a wireless local area network (WLAN) should perform channel selection, Roaming, and transmit power control (TPC) in order to optimize network performance.
• 802.11m - an initiative to perform editorial maintenance, corrections, improvements, clarifications, and interpretations relevant to documentation for 802.11 family specifications.

Chapter Downloads

• 802.11 (Wi-Fi) Networking Handbook - Chapter 9 - covers the essentials of wireless LANs, including benefits and risks; the major threats to a wireless network; and the breadth and scope of possible attacks and exploits that are available to hackers.
• 802.11 Security: Attacks and risks - this chapter advocates that the more you know about the risks involved in your network the better your chances are of protecting yourself, your assets, and your users.

Choosing Standards

• Migrating to 802.11g
• Which is faster, 802.11a or 802.11b, and what is their capacity?
• 802.11i: Robust and ready to go
• When should I use 802.11a versus 802.11g?
• Wireless security: 802.11i promises much, but doesn't deliver all of it -- yet
• Choosing between 802.11a and 802.11b

Upcoming Standards

• Keeping tabs on 802.1X
• IEEE Official Web Site

What about security?

• 802.11 Security: Attacks and risks (Book excerpt)
• Glossary Definition: Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
• LEAP and PEAP
• Wireless security (Article)
• How secure is WLAN? (Expert advice)
• Popular protocols for securing 802.11 (Expert advice)
• Bolstering wireless LAN security (Article)
• Wireless security: 802.11i promises much, but doesn't deliver all of it -- yet (Article)

Enterprise role models - Who's really using 802.11?

• English water company patches leaks in wireless system (Case study)
• College expects wireless LAN to be big man on campus (Article)

802.11 Tutorials

• Understanding internal 802.11 card form factors
• Understanding public key cryptography
• Introduction to the Wireless Application Protocol

Articles and White Papers

• Wireless standards overview (Article)
• Withstanding 802.11g Forces (Article)
• 802.11g wireless standard upstaging 802.11a (Article)
• Not many making the LEAP to PEAP (Article)
• 802.11g not yet ratified, but early reports look promising (Article)
• Wi-Fi Alliance sets 802.11g testing schedule (Article)

Descriptive Q & As

• What is the capacity of each 802.11b channel
• Is the distance covered by the G standard the same as B?
• Latest advances to 802.11
• Got questions? Pose your own question in our Ask the Expert feature

Resources

• IEEE Official Web Site
• Wi-Fi Alliance