Wireless LAN Architecture

Summary

Chapter 7 delves into Wireless LAN architecture, exploring client devices, radio transceivers, and their chipsets. It distinguishes between external and internal radio card formats and their manufacturers' support for various frequencies and technologies. The chapter discusses client utilities for configuring network interface cards and the three types available. It outlines the logical planes of operation: management, control, and data, and describes three primary Wireless LAN architectures: autonomous, centralized, and distributed. It also touches on specialty infrastructures like wireless worker bridges, home Wi-Fi routers, and real-time location systems, providing a comprehensive overview of Wireless LAN components and their functionalities.

Takeaways

• 📡 Wireless LAN client devices are equipped with a half-duplex radio transceiver that can be internal or external and require drivers and software utilities for operation.
• 🔌 Radio card formats include external formats like PC Card, Compact Flash (CF), and internal formats like Mini PCI and embedded 802.11 radio.
• 🛠️ Radio cards from various manufacturers may support 2.4 or 5 GHz bands and can be compatible with 802.11 and HT technology or legacy standards.
• 🛂 Client utilities facilitate the configuration of wireless network interface cards, including settings for SSID, transmit power, security, WMM quality of service, and power management.
• 🔧 There are three types of client utilities: integrated operating system client utilities, vendor-specific client utilities, and third-party client utilities.
• 🌐 The logical planes of operation in wireless LAN architecture include management control plane for administration, control plane for intelligent interaction between network equipment, and data plane for traffic forwarding.
• 🏢 Three primary wireless LAN architectures are autonomous, centralized, and distributed, each with different management and control mechanisms.
• 🌐 Autonomous wireless LAN architecture uses standalone APs with individual configuration, potentially managed centrally by a Wireless Network Management System (WNMS).
• 🏭 Centralized wireless LAN architecture employs a wireless LAN controller at the network core, managing controller-based APs (lightweight or thin APs).
• 🔄 Distributed wireless LAN architecture organizes multiple standalone APs into groups, with each AP handling local traffic forwarding and centralized management through a WNMS.
• 🆕 Unified wireless LAN architecture integrates wireless LAN controller capabilities into wired network infrastructure devices, allowing combined management of wireless and wired networks.

Q & A

What is a wireless LAN client device?

A wireless LAN client device is a device that connects to a wireless network using a half-duplex radio transceiver, which can be in various hardware formats and chipsets.

What are the two types of radio card formats mentioned in the script?

The two types of radio card formats mentioned are external and internal. Examples of external formats include PC card and Compact Flash (CF), while internal formats include Mini PCI and embedded 802.11 radio.

What is the role of drivers in a wireless LAN client device?

Drivers are required for the wireless LAN client device to communicate with the operating system and to interface with the end user, allowing for settings adjustments related to security and performance.

What are the functions of client utilities in wireless LAN?

Client utilities allow for the configuration of wireless network interface cards, including settings for SSID, transmit power, security, WMM Quality of Service capabilities, and power management.

What are the three types of client utilities discussed in the script?

The three types of client utilities are integrated operating system client utilities, vendor-specific client utilities, and third-party client utilities.

What is the purpose of the management control and data planes in wireless LAN architecture?

The management control and data planes are logical planes of operation that handle management, administration, and monitoring (management plane), and the actual forwarding of traffic (data plane) in a wireless LAN.

What is the main purpose of wireless LAN architecture?

The main purpose of wireless LAN architecture is to provide a wireless portal into a typical 802.3 Ethernet infrastructure.

What are the three primary wireless LAN architectures mentioned in the script?

The three primary wireless LAN architectures are autonomous wireless LAN architecture, centralized wireless LAN architecture, and distributed wireless LAN architecture.

How does a wireless LAN controller function in a centralized wireless LAN architecture?

In a centralized wireless LAN architecture, the wireless LAN controller resides in the core and utilizes controller-based APs, also known as lightweight or thin APs, moving all three logical planes of operation out of the APs to the controller.

What is the role of a Wireless Network Management System (WNMS) in wireless LAN architecture?

A Wireless Network Management System (WNMS) provides a central point of management for autonomous APs, moving the management plane out of the AP and can be either software or hardware appliance, vendor-specific or vendor-neutral.

What is a unified wireless LAN architecture and how does it differ from other architectures?

A unified wireless LAN architecture is a fairly new design that integrates wireless LAN controller capabilities into wired network infrastructure devices, allowing for the combined management of both wireless and wired networks, and providing seamless integration.