Wireless LAN Architecture
Summary
TLDRChapter 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
- đĄ 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.
- đ Radio card formats include external formats like PC Card, Compact Flash (CF), and internal formats like Mini PCI and embedded 802.11 radio.
- đ ïž 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.
- đ Client utilities facilitate the configuration of wireless network interface cards, including settings for SSID, transmit power, security, WMM quality of service, and power management.
- đ§ There are three types of client utilities: integrated operating system client utilities, vendor-specific client utilities, and third-party client utilities.
- đ 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.
- đą Three primary wireless LAN architectures are autonomous, centralized, and distributed, each with different management and control mechanisms.
- đ Autonomous wireless LAN architecture uses standalone APs with individual configuration, potentially managed centrally by a Wireless Network Management System (WNMS).
- đ Centralized wireless LAN architecture employs a wireless LAN controller at the network core, managing controller-based APs (lightweight or thin APs).
- đ Distributed wireless LAN architecture organizes multiple standalone APs into groups, with each AP handling local traffic forwarding and centralized management through a WNMS.
- đ 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.
Outlines
đĄ Wireless LAN Architecture Overview
This section delves into the architecture of Wireless LANs, focusing on client devices and their functionalities. It discusses the role of radio transceivers, the necessity of drivers and software utilities for user interaction, and the configuration of security and performance settings. The paragraph distinguishes between external and internal radio card formats, explains the capabilities of integrated circuits in radio cards, and touches on the support for different frequency bands and technologies. It also outlines the three types of client utilities: integrated operating system, vendor-specific, and third-party. The management plane responsibilities, including administration and monitoring, are also covered, as well as the data plane's role in forwarding traffic. The architecture's purpose is to provide wireless access to Ethernet infrastructure, with three primary architectures being autonomous, centralized, and distributed.
đ Advanced Wireless LAN Infrastructures
The second paragraph introduces newer architectural designs that integrate wireless LAN controller capabilities into wired network infrastructure. It emphasizes the seamless integration of wireless and wired networks and the shift from PHY-defined access. The paragraph covers various types of specialty wireless LAN infrastructure, including Wireless Worker Bridge (WGB) for wired infrastructure connectivity, wireless LAN bridges for connecting wired networks, home Wi-Fi routers for SOHO internet connections with security features, and mesh access points that use proprietary routing protocols. It also mentions the wireless LAN array, which combines multiple access points into a single device, and embedded wireless LAN controller technology that simulates a virtual AP system. The paragraph concludes with real-time location systems (RTLS) for tracking Wi-Fi devices and Voice over Wi-Fi telephones that operate on standard wireless LAN infrastructure.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄWireless LAN
đĄDuplex Radio Transceiver
đĄRadio Card Formats
đĄClient Utilities
đĄManagement Control and Data Planes
đĄAutonomous Wireless LAN Architecture
đĄCentralized Wireless LAN Architecture
đĄDistributed Wireless LAN Architecture
đĄWireless LAN Array
đĄReal-Time Location Systems (RTLS)
Highlights
Introduction to wireless LAN client devices and their components.
Explanation of the duplex radio transceiver and its hardware formats.
Requirement of drivers and software utilities for wireless LAN devices.
Differentiation between external and internal radio card formats.
Description of radio card shipments and their support for various frequencies and technologies.
Functionality of client utilities in configuring wireless network interface cards.
Types of client utilities: integrated, vendor-specific, and third-party.
Concept of management control and data planes in wireless LAN architecture.
Role of the MACD management plane in administration and monitoring.
Control plane protocols facilitating intelligent interaction between network equipment.
Data plane's responsibility for traffic forwarding in wireless LANs.
Overview of the three primary wireless LAN architectures: autonomous, centralized, and distributed.
Details on autonomous wireless LAN architecture and its use of standalone APs.
Centralized wireless LAN architecture utilizing wireless LAN controllers and thin APs.
Distributed wireless LAN architecture with independent intelligence and control mechanisms.
Introduction to unified wireless LAN architecture for combined management of wireless and wired networks.
Specialty wireless LAN infrastructure operating outside of 802.11 standards.
Wireless worker bridge (WGB) for connecting wired infrastructure devices.
Wireless LAN bridges for connectivity between wired networks with non-route configurations.
Home Wi-Fi router's role in providing shared wireless access and security features.
Wireless LAN mesh access points and their use of proprietary routing protocols.
Wireless LAN array's configuration with multiple access points and directional antennas.
Embedded wireless LAN controller technology and its virtual AP system.
Real-time location systems (RTLS) for tracking 802.11 radio devices and Wi-Fi tags.
Voice over Wi-Fi telephones supporting wireless security on 2.4 or 5 gigahertz bands.
Chapter 7 summary on wireless LAN client devices, architecture, and specialty infrastructure.
Transcripts
chapter 7 wireless lan architecture
in this chapter you will learn about the
following
wireless line client devices
it's a hat duplex radio transceiver
which can exist in many hardware formats
and chipsets
it requires drivers to communicate with
operating system as well as software
utility to interface with end user
allowing user to set wireless lan
security and performance settings
radio card formats there are two types
of radio card formats
external and internal example for
external rpc
pc card compact flash cf
an example for internal on mini pci and
embedded 802.11 radio
radio card ships is his group of
integrated circuits working together to
act as a transceiver from numerous
manufacturers
solder radio card manufacturer
it may support 2.4 or 5 gigahertz
only or both they support
802.11 and ht technology or only legacy
transmission methods
client utilities allows configuration of
wireless network interface cards such as
ssid transmit power security settings
wmm quality of service capabilities and
power management
and three types of client utilities are
integrated operating system client
utilities
second vendor-specific client utilities
and the last one
is third-party client utilities
management control and data planes
the logical planes of operation or
management control and data
macd management plane
is responsible for management
administration and monitoring
control is the protocols that provide
the intelligent interaction between
network equipment
data also known as the user plane where
traffic is actually forwarded
plane may be divided between access
points wireless line controllers and
wireless network management servers
wireless lan architecture
main purpose is to provide a wireless
portal into a typical 802.3 ethernet
infrastructure
three primary wireless lan architectures
are first
autonomous wireless lan architecture
second
centralized wireless lan architecture
and the last one is distributed wireless
lan architecture
autonomous wireless lan architecture
will use autonomous
that or standalone ap where the
configuration is performed on each
individual ap
wnms may be used to centralize device
management
wnms stands for wireless network
management system
it provides central point of management
for autonomous aps
moves the management plane out of the
autonomous ap can be software or
hardware appliance
can be vendor specific or vendor neutral
deployed at the core layer of the wired
network most solutions use simple
network management protocol
snmp to manage and monitor the wireless
lan
next is centralized wireless lan
architecture
it uses wireless lan controller that
resides in the core and utilizes
controller-based aps
also known as liquid or thin aps
all three logical planes of operation
have been moved out of the aps
to the wireless line controller some
tasks may still be handled by the ap
under the direction of the controller
based on the figure
you can see that for centralized
wireless lan architecture
wireless line controller controlled the
thin aps
distributed wireless lan architecture
network nodes provide independent
distributed intelligence
multiple standalone aps are organized
into groups
aps work together to provide control
mechanism
most of the intelligence and
capabilities of the wireless line
controller
distributed wireless lan architecture
each ap is responsible for local
forwarding of user traffic where
data plane resides in the ap management
is provided centrally utilizing a wnms
server
unified wireless lan architecture
fairly new architecture design
integrates wireless line controller
capabilities into wired network
infrastructure devices
it allows for the combined management of
the wireless and wired network
access is no longer defined by the phy
providing seamless integration
specialty wireless lan infrastructure
typically operate outside of the defined
802.11 standards
i will briefly explain for each on next
pages
wireless worker bridge wgb wireless
connectivity for wired infrastructure
devices
it connects to a bss and acts as a
client station
wireless lan bridges provides wireless
connectivity between two
or more wired networks two major
configuration settings are rooted in
non-route
also known as parent and child the
bridge can be point to point or point to
multi-point
home wifi router provides shared
wireless access to a soho internet
connection
provides a level of security
provides features such as configurable
802.11 radio card
routing protocols such as rip network
and port address translation
nat and p8t port forwarding firewall
layer 2 security wep wpa personal and or
wpa2
personal dhcp and multiple air hornet
switch ports
wireless lan mesh access points uses
proprietary layer 2 routing protocols
mesh aps typically support 2 radios 2.4
and 5
gigahertz radios
5 gigahertz radios usually used for mesh
infrastructure and 2.4 gigahertz
radios usually used to provide client
access
wireless lan array
multiple access points in a single
hardware device
directional antennas provide sector
coverage for each radio
simply a self-contained indoor sector
array
embedded wireless line controller
technology built in
virtual ap system
multiple ap share a single bss id
utilizes proprietary methods clients
believe they are connected to a single
ap
clients experience zero handoff time
where handoff is handled by a central
wireless line controller
use a single channel architecture sca
real-time location systems rtls
real-time tracking of 802.11 radio
devices
real-time tracking of eight of wi-fi
rf5d tags
uses signal strength and road time of
arrival algorithms to determine location
coordinates
real-time location systems application
can display a map with a device location
alerts or asset information
voice over wi-fi telephone
support for wireless security use 2.4 or
5 gigahertz banks
operates on typical wireless lan
infrastructure
chapter 7 summary wireless lan client
devices
wireless lan architecture specialty
wireless lan
infrastructure end of chapter
thank you for watching and listening
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