WiFi Network Implementation Workshop

Course Outline (1 Day)

This seminar is designed to give both non technical and technical personnel the basics of understanding and designing a wireless network. We will cover numerous topics including basic and advanced security features as well as important design and implementation considerations.

Who should take this workshop?

This workshop is designed for people who require a general overall understanding of WiFi network architecture. We will cover the different setups associated with wireless networks followed by a live demonstration.

Workshop topics, outlines and overviews.

Wireless LAN Design and Implementation

Wireless overview: A brief overview of the architectural considerations of an IEEE 802.11x network using an IEEE 802.11g wireless router.

An Overview of Wireless Networks

• The frequency spectrum
• Licensed vs. unlicensed frequencies
• The basic modulation process of a radio system
• Analog speech
• Analog data
• Digital speech
• Digital data
• Radio propagation
• Frequency considerations
• Noise and db loss considerations
• Line of sight considerations
• Error handling
• Basics of error handling
• Detection and correction principles
• Reception considerations
• Buildings, walls, doors furniture etc.
• Interference with other radio systems

A quick overview of Wireless Technologies

• IrDA standard for infrared
• Advantages and disadvantages of IrDA
• Where and when to use this technology.
• Bluetooth technology, a quick overview
• Advantages and disadvantages of Bluetooth.
• Where and when to use Bluetooth.
• Ultra Wide band Radio (UWB), a quick overview
• Advantages and disadvantages of UWB.
• Where and when to use UWB. Perhaps as a replacement for Bluetooth.

The IEEE 802.11 family of WiFi networks and standards

This workshop will cover all the following IEEE 802.11 WiFi standards. A short discussion of these standards will give the student a better overall understanding of how they fit together and form the big picture.

• The 802.11, is the original WiFi standard

• The 802.11b, standard is the most popular WiFi standard that is being used for today's radio networks

• The 802.11a, standard has been overshadowed by the IEEE 802.11b, but offers many new features for high end WiFi networks. The 802.11a standard was ratified after the 802.11b standard.

• The 802.11g, standard was developed as a replacement for the IEEE 802.11b, with emphasis on speed and security.

• The 802.11i standard deals with the security framework of a WiFi network.

• The 802.11e deals with QoS mechanisms supporting all IEEE WLAN radio interfaces.

• The 802.11f defines communications between access points.

• The 802.11h is used with the 802.11a equipment and addresses the spectrum management issues of the 802.11a standard.

Understanding Wireless Topologies

Prior to understanding wireless network, the workshop will deal with a detail discussion of the following WiFi topics

• Understanding the physical layer of a radio network
• Ad-hoc layout
• Peer to peer layout and considerations
• Where and when to use peer to peer
• Advantages and disadvantages of peer to peer
• Infrastructure mode or Basic Service Set (BSS)
• Layout considerations for BSS
• Where and when to use BSS
• Advantages and disadvantages of BSS
• Mesh Network or Extended Service Set (ESS)
• Layout considerations for ESS
• Where and when to use ESS
• Advantages and disadvantages of ESS
• Basic Wireless component overview
• The wireless NIC card
• The wireless access point
• Basic Overview of the access point
• AP specifications firmware and software considerations
• Administrative security
• Security considerations
• IP basics
• Understanding IP addressing
• Static ver. Dynamic IP addressing
• DHCP addressing basics
• Setting up an ad-hoc network
• Detail design considerations and implementations including detail layout and site studies.
• Establishing communications
• Understanding the OSI layers
• A crash course on TCP/IP
• IP addressing in detail
• Using DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
• Using static addressing
• Advantages of DHCP and Static addressing
• Router basics
• Considerations for an ESS (Extended Service Set) wireless network
• Physical layout
• Addressing layout
• Administrative functions
• The Wireless Access point
• Specifications
• Setting up administrative username and password
• Understanding MAC addressing, filtering and cloning
• Basic overview on AP security functions
• AP DHCP functions
• AP addressing and MAC restrictions
• Setting up a Basic service set network. Hands on exercise.
• Locating access point for best reception
• Testing the wireless perimeter
• Setting up Administrative functions
• Setting up Static and Dynamic addressing
• Security issues
• Basics of Encryption
• Understanding security components
• Public keys
• Private keys
• IEEE 802.11x security framework
• WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)
• 64 bit, 128 bit and 256 bit keys
• Administrative management of keys
• Dynamic ver. Static key layout
• Advanced topics on DHCP
• Where, when and how to use.
• Routers and Firewall
• Firewall primer
• Setting up firewall functions and restricting group and individual accesses.
• Outbound and inbound restrictions
• The Wireless Personal Digital Assistant
• Local Area and Wide area access
• Local area for corporate file transfers
• Wide area for email and Internet access
• Case study for a Mesh or extended wireless service set.
• Administrative functions
• Setting up DHCP, either through a router or through the AP
• Setting up static and dynamic addressing
• MAC restrictions
• Setting up WEP and security keys
• Dynamic
• Static
• Building a Mesh Extended Service Set network a hand on exercise.
• Advanced Wireless topics
• Understanding WiMax Wide Area Networks