International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology (IJCTT) volume 8 number 3 Feb 2014

ISSN: 2231-2803 www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 148

WLan Architecture
Ishu Mittal
1
, Mr. Anshul Anand
2

1
(Computer Science, Shri Baba Mastnath Engg. College/ Maharashi Dayanand University,Rtk, India
2
(Computer Science, Shri Baba Mastnath Engg. College/ Maharashi Dayanand University,Rtk, India)

ABSTRACT : It is the review paper of Architecture
of Wireless local area networks. In this paper we
are discussing the architecture of wlan. A wireless
LAN (WLAN) is a local area network based on
wireless technology. Most modern local area
networks now employ some wireless network
infrastructure because it allows existing networks
to be extended without the expense of additional
cabling, and allows users of portable network
devices to maintain connectivity with the network
as they move around. Wireless networks can be set
up quickly and can be configured in either ad hoc
or infrastructure mode. In ad hoc mode, two or
more portable computers can communicate with
each other in the wireless equivalent of a peer-to-
peer network. There is no connection to a wired
network and a wireless access point is not
required. In this paper I also explaining the
advantages, architecture, layers, frame format of
wireless Local Area Networks.
Keywords - Introduction, Advantages,
Architecture, Access Points,BSS, ESS, Frame
Format, Layers,.
INTRODUCTION
A wireless local area network (WLAN) links two
or more devices using some wireless distribution
method (typically spread-spectrum or OFDM
radio), and usually providing a connection through
an access point to the wider Internet. This gives
users the ability to move around within a local
coverage area and still be connected to the network.
Most modern WLANs are based on IEEE 802.11
standards,
I. ADVANTAGES
1. It is easier to add or move workstations.
2. It is easier to provide connectivity in areas
where it is difficult to lay cable.
3. Installation is fast and easy, and it can
eliminate the need to pull cable through walls
and ceilings.
4. Access to the network can be fromanywhere
within range of an access point.
5. Portable or semi permanent buildings can be
connected using a WLAN.
6. Although the initial investment required for
WLAN hardware can be similar to the cost of
wired LAN hardware, installation expenses
can be significantly lower.
7. When a facility is located on more than one
site (such as on two sides of a road), a
directional antenna can be used to avoid
digging trenches under roads to connect the
sites.
8. In historic buildings where traditional cabling
would compromise the faade, a WLAN can
avoid the need to drill holes in walls.
9. Long-term cost benefits can be found in
dynamic environments requiring frequent
moves and changes
II. WIRELESS NETWORK
There are two major approaches today for
deploying WLAN networks in the enterprise.
Both approaches require Wireless 802.11 based
Access Points (APs) and some method for
managing these network elements. However, the
two approaches have some basic philosophical
differences which can have a major impact on
deployment costs, security and manageability.

The first architecture to be presented is the so-
called Centralized WLAN Architecture.
The Centralized Architecture requires one or more
servers or special purpose switches to be deployed
in conjunction with Wireless Access Points. In the
Centralized approach, all wireless traffic is sent
through the WLAN switch.

Another approach is the Distributed Access Point
WLAN Architecture. The Distributed Architecture
adheres closely to the principles of the IEEE
802.11 standard. In the Distributed approach, APs
have built-in WLAN security, layer 2 bridging, and
access control features. Depending on the number
of APs required, Centralized Management may be
required. Distributed AP vendors may provide
Centralized
Management tools or the APs may be managed by
the existing Network Management Infrastructure.
The AP is connected directly to the trusted wired
infrastructure and extends the wired network by
providing wireless connections to wireless client
devices.

One of the advantages of the Distributed or
Wireless Extension approach is that the wireless
traffic load is literally distributed across the APs
and does not depend on a centralized element to
International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology(IJCTT) volume X Issue YMonth 2014

ISSN: 2231-2803 www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 149

process all of the wireless traffic. In the Centralized
approach, loss of the WLAN Switch results in loss
of the wireless network, whereas with the
Distributed architecture, there is no single point of
failure. From a performance point of view, the
Distributed Architecture is superior from a
performance/efficiency point of view.
This is because the Centralized approach requires
all wireless packets to be processed by the
centralized WLAN Switch whereas in the
Distributed Architecture, the packets are handled
by the APs and only management traffic needs to
go to and from a central point. Centralized
Architectures tend to be difficult to scale because
each WLAN switch can only handle a limited
number of APs.


III. WLAN ARCHITECTURES
1. Station (STA) terminal with access
mechanisms to the wireless mediumand radio
contact to the access point.

2. Access Point (or Base Station) station
integrated into the wireless LAN and the
distribution system.

Fig.1

3. Basic Service Set A BSS is a set of stations
that communicate with one another. A BSS
does not generally refer to a particular area,
due to the uncertainties of electromagnetic
propagation. When all of the stations int the
BSS are mobile stations and there is no
connection to a wired network, the BSS is
called independent BSS (IBSS). IBSS is
typically short-lived network, with a small
number of stations, that is created for a
particular purpose. When a BSS includes an
access point (AP), the BSS is called
infrastructure BSS.
When there is a AP, If one mobile station in
the BSS must communicate with another
mobile station, the communication is sent
first to the AP and then from the AP to the
other mobile station. This consume twice the
bandwidth that the same communication.
While this appears to be a significant cost, the
benefits provided by the AP far outweigh this
cost. One of them is, AP buffers the traffic of
mobile while that station is operating in a
very low power state.
4. Extended Service Set (ESS):- A ESS is a set
of infrastructure BSSs, where the APs
communicate among themselves to forward
traffic from one BSS to another and to
facilitate the movement of mobile stations
fromone BSS to another. The APs perform
this communication via an abstract medium
called the distribution system (DS). To
network equipment outside of the ESS, the
ESS and all of its mobile stations appears to
be a single MAC-layer network where all
stations are physically stationary. Thus, the
ESS hides the mobility of the mobile stations
fromeverything outside the ESS.
5. Distribution System:- the distribution
system (DS) is the mechanismby which one
AP communicates withanother to exchange
frames for stations in their BSSs, forward
frames to follow mobile stations from one
BSS to another, and exchange frames with
wired network.
Infrastructure wireless LAN is a termoften
referred to wireless LANs that deploy AP,
with the infrastructure being the APs along
with wired Ethernet infrastructure that
connects APs and router, hub or switch
International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology(IJCTT) volume X Issue YMonth 2014

ISSN: 2231-2803 www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 150

IV. LAYERS
Fig2
1. Physical layer
The PHY is the interface between the MAC and
wireless media, which transmits and receives data
frames over a shared wireless media. The PHY
provides three levels of functionality: First, the
PHY layer provides a frame exchange between the
MAC and PHY under the control of the physical
layer convergence procedure(PLCP) sublayer.
Secondly, the PHY uses signal carrier and spread
spectrummodulation to transmit dataframes over
the media under the control of the physical
mediumdependent (PMD) sublayer. Thirdly, the
PHY provides a carrier sense indication back to
the MAC to verify activity on the media.


1.1 DSSS
The DSSS uses the 2.4 GHz frequency band as the
RF transmission media. Data transmission over
the media is controlled by the DSSS PMD
sublayer as directed by the DSSS PLCP sublayer.
The DSSS PMD takes the binary bits of
information from the PLCP protocol data unit
(PPDU) and transforms theminto RF signals for
the wireless media by using carrier modulation
and DSSS techniques.
.
1.1.1 DSSS PLCP Sublayer
The PLCP protocol data unit (PPDU) is unique to
the DSSS PHY layer. The PPDU frame consists of
a PLCP preamble, PLCP header, and MAC
protocol data unit (MPDU). The PLCP preamble
andPLCP header are always transmitted at 1
Mbps, and the MPDU can be sent at 1 Mbps or 2
Mbps.

1.2The Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum
(FHSS)
Data transmission over the media is controlled by
the FHSS PMD sublayer as directed by the FHSS
PLCP sublayer. The FHSS PMD takes the binary
bits of information fromthe whitened PSDU and
transforms theminto RF signals for the wireless
media by using carrier modulation and FHSS
techniques.
The PLCP preamble is used to acquire the
incoming signal and synchronize the receivers
demodulator.

1.3 IR PHY Layer
The IR PHY is one of the three PHY layers
supported in the standard. The IR PHY differs
from DSSS and FHSS because IR uses near-
visible light as the transmission media. IR
communication relies on light energy,which is
reflected off objects or by line-of-sight. The IR
PHY operation is restricted to indoor
environments and cannot pass through walls, such
as DSSS and FHSS radio signals. Data
transmission over the media is controlled by the
IR PMD sublayer as directed by the IR PLCP
sublayer.
The PLCP preamble, PLCP header, and PSDU
make up the PPDU. The PLCP preamble and
PLCP header are unique to the IR PHY. The
PLCP preamble is used to acquire the incoming
signal and synchronize the receiver prior to the
arrival of the PSDU. The PLCP header contains
information about PSDU from the sending IR
PHY. The PLCP preamble and PLCP header are
always transmitted at 1Mbps and the PSDU can
be sent at 1 Mbps or 2 Mbps.

2. Mac Layers
2.1 Mac Layer1
Traffic services
1.Asynchronous Data Service (mandatory)
2.exchange of data packets based on best-effort
3.support of broadcast and multicast
4.Time-Bounded Service (optional)
5.implemented using PCF (Point Coordination
Function)
Access methods
6.DFWMAC-DCF CSMA/CA (mandatory)
7.collision avoidance via randomized back-off
mechanism
8.minimum distance between consecutive packets
9.ACK packet for acknowledgements (not for
broadcasts)
10.DFWMAC-DCF w/ RTS/CTS (optional)
11.Distributed Foundation Wireless MAC
12.avoids hidden terminal problem
13.DFWMAC- PCF (optional)
14.access point polls terminals according to a list
2.2 Mac Layer2
Priorities
1.defined through different inter frame spaces
2 .no guaranteed, hard priorities
3. SIFS (Short Inter Frame Spacing)
4.highest priority, for ACK, CTS, polling response
PIFS (PCF IFS)
International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology(IJCTT) volume X Issue YMonth 2014

ISSN: 2231-2803 www.internationaljournalssrg.org Page 151

5.mediumpriority, for time-bounded service using
PCF
6.DIFS (DCF, Distributed Coordination Function
IFS)
7.lowest priority, for asynchronous data service

3. The 802.11 MAC protocol
To deal with problems of hidden station and
exposed station problems 802.11 supports two
modes of operations.
3.1 DCF(Distributed coordination Function):
does not use any kind of central control.
3.2 PCF(Point Coordination Function): uses the
base station to control all activity in its cell.
V. THE 802.11 FRAME


Fig 3

The first two bytes of the IEEE 802.11 header are
taken up by the frame control field, which consists
of a number of sub-fields that contain information
about the frame, such as the protocol version,
frame type, whether power management is active,
and so on. The address fields carry the MAC
address of the source and destination devices, as
well as that of one or more access points. The
sequence control field is used for ordering message
fragments, and for the identification of any
duplicated frames. The variable-length payload can
carry user data or control and management
information, depending on the frame type. The
Frame Check Sequence occupies the last 4 bytes of
the frame, and is used for error detection purposes.
Address 1 field holds the MAC address of the
station that is suppose to receive the frame.
Address 2 field holds the MAC address of station
that sends data.
Address 3 field contains the MAC address of the
router to which AP is connected
Sequence number helps to distinguishing between a
newly transmitted frame and there transmission of
a previous frame. The duration value field is used
when transmitting station reserves the channel for
the time to transmit data frame and ACK. Frame
control fields type and subtype are used to
distinguish the association, RTS, CTS, ACK, and
data frames. The to and fromfields are used to
define the meaning of the address fields which
meanings change depending whether it is an ad hoc
or infrastructure network.


VI. CONCLUSIONS
In this review paper we studied the architecture of
WLAN how it works .how two stations
communicate with one another. WLAN offers user
mobility, Users can access files, network resources,
and the Internet without having to physically
connect to the network with wires. Users can
quickly install a small WLAN for temporary needs
such as a conference, trade show, or standards
meeting. WLANs are now becoming a viable
alternative to traditional wired solutions. For
example, hospitals, universities, airports, hotels,
and retail shops are already using wireless
technologies to conduct their daily business
operations.

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