802.11 Learning Guide

802.11 - The alphabet
802.11 is perhaps the fastest-changing network protocol around -- already we're seeing 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11e standards, with 802.11g and 802.11i and others up and coming. We've gathered a wealth of information to get you up-to-speed quickly on the various specifications.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
   802.11 Quick Start
   The Alphabet
   Chapter Downloads
   Choosing Standards
   Upcoming Standards
   What about security?
   Enterprise role models - Who's really using 802.11?
   802.11 Tutorials
   Articles and White Papers
   Descriptive Q&As
   Resources

802.11 Quick Start
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• Glossary Definition: 802.11


• Glossary Definition: WLAN


• Glossary Definition: Wi-Fi


• Glossary Definition: Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)


• Expert: LEAP and PEAP


• Article: What's in WAP?
• Article: Wireless standards overview

The Alphabet
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• 802.11 - applies to wireless LANs and provides 1 or 2 Mbps transmission in the 2.4 GHz band using either frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) or direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS).


• 802.11a - an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless LANs and provides up to 54 Mbps in the 5GHz 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 (with a fallback to 5.5, 2 and 1 Mbps) in the 2.4 GHz band. 802.11b uses only DSSS. 802.11b was a 1999 ratification to the original 802.11 standard, allowing wireless functionality comparable to Ethernet.


• 802.11g - applies to wireless LANs and provides 20+ Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band.

Chapter Downloads
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• 802.11 (Wi-Fi) Networking Handbook - Chapter 9


• 802.11 Security: Attacks and risks

Choosing Standards
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Upcoming Standards
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• Keeping tabs on 802.1X

What about security?
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• 802.11 Security: Attacks and risks (Book excerpt)
• Wireless security (Article)
• How secure is WLAN? (Expert advice)
• Popular protocols for securing 802.11 (Expert advice)
• Bolstering wireless LAN security (Article)

Enterprise role models - Who's really using 802.11?
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• English water company patches leaks in wireless system (Case study)
• Microsoft Corporation: 35,000 employees go wireless with WLAN (Case study - PDF)
• Mobile PCs and wireless: Business users make the productivity connection (Case study - PDF)
• College expects wireless LAN to be big man on campus (Article)

802.11 Tutorials
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• Understanding internal 802.11 card form factors


• Understanding public key cryptography


• Introduction to the Wireless Application Protocol

Articles and White Papers
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• 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)
• Gartner warns companies to steer clear of 802.11g (News Article)


• Wi-Fi Alliance sets 802.11g testing schedule (News Article)


• White Papers on 802.11 (White Papers)

Descriptive Q & As
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• 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
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• IEEE Official Web Site
  
• Wi-Fi Alliance
  
• Best Web Links on 802.11
  
• 802.11: Making sense of the standards (Webcast with Lisa Phifer)