Computer Networking - Essay Example

Technologies in Wireless Networking Ahmad Alnafea Department of Computer Science and Technology of Bedfordshire Wireless network is a type of computer network that has become vital for modern existence. Some of benefits of wireless network can be convenience, flexibility, productivity, easy setup, maintainable, expandable, robust security protection and cost. The wireless networks are continuously growing but there still have some of the key challenges in wireless networks that are security, radio signal interference, system interoperability and many other bases.

Now many improved standards are introduced by IEEE. Attackers try unauthorised attempts to your login by putting different ID and password, Unauthorised access can be successful if proper security not implemented on your WLAN. Sometimes attackers with the help of unauthorised access give huge amount of damages to IT companies. Because with the help of attack on their WLAN they get all the important information and data. Radio signal interference is used to remove that signals which can interrupt original signals from wireless devices but these radio IP interface can effect the connectivity of original signals, poor throughput and low data rates.

Wireless equipment privacy is used at data link and physical layer of OSI model. As name implies, Wireless Equivalent Privacy goal is to provide an equivalent amount of security to all wired LAN networks.I. Introduction Wireless network is a type of computer network that has become vital for modern existence. The difference between wired and wireless networks is that multiple computer or devices can flexibly share resources without any additional installation of wiring. These resources can be a shared data, internet, printers and domain connectivity.

In wired networks all communications can be possible by using some sort of any physical medium only, while wireless telecommunications networks are generally implemented and administered using radio communication over one or more access points.Some of benefits of wireless network are convenience, flexibility, productivity, easy setup, maintainable, expandable, robust security protection and cost. However, the disadvantages include interference in wireless signals because of any obstructions like wall or other wireless devices etc Cooper,4,2004.

Nowadays, wireless networking is quickly become famous for both home and business networks and wireless products. Major organizations like IEEE, IFTF and Wi-Fi alliance are continually working to make improvement in this area.II. Wireless Standards There are numerous wireless standards offered now with different values but one of them is currently leading the market which is IEEE based 802.11. (Stefano, 32,2004)A. 802.11:As stated above 802.11 was the original standard of the IEEE which could deliver 1-2 Mbps over 2.

4 GHz range. The standard PSK (Phase Shift Key) variation can be used. The main reason of this is because it uses comparatively low data rates. Before PSK we use Ethernet, but this technology is no longer used and it has been replaced by other 802.11 standards Stefano, 32, 2004.B. 802.11a:802.11a standards used physical layers which is operates in the 5 to 6 GHZ range with data rates more than 54 Mbps. These physical layers are mostly operates in high speed atmosphere.802.11a standard used 52 % subcarrier OFDM with maximum data transfer rate as high as 54Mbps commonly used on reduced rate to 6, 12 and 24 Mbps. The 802.11a is also known as Wi-Fi5.C. 802.11b:802.11b standards stretched the data rates to maximum 11 Mbps.

This specification is backward compatible with the initial 802.11 standard.The devices running on this specification may get interference from other devices which operate on 2 GHz to 2.4 GHz band such that wireless phones and other wireless devices.D. 802.11g:802.11g standards are a modification of 802.11 standards that provides data rate more than 54 Mbps using 802.11b standards.802.11g is fully backward compatible with 802.11b devices and use OFDM standard which is same like 802.11a standard.

It has been deployed under the marketing name of Wi-Fi, although the frequency band of 802.11g which is the same like standards 802.11b but it can get higher data rate.TABLEI. Comparison of wireless LAN StandardsStandardsMaximum Data Rate (Mbps)Typical Throughput (Mbps)Operating Frequency Band802.11a54255 GHz802.11b116.52.4 GHz802.11g54252.4 GHzAll above 802.11 standards are built with the help of Ethernet protocol and time division duplexing method which are used to check out the input and outgoing of signals Goedert,34,2005.III. Some more wireless LAN technologiesWireless technologies, which are used :NarrowbandSpread spectrumFHHS DSSS A.

Narrowband:Narrowband tells us about the telecommunication, which having a voice information about the frequencies. It mostly covered the frequencies within the range of 300 up to 3500 Hz. Now in DSL we also have narrowband technology.B. Spread Spectrum:Spread spectrum is a very useful technology that we have today. In our radio communications and telecommunications systems, this technology is used. Major function of this technology is signals and can not be detected. This technology is mostly used in army radars, wireless phones and many more.C. FHHS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum):FHSS is a transmission technology which is used mostly in LAN transmissions.

The main functionality of that it divides the spectrum in number of channels, which is mostly used in military wireless radio. This technology derived from military radio technology where message was designed to be secure and safe in battle field.Frequency hopping is a very reliable technology and it can be used in those applications where data is more critical. FHSS uses narrow band technology. This technology improves privacy and helps to prevent interference.D. DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum):DSSS is basically a modulation technique in which number of information is divided into small pieces, each of piece assign frequency channel across the spectrum.

In very computer networking organization DSSS technology is used instant of hard wired solution.IV. WLAN Channels and Frequencies In 802.11g standard 14 frequencies standards are used. 2.4 GHz range was terminated as the range was already in use by many other devices like Bluetooth devices, ovens and telephone so interference issues were highly reported Alomari & Sumari, 253,2006TABLEII. 802.11g standards channel to frequency [3]Ch.Centre FrequencyChannel WidthOverlaps Channels12.412 GHz2.401 GHz - 2.

423 GHz2,3,4,522.417 GHz2.406 GHz - 2.428 GHz1,3,4,5,632.422 GHz2.411 GHz - 2.433 GHz1,2,4,5,6,742.427 GHz2.416 GHz - 2.438 GHz1,2,3,5,6,7,852.432 GHz2.421 GHz - 2.443 GHz1,2,3,4,6,7,8,962.437 GHz2.426 GHz - 2.448 GHz2,3,4,5,7,8,9,1072.442 GHz2.431 GHz - 2.453 GHz3,4,5,6,8,9,10,1182.447 GHz2.436 GHz - 2.458 GHz4,5,6,7,9,10,11,1292.452 GHz2.441 GHz - 2.463 GHz5,6,7,8,10,11,12,13102.457 GHz2.446 GHz - 2.468 GHz6,7,8,9,11,12,13112.462 GHz2.451 GHz - 2.473 GHz7,8,9,10,12,13122.467 GHz2.456 GHz - 2.

478 GHz8,9,10,11,13132.472 GHz2.461 GHz - 2.483 GHz9,10,11,12142.484 GHz2.473 GHz - 2.495 GHz12,13Overlying channel bands can be found in figure1.Figure 1. 802.11b/g standards channels [4]V. Classification of wireless LAN Merritt,12,2002Wireless LANs are categorized into two parts:Ad hoc wireless LANs (peer to peer).Wireless LANs with infrastructure.A. Ad hoc wireless LANs: In ad hoc networks, several wireless nodes join together to establish a peer-to-peer communication. The wireless network is so simple and all computers communicate directly with the other computers using 802.

11 network interface cards within the network without using any access point.Ad hoc mode is also known as Independent Basic Set or peer-to-peer mode, all computers or workstations within this design using their wireless NIC cards to communicate with each other via radio waves. This type of network is setup for a smaller setup like meeting or conference rooms or where sufficient wired infrastructure is not available.Figure 2. Ad hoc mode networkingB. Wireless LANs with infrastructure:Wireless LAN with structure, having a high-speed wired or wireless network.

Mostly wireless client devices and computers communicate through the access points which allow the wireless devices to share the available network resources efficiently. Structure type networking provides communication with wireless radio frequency and wired LAN. This access point executes the packet conversion of 802.11 to 802.3 Ethernet packets. Data packets from LAN to a wireless client are converted by the access point into radio signals. A basic wireless structure with a single access point is called a Basic Service Set Mensh, 36, 2012Figure 3.

Wireless LAN with infrastructure mode networkingVI. Key ChallengesThe key challenges in wireless networks are :A. Security:Security is a big issue in a wireless networking. Many organizations spend a lot of money on their security of wireless networks. But still there is no secure security in wireless at which organization can be rely. VPN can be acceptable as a solution of security if every user on a network can be handed full compatible VPN client that can be work on specified operating system.

In the 21st century most of our devices introduce with Wi-Fi technology like our laptops, mobiles, Bluetooth and many more. What hackers do, they access device data through organization wireless LAN ,if this device is in used mode or not for sending and receiving transmission.To secure Wireless LAN, Microsoft and Mac system introduce personal ID and password in wireless technology. However, as it has mentioned above, it is not authenticated but still much better than nothing. Hackers take very less time to determine your IP Address ,so just disable your DHCP is a solution.

Microsoft introduces one new standard for port-based Network Access Control that is 802.1X standard. It provides authenticated network access to Ethernet networks and all wireless network standards like 802.11 and 802.1X standard have software which enables wireless communication, it has authenticated wireless access point and logical endpoints between your system and the WAP address. Lufer,22,2006For most WLAN users, the basic issues can be classified into three:In Data Hacking, attacker can has access to confidential data of your network.

By having a authority of your valid user. This type of attacks mostly happen in 802.11 networks which do not authenticated your source address.Deny of Service is a kind of attack which hackers used to block or interrupt normal actions of a network. This attack which keeps the server busy to cater false requests, so that proper data can not be travel and information shard at a wrong end.Unauthorised access is another issue for WLAN users. Attackers try unauthorised attempts to your login by putting different ID and password, unauthorised access can be successful if proper security not implemented on your WLAN.

Sometimes attackers with the help of unauthorised access give huge amount of damages to IT companies. Because with the help of attack on their WLAN they get all the important information and data.B. Radio Signal Interface :Radio signal interference is used to remove that signals which can interrupt original signals from wireless devices. But these radio IP interface can effect the connectivity of original signals, poor throughput and low data rates. These signals can be effected due to weather conditions like heavy rain , fog and windy weather can effect the performance of these signals.

These are very important challenges for wireless networking.VII. Wireless security protocolsIn wireless networking we have some security protocols which we used.A. Open System Authentication:Open system authentication is a complete procedure in which computer get access to wireless network and that network allowed wired equipment privacy to connect. In open authentication, we do not need of network name, we just need a key to connect, network’s name comes automatically. This authentication provides no security, as mention in its name, due to it is open nature of protocol.B. Shared System Authentication: Shared system authentication is used to avoid unauthenticated user to get access of network.

This key is much better than open key authentication. In this authentication, your data encryption is completely off. In this system, network is assumed to receive a secret key using secure channel.C. Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP) :Wired Equivalent Privacy is that network which protocols are used to provide security to 802.11 wired LAN. It provides users a security scheme to the problem. Wireless equipment privacy is used at data link and physical layer of OSI model. As name implies, Wireless Equivalent Privacy goal is to provide an equivalent amount of security to all wired LAN networks.

But problem occurred when protocol has shown too much weakness after it is launch and numerous flaws.Wireless equipment privacy also having some drawbacks. The main drawback is that the key is not specified in WEP standard. The keys are not long lasting and having poor quality. Most of the networks that use Wireless equipment privacy having one number of key that is used on every network. The algorithm which is used in this privacy is not suitable. Wireless equipment protocols depend on secret key that is shared between a network and an access point.

These secret keys are used to convert packets before they are transmitted.Wireless equipment protocol uses the RC4 encryption algorithm and CRC-32 checksum for integrity. A stream cipher operates by expanding a short key into an infinite pseudo-random key stream. VIII. WEP Substitutes:A. WEP2:Wireless Equipment Protocol is not good for providing security so the WEP2 technology is introduced with better features. Wireless equipment protocol 2 contains extended length and it also contains 128 bits.

However, there are still some disadvantages occur in this protocol. They increase the key space to 128 bits but it fails to protect key attacks. So it is clear that in this protocols some mistakes are still occur and it can not be good for services.There are two modes which are very useful in wireless networking security:PERSONAL MODE: This mode is used in small organization and usually in homes. The personal mode uses shared key between access point and between their devices. ENTERPRISE MODE: This mode is used in large organizations.

In this mode 802.11i standard control all the authentication which is developed for controlling 802.1X standard network. It is used for large corporations or enterprises.B. WPA2: Wi-Fi protected access 2 security keys now exist in organizations. WPA2 Pre-Shared Key utilizes keys that are 64 hexadecimal digits long and the method most commonly used on home networks. Many home routers call WPA2 PSK as "WPA2 Personal" mode, these refer to the same underlying technology.Overall, WPA2 is the finest protocol we have in the market to secure Wi-Fi networks with good security standards and it is main authentication feature of ‘’Four-Way handshake’’.IX. ConclusionIn this research paper, I try to explain about the new Technologies in the field of networking.

There are a lot of standards that are newly introduced in the world are discussed .Some standards are really so amazing and some have still some problems. In this research paper I discusses about existing technologies that can be so feasible for various wireless technologies.The invention of 802.11g wireless standard is a very useful technology that is introduced. Due to this technology Researcher are interested in dual mode access that allow users to enjoy Wi-Fi to enjoy more secure and fastest speed that is not available before.

Due to this technology bog organizations and companies move towards high speed 802.11a wireless technology. In less expensive products , now companies used 802.11b standard which is compatible and affordable.A wireless network affords the opportunity to connect to the Internet from anywhere in a home, leaving users free to work from kitchen tables and sofas, rather than forcing them to use a stationary wired connection.Now life is so fast .No one can be slave of machines. They want to make machine slaves of themselves.

So in this case wireless technology has to be so fast. No one think of Wi-Fi technology in previous century. But now they moving all their products on that technology. Even smart tv , microwaves, TV and many products are take over old LAN base machinery.lx) References :Wilkie, L, & Mensch, S 2012, Wireless Computing Technology, Global Education Journal, 2012, 3, pp. 1-36Alomari, S, Sumari, P, & Taghizadeh, A 2011, A Comprehensive Study of Wireless Communication Technology for the Future Mobile Devices, European Journal Of Scientific Research, 60, 4, pp.

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