Handbook of Information Security, Volume 1, Key Concepts, Infrastructure, Standards, and Protocols

Wireless Network Standards and Protocol 802.11

Prashant Krishnamurthy, University of Pittsburgh

Introduction

Wireless Wide Area Network Standards

Wireless Local Area Network Standards

Introduction to the IEEE 802.11 Standard

IEEE 802.11 WLAN Operations

Extending the Coverage in Infrastructure Topology

Network Operations in an Infrastructure Topology

Network Operations in an Ad Hoc Topology

The IEEE 802.11 MAC Layer

The Distributed Coordination Function

The Hidden Terminal Problem and Optional Mechanism

The Point Coordination Function

MAC Frame Formats

The IEEE 802.11 Physical Layer Alternatives

The Base IEEE 802.11 Standard

The IEEE 802.11b and 802.11g Standards

The IEEE 802.11a Standard

Summary of Physical Layer Alternatives

Security Issues and Implementation in IEEE 802.11

Entity Authentication in IEEE 802.11

Confidentiality and Integrity in IEEE 802.11

Key Distribution in IEEE802.11

Ongoing and Proposed Security Features

Recent Activities

Glossary

Cross References

References

INTRODUCTION

Wireless networks can be classified in many ways—based on mobility, topology, application, or coverage. For example, based on mobility, we may classify wireless networks as fixed, stationary, portable, or mobile. If we consider applications, we may look at wireless data networks and cellular voice networks. The topology of a wireless network may be based on a fixed infrastructure that enables mobile stations (MSs) to connect to the rest of the network or the topology may be ad hoc where MSs ...