WLAN Networking
WLAN Communication Mode
Station
PCs, PDAs, or Wi-Fi mobile phones with wireless network interface cards (NICs) installed
Transmission medium
Air
Wireless access point (AP)
WLAN signal access device
Distributed system
Communication system used to connect APs and other network devices
WLAN Networking
WLAN Networking Mode
WLAN networking modes include:
Ad hoc mode
Infrastructure mode
01
Ad hoc mode
Multiple computers are interconnected using wireless
NICs, and no wireless APs are deployed.
02
Infrastructure mode
STAs are interconnected using APs. APs are regarded as hubs
in conventional LANs.
WLAN Networking
Ad Hoc Networking
The ad hoc mode is a special WLAN networking mode. Multiple computers are interconnected using
wireless NICs, and no wireless APs are deployed. It is also called a decentralized networking mode.
Similar to hosts interconnected in peer-to-peer (P2P) mode on a wired network, RF signals achieve point-
to-point connection between STAs.
As shown in the following figure, multiple laptops are interconnected through wireless connections.
SSID SSID
SSID
WLAN Networking
Infrastructure Networking Mode
In the infrastructure networking mode, a wireless AP or router
serves as the central device. Wireless STAs are connected with SW
APs, ensuring a star topology. An AP is like a hub.
AP
In addition to connecting wireless devices, a wireless AP connects SSID SSID
a wireless network with a wired network.
Clients access the network and communicate with each other through an
AP.
SSID
An AP serves as a relay and extends the scope of a WLAN. APs forward
data from/to external networks and data between STAs.
WLAN Networking
SSID
Service set identifier (SSID): An SSID identifies an available WLAN. All devices in the same basic service set
(BSS) use the same SSID to communicate with each other. APs broadcast SSIDs, and the scanning function of a
client can be used to view the SSID of the current area.
AP
STA STA STA STA
SSID ＝ office SSID ＝ office
STA STA
WLAN Networking
BSSID
A BSS contains STAs that communicate with each other. A BSSID identifies a BSS, is represented using the
MAC address of the AP, and cannot be modified. In an AP, BSSIDs have a one-to-one mapping relationship with
SSIDs. In an extended service set (ESS), APs have the same SSID but different BSSIDs. If an AP supports
multiple SSIDs simultaneously, different BSSIDs are assigned for the AP to map these SSIDs.
If an STA moves out of the coverage of a BSS, the STA can no longer communicate with other STAs in the BSS.
Roaming is not supported.
BSS1 BSS2
AP AP
SSID SSID SSID SSID
X
SSID SSID
00d0f81187 00d0f8A21C
WLAN Networking
ESSID
Multiple BSSs form an ESS. STAs in an ESS can communicate with each other.
An ESSID identifies an ESS, which can be manually modified. BSSs with the same SSID can be
connected to form a large virtual BSS.
If an STA moves out of the coverage of an ESS, the STA can still communicate with other STAs in the
BSS. Roaming is supported.
ESSID identifies the same network as the SSID does.
BSS1
BSS2
AP
AP
SSID SSID
SSID SSID
SSID
SSID
Student
Student
Practice Questions
Which of the following parameters can not be manually configured?
A SSID
B BSSID
C ESSID
D CSSID