Wireless Networking

1
Wireless Networking

• Dave Hartzell, Network Engineer
• Raytheon, EROS Data Center
• and Great Plains Network

2
Wireless Networking Intro

• Wireless networking is enabling everyone.

3
Wireless A History

• Without looking too far back, we know that for
  ages, mankind has searched for tools that allow
  us to communicate quickly, effectively and
  securely over long distances

4
Wireless A History

• Over the past twenty years or so, we have seen a
  tremendous boom communications accessibility
• PSTN
• Internet
• Cellular phone
• Personal communications services (PCS)

5
Wireless Today

• Today, everyone has a wireless cell phone
• Police
• Doctors
• Business people
• Teenagers
• Of all people, my Mother!
• Why?

6
Wireless Today

• Again, Why does everyone have a cell phone?
• Cheap?
• Convenient?
• Easy?
• Necessary?

7
Wireless Today

• All of those are true, but one reason why
  everyone has a cell phone is because it is an
  enabler!
• Wireless is nothing more than a tool, an enabler.

8
Wireless Today

• Wireless devices are popular and terribly
  inexpensive, and work well.
• Because of our addiction to the digital world,
  the next natural progression within the wireless
  realm is wireless data networking.

9
Wireless LANs

• Wireless LANs are now becoming insanely popular.
  People want to be able to access their email and
  the Internet all of the time!
• Wireless LANs allow us to do that, easily and
  cheaply.

10
Wireless LANs

• WLANs are now covering meeting rooms, buildings,
  and even entire university campuses!
• Im not that old (lt 30) and I can remember when
  we only had the Internet on an IBM mainframe!

11
So what is it good for?

• In the most pure form, WLANs allow freedom. No
  more wires!
• You can now take your laptop to a meeting like
  this and do something productive! -)

12
Mobility!

• WLANs can enable mobile data network connectivity
  to mobile environments
• Warehouses
• Outdoors
• Tradeshows
• In the field

13
What is making WLANs work?

• WLANs are becoming popular now because of several
  reasons, but the primary reason is
  interoperability between wireless equipment.
• The IEEE 802.11b standard.
• If youre making WLAN network equipment, and
  youre not 802.11b, you wont be making WLAN gear
  for much longer!

14
How do WLANs work?
15
How do WLANs work?
16
How do WLANs work?
17
What can I do with Wireless?

• Well, that depends. What do YOU think you could
  do?
• Most researchers have propeller-heads at their
  disposal (like me) to assist with technical
  computing needs. Ask us.

18
Some Examples of Wireless Applications

• EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, SD
• We are deploying WLANs building wide to support
  local staff and visiting colleagues.
• Everybody loves this idea. WLANs dont restrict
  users to their office.

19
Some Examples of Wireless Applications

• Field Use of Wireless EDC Scientists
• At EDC we have scientists that, several times a
  year, go into the field and take performance
  measurements of satellite data

20
Some Examples of Wireless Applications

• Field Use of Wireless EDC Scientists
• The scientists are typically go to remote
  locations no cellular, no power.
• White Sands Missile Range, in Nevada

21
Some Examples of Wireless Applications

• Field Use of Wireless EDC Scientists
• Most of the radiometry equipment is run by
  laptop, and data analysis is done at PCs
• Data is then transferred to high-powered servers
  for intense processing

22
Some Examples of Wireless Applications

• Field Use of Wireless EDC Scientists
• Wouldnt it be nice if the scientists could
  exchange large amounts of data between their
  laptops without using floppies? Often this need
  exists.
• Wouldnt it also be nice if they could upload
  their data right to EDC and process it while they
  are in the field?
• They could also send email, transfer data, check
  information, check stock quotes, etc.

23
Some Examples of Wireless Applications

• Field Use of Wireless EDC Scientists
• With WLANs and an Internet satellite uplink, this
  is all possible.
• The satellite uplink can be shared among all
  scientists with the ground based WLAN.
• Telemetry Uses Earthquake data

24
Collaborative Uses

• North Carolina General Assembly, 110 senators and
  representatives, use wireless laptops to keep up
  on email, calendars, and pending legislation.
• Ad hoc networks Wireless significantly aids in
  the installation of data networks in an Ad hoc or
  emergency situation

25
Satellite Internet

• Several new vendors are now gearing up to deliver
  Internet connectivity via satellite.
• This aids in the Ad hoc network environment, and
  greatly increases the flexibility, usability and
  reach of the network.

26
Satellite Internet Providers

• For years, we have had satellite ISPs, but they
  havent exactly been cheap.
• Now, we have several vendors working on low cost
  consumer satellite based ISP
• Hughes (DirecPC)
• Starburst

27
DirecPC

• Owned and operated by Hughes Satellite system
• Provides low cost, broadband internet experience
  to consumers
• Asymmetrical Network Connection
• Uses satellite as high-speed downlink
• Uses phone line as low-speed uplink

28
DirecPC

• The Asymmetrical nature doesnt do us any good in
  an Ad Hoc network, or out in the field.
• But, the next generation of DirecPC uses the
  satellite link symmetrically.

29
StarBand

• StarBand (now available) uses the satellite link
  symmetrically.
• This is good- now that one vendor has it, so will
  the others.

30
Problems with HEO Sats

• Geo-synchronous High Earth Orbit satellites like
  those used by StarBand and DirecPC are 22,500
  miles away, stationary in orbit.
• This causes about a half a second of latency.
  This makes a protocol like TCP/IP perform poorly,
  but this is still good enough for email, web and
  some data transfer.

31
Summary

• To summarize, there are many new technologies
  like wireless that can aid in collaboration and
  research.
• Tools like 802.11b and inexpensive two-way
  satellite service can assist anyone in staying
  connected and for remote data transfer needs.