Service Set Identifier (SSID) is a unique identifier that is used to identify a wireless local area network (WLAN). An SSID is essentially the name of the wireless network that is broadcasted by the wireless access point (AP) and used by clients to connect to the network.
There are several types of SSID configurations:
1. Basic Service Set (BSS): A BSS is a single wireless AP that provides wireless connectivity to clients. The AP broadcasts the SSID and clients use it to connect to the network.
2. Extended Service Set (ESS): An ESS is a network of multiple APs that work together to provide wireless connectivity to a large area, such as an office building or campus. The multiple APs share the same SSID, allowing clients to roam seamlessly from one AP to another without losing connectivity.
3. Independent Basic Service Set (Ad-hoc): An Ad-hoc network is a peer-to-peer network of wireless devices that connect directly to each other without the use of a central AP. In this configuration, each device broadcasts its own SSID and clients can connect directly to the device.
4. Roaming: Roaming refers to the ability of clients to move between APs in an ESS network while maintaining their network connection. When a client moves out of range of one AP and into the range of another AP, the network seamlessly hands off the client's connection from one AP to the other, allowing the client to maintain uninterrupted connectivity.
Overall, the SSID is an important aspect of wireless network configuration and management. It allows clients to connect to the network and provides network administrators with a way to identify and manage their wireless networks.
Antenna types - Omni - Directional
Antenna types play an important role in wireless network design and deployment, as they determine the range, coverage, and signal quality of a wireless network.
Omni Antenna: An omni-directional antenna radiates signals equally in all directions, providing coverage in a 360-degree radius. It is typically used to provide basic wireless coverage in a room or small area, and it is ideal for wireless access points.
Directional Antenna: A directional antenna focuses signals in a specific direction, providing a stronger signal in that direction and longer range. These antennas are used to extend the range of wireless networks, to target specific areas, or to minimize interference from other wireless networks. Common examples of directional antennas include patch, yagi, and panel antennas.
Encryption standards
Encryption standards are used to secure wireless networks and protect data transmitted over the airwaves from unauthorized access. The following are some common encryption standards used in wireless networking:
WiFi Protected Access (WPA)/WPA2 Personal: WPA and WPA2 are security protocols used to secure home and small office wireless networks. WPA uses Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) for encryption, while WPA2 uses Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for encryption. WPA2 is considered stronger and more secure than WPA, as AES encryption provides stronger security compared to TKIP.
WPA/WPA2 Enterprise: This is a more secure version of WPA/WPA2, designed for use in larger organizations and enterprises. It uses a RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) server to authenticate users, and it provides centralized management and greater scalability compared to the personal version. Like WPA2 Personal, WPA2 Enterprise uses AES encryption.
Both WPA and WPA2 provide strong security, but WPA2 Enterprise is considered more secure as it provides centralized authentication and management, and it uses AES encryption.
Multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) and multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO)
MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) is a wireless communication technology that uses multiple antennas at both the transmitting and receiving end to increase the data transmission rate and improve the signal quality. By using multiple antennas, MIMO can transmit multiple data streams simultaneously over the same frequency band, resulting in higher data throughput.
MU-MIMO (Multi-User MIMO) is an advanced MIMO technology that allows multiple users to receive data at the same time, instead of one user at a time in traditional MIMO. In MU-MIMO, multiple antennas are used to transmit data to multiple devices, thereby increasing the efficiency and capacity of the network. MU-MIMO is often used in wireless networks that require high bandwidth and support for many users, such as large offices, airports, and public Wi-Fi hotspots.
