Wireless Versus Wired Network Components

By: Steven R. Yasoni & Dario Strazimiri.

Wireless Networks•Radio Waves are used rather than traditional wires.

•With this technology it allows user to access other devices to share files and information on the fly rather than having to connect the computer or devices together with wires.

•It starts off implementing a router that is capable of performing a wireless capability and connecting this router or access point to a Modem that provides your internet from your ISP with an Ethernet cable.

•You can extend wireless networking throughout your office, store, or campus by placing additional wireless access points in various locations

•The additional access points extend the wireless signal's range and strength over a wider area.

Wireless & Wired Network Example

Wireless Router Adapters

• 802.11G

• 802.11N

• 802.11AC

802.11G• This is the third modulation standard for wireless LANs.• This uses a 2.4 GHZ frequency just as its older counter part

802.11 B used.• This next step from B increased the maximum speeds that can

be achieved up to 54 Mbps.• 802.11g hardware is fully backwards compatible with 802.11b

hardware.• The draw back is 802.11g suffers from the same interference

as 802.11b in the 2.4 GHz device range. Devices that use this range are: microwave ovens, bluetooth devices, baby monitors and digital cordless telephones.

802.11N• Its purpose is to improve network throughput over the two previous

standards 802.11A & 802.11G with a significant increase in the maximum data rate speeds from 54 Mbps to 600 Mbps. • Although this does not mean you will achieve 600 Mbps, Allot of factors

are to take into account.

• It uses multiple input multiple output, which means it uses multiple antennas at the transmitter & receiver that help increase communication performance. This increases the speed and range of the adapter.

• Offers enhanced QoS (Quality of Service), which basically involves prioritization of network traffic.

• Supports 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11a, and 802.11n clients

802.11AC• This standard was developed in 2011 and finalized 2013.

• It has maximum speeds of 1300 Mbps and uses only the 5 GHZ frequency spectrum.• Because of the 5GHZ frequency you have a less chance of interference.

• 802.11ac is dubbed 5G Wi-Fi.

• 802.11ac is backwards compatible with 802.11B , G, & N.

• A key factor of 802.11ac makes beam forming a core part of its spec. Rather broadcasting out wireless signal equally in all directions, Wi-Fi with beam forming detects where devices are and intensifies the signal in their direction

• Greater range with additional Antennas.

Wireless Security• Varies different wireless security methods.

• Three major are : WEP, WPA, WPA2.

• Wireless security helps prevent Bandwidth stealers, and most importantly people from accessing your information on your network.

WEP Security Method• Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

• This was the original encryption protocol that was developed for wireless networks.

• As what WEP stands for, WEP was designed to provide the same level of security as wired networks.

• WEP has many security flaws, and is difficult to configure, as well it is easily broken.

WPA Security Method• Wi-Fi Protected Access.

• Introduced as a security advancement over WEP while the 802.11i wireless security standard was being implemented.

• Most WPA implementations use a “pre-shared key “(PSK), commonly referred to as WPA Personal, and the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP, pronounced tee-kip) for encryption. • Most commonly used for home networking.

• WPA Enterprise uses an authentication RADIUS server to generate keys or certificates.

WPA 2 Security Method• This is based on the 802.11i wireless security standard, which

was completed in 2004.

• The most significant enhancement to WPA2 over WPA is the use of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for encryption.

• The security provided by AES is sufficient (and approved) for use by the U.S. government to encrypt information.

Wireless Pro / Cons• Pros • Cons

• The greater mobility of wireless LANs helps offset the

performance disadvantage. Mobile computers do not need to be tied to an Ethernet cable and can roam freely within the

WLAN range.

• Less reliable than a Wired Network

• It is relatively easy to set up a WAP and configure a WNIC using a wireless connection

utility.

• Tends to be not as fast as wired connections

• Wireless networks have much less cabling which leads to a

much neater working environment.

• You do not need to run cables across your house/office,

• Wireless adapters are more costly than wired adapters.

Wired Networking Hardware

• CAT5

• CAT5e

• CAT6

• CAT6a

• Fiber Optic

CAT5 and CAT5e

CAT5• made to support theoretical speeds of 10Mbps and 100Mbbps • length of 100 meters (328 feet) between two devices

CAT5e• Also known as Category 5 enhanced• made to support 1000 Mbps “gigabit” speeds• length of 100 meters (328 feet)

CAT6 and CAT6a

CAT6• capable of 10-Gigabit speeds in some cases

• also bumps the cable's rate frequency to 250MHz

• maximum length is 100m or 328ft

CAT6a• also known as Augmented Category 6

• also a standardized cable for Gigabit Ethernet

• CAT6a has an up to 500 MHz in bandwidth and has improved alien crosstalk characteristics

• maximum length is 100m or 328ft

Fiber Optic• glass fiber strands covered with an insulated casing

• send and receive communication signals using light pulses

• they are not vulnerable to any type of electrical interference that can interrupt or interfere with signals

• have the ability to send terabytes of data in a second

There are two main types of fiber optic cables.

● multi-mode fiber optic cable

○ used for short distances

○ can go up to 1800 feet

○ capacity to transfer up to 10 gigabits of data per second

● single-mode fiber optic cable

○ This type of cable is more expensive

○ can transmit 10 gigabits per second

○ has the ability to go up to 37 miles

For most office or home networks the multi-mode fiber optic cable is better and cheaper since there’s no need to cover extreme distances.

References:

[1]http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/solutions/small_business/resource_center/articles/work_from_anywhere/wireless_networking/index.html

[2]http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/wireless80211/a/aa80211standard.htm

[3]http://www.speedguide.net/faq_in_q.php?qid=374

[4]http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelessfaqs/f/howfastis80211g.htm

[5]http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/wired-vs-wireless-security-vs-speed/624

[6] http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2005.11.securitywatch.aspx

[7]http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Wired-vs-wireless-in-the-enterprise

[8]http://reviews.cnet.com/best-wireless-networking-devices/

[9]http://blogs.cisco.com/home/wireless_networks_vs__wired_which_network_is_more_secure/

[10]http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/04/ask-lh-whats-the-difference-between-cat5-cat5e-and-cat6-cables/

[11]http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/homenetworking/a/homewiredless.htm

[12]http://web.archive.org/web/20121005021505/http://www.bb-elec.com/tech_articles/NTRON_cat5e_cable_wiring_schemes.asp

Continue References:

[13] http://donutey.com/ethernet.php

[14]www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/wired-vs-wireless-security-vs-speed/624

[15]http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57485724-1/home-networking-explained-part-1-heres-the-url-for-you/

[16]http://webpage.pace.edu/ms16182p/networking/wiredvswireless.html[17]http://compnetworking.about.com/od/networkcnetwo/g/fiberopticcable.htm[18]http://www.howstuffworks.com/fiber-optic4.htm

[19] http://www.citrusmicro.com/Wireless-G-vs-Wireless-N-s/523.htm[20] http://www-personal.umich.edu/~csev/hng/[21]http://www.wacra.org/PublicDomain/IJCRA%20xixi_iv_pg370-382Kortz-Nath.pdf[22]http://csweb.winona.edu/CSConference/2007conference.pdf#page=33[23]http://digitalcommons.mcmaster.ca/dissertations/AAINR28148/[24]http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/shared/broadcom_802_11_g.pdf[25]http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/standards/802-11-wireless-lan-standards-study.html