802.11 Wireless Networks: The Definitive Guide

by Matthew S. Gast

Book Overview

As we all know by now, wireless networks offer many advantages over fixed (or wired) networks. Foremost on that list is mobility, since going wireless frees you from the tether of an Ethernet cable at a desk. But that's just the tip of the cable-free iceberg. Wireless networks are also more flexible, faster and easier for you to use, and more affordable to deploy and maintain. The de facto standard for wireless networking is the 802.11 protocol, which...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0596100523
• ISBN13: 9780596100520
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media
• Length: 670 Pages
• Weight: 1.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.9" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

If you are seriously interested in any of the 802.11 standards, you should have this book !

This book is first rate and is THE reference you need you need to follow any of Gast's other books. The introduction is now a little a little time-worn, but the information it provides on DSSS and OFDM is incredible. If you are truly into 802.11, and want to understand the ins and outs of Wi-Fi, get it. You will not regret it.

Incredible 802.11 book

I tend not to read and review books on as broad a subject as "wireless networking." I've read and reviewed wireless security books like Real 802.11 Security and Wi-Foo, but 802.11 Wireless Networks: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Ed (8WN2E) was a departure for me. Thankfully, 8WN2E is an incredible book. It exceeded my expectations and definitely earned its "Definitive Guide" status. 8WN2E is exceptionally thorough and exceedingly informative. Everything is presented in a well-organized manner. (Note to reviewer G. Bailey -- I'm guessing you are indeed "not smart enough for this book" if you gave it 2 stars.) The diagrams clearly communicate various aspects of 802.11 networking. I even added tabs to certain pages for future reference. For example, the Ethereal/Wireshark display fields on p 562 is a great resource. 8WN2E is more than just a reference for 802.11. Author Matthew Gast brings insights and recommendations to this complex world. He even dispels myths often heard elsewhere. On p 303 he says "Only the protection frames are required to be transmitted at the 802.11b-compatible data rates. Protection does not require 802.11g stations to use a slower data rate for the payload data, as is commonly asserted." This means the introduction of 802.11b stations into an 802.11g network does not mean all stations run at 802.11b speeds. 8WN2E covers all of the subjects I would expect in an 802.11 book. Security, site surveys, architecture -- it's all here. The wireless world is rapidly changing, but this book provides solid fundamentals that still apply today. 802.11n, which is not yet standardized, is the main area where 8WN2E is not current. 8WN2E was published in the spring of 2005, so expect the third edition to include definitive 802.11n discussions. Overseas readers will also appreciate inclusion of standards which apply outside the US. I believe one of the best ways to read 8WN2E is to capture some wireless traffic and analyze it in Ethereal/Wireshark. The framing chapters (3 and 4) will mean more to you if you inspect real traffic while reading them. Ch 24 will explain how to use Ethereal/Wireshark effectively. If you really want to understand 802.11 wireless, definitely buy and read 8WN2E. You will not be disappointed.

Very Comprehensive; Valiant Effort.

Recently I've been designing a system to run atop 802.11b radios and this book has served as an excellent introduction to the 802.11b standard. For example, Gast's description of spread-spectrum radios, chipping, and OFDMA radio systems is a broad overview without going into excessive mathematical formulas and it gives a non-RF engineer a basic understanding of what are the issues underlying each of the 802.11 radios of today.I found myself reading a chapter of this book, and then looking at the 802.11b standard itself (now available free on the website ieee.org) for more detailed information. I found only a couple of minor errors in this book. This book serves as an outstanding introduction to the protocol standard, which is large and which contains little or no practical information for the practitioner. However, I did also use Radia Perlman's book on Routing in conjunction with this book to help me understand IEEE 802.1 issues.Gast attempts to be a be-all and end-all book for everyone. For example, he attempts to describe all 802.11 RF modulation schemes. He attempts to give a full description of all the packet formats. He attempts to describe which cards are based on which baseband (Intersil or Orinoco). This stuff is changing very fast but he gave it his best shot, and its very important to people installing *NIX drivers. He attempts to tell you how to set up an 802.11 Ethereal packet sniffer. All of his information is invaluable to anyone setting up 802.11b on any flavor of UNIX or Linux. Anyway, he makes a really valiant effort and I've never seen a networking book try to play in all 4 spaces at once - RF Theory, Network Protocols, Hardware Selection, and Practicum - all at the same time. He should be applauded for this attempt.I have not found a book that is nearly as comprehensive (6/2003) and I've lent this book to at least 5 other people, most of them PhD's or VP's in EE or CS and/or wireless communications.

If you get one WLAN book, make it this one!

I literally have the vast majority of books in print right now on wireless networking/802.11 and I can honestly say that this book is one of the top three (3) that you should have. I have taken many informational and certification classes on Wi-Fi or the 802.11x standard. The vast majority of them come right out of this book! It is written in a style that, even though it is highly technical at times, it is an easy read. Plus, this is all the technical information you could ever want and more! This will be a well and oft used reference if you work in this field. Like I said, if you have to get just one WLAN book, get this one!

Everything you need to know about 802.11 and wireless networ

802.11 Wireless Networks: The Definitive Guide lives up to its title and provides virtually everything you could need to know about 802.11 networks. 802.11 is a family of specifications for wireless networks developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). There are currently four specifications in the family: 802.11, 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g, all of which use the basic Ethernet protocols. Within the last few years, wireless networks have become extremely popular. No longer must a physical cable be run (at both a time and monetary expense) to each network host. With wireless technology, impromptu meetings can be set up just about anywhere, from conference rooms to airplanes, hotel rooms, and more. Anyone who has looked at network standards can attest to how boring they are to read. However, Gast does a wonderful job writing about wireless Ethernet in a way that is not only "not boring," but actually interesting. This is due to his expertise with the subject matter and the many real-world scenarios that he shares. Gast acknowledges that most readers who simply want a methodical, but not all-inclusive, overview of 802.11 can skip chapters 3 through 11, as they deal with the low level details of 802.11. He clearly states that just as it is quite possible to build a wired network without a thorough and detailed understanding of the protocols, the same is true for wireless networks. Nonetheless, there are a number of situations where one may need a deeper knowledge of the underpinnings of 802.11, and those underpinning are exhaustively detailed in chapters 3 through 11. Chapters 3 and 4 address the MAC layer and 802.11 framing. Chapter 5 deals with the greatest weakness of 802.11 -- namely its lack of security. Chapter 5 clearly states the problems and inadequacies associated with 802.11 security and use of the WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) authentication protocol. However, despite all of the security weaknesses in 802.11, Gast never directly advises security conscious organizations to stay clear of 802.11. He does provide information on a possible successor to WEP, the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). WEP has numerous public security flaws. The first critical weakness was detailed in the now seminal paper, "Weaknesses in the Key Scheduling Algorithm of RC4." One of the paper's authors is Adi Shamir (Shamir is the S in RSA). Shamir's findings were considered somewhat of a death blow to WEP. Chapter 8 deals with an unimplemented aspect of 802.11 -- the PCF (Point Coordination Function). Like PCF itself, much of chapters 3 through 11 are quite dry. The book includes relevant diversions into such topics as RF physics and issues such as the nonexistent microwave absorption peak of water. Chapter 11 concludes the theory portion of the book, and chapters 12 and 13 deal with the very real issue of using 802.11 on Windows and Linux. Although most 802.11 installations are fairly straightforward, there are a n