Wireless Communication Fundamentals

Global System for Mobile Communications, a universal system used for mobile data transmission in wireless networks worldwide.

The amount of data that can be transmitted over a connection, often measured in bits per second (bps).

A device that connects wireless devices to a wired or wireless network, using standards like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

A unique identifier for a wireless local area network (WLAN), like a nametag for the network.

A set of frequencies used by industrial, scientific, and medical communities, often used for wireless networks.

A process that binds a wireless device to an access point (AP) using radio waves.

A digital modulation technique that splits a signal into multiple carrier frequencies that are orthogonal (at right angles) to each other.

Combines OFDM with multiple antennas to enable a wireless device to send and receive data simultaneously on several channels.

A spread spectrum technique that multiplies the original data signal with a pseudo-random noise-spreading code, providing protection against interference or jamming.

A spread spectrum technique where a radio signal rapidly switches between frequencies.

A unique identifier used to identify and locate Wi-Fi networks. It's what you see on your phone or laptop as the name of a Wi-Fi network. All devices on the same Wi-Fi network share the same SSID.

A group of wireless devices that are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and share the same SSID. Imagine it as a 'club' where all members share a common name.

The process in which a wireless client sends a request to the access point (AP) to authenticate and connect to the network. The AP responds with confirmation, allowing the client to join the network.

A feature allowing connections to an AP without the need for a specific SSID. Clients can connect using the configured SSID, a blank SSID, or an SSID set to "any".

A unique identifier assigned to each access point (AP) within a Wi-Fi network. Even if multiple APs share the same SSID, they will have distinct BSSIDs.

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is an outdated encryption algorithm for wireless networks. It is vulnerable to attacks and easily cracked.

WEP relies on a shared key, a secret string of characters known to both the wireless device and the access point. This key is used for both authentication and encryption.

The RC4 stream cipher in WEP generates a pseudo-random stream of bits to scramble data by XORing it with the actual data.

WEP is vulnerable to attacks because it uses a short 24-bit IV (Initialization Vector) that is often reused and can be used to crack the encryption. This makes it easy for attackers to decrypt communications.

Although WEP provides confidentiality, it's easily compromised due to its design flaws, making it unsuitable for protecting sensitive data.

A type of WiFi authentication where a central server (RADIUS) manages the process, distributing keys to both the access point (AP) and the clients trying to connect.

A wireless encryption standard offering improved security over WEP. Designed to counter weaknesses in WEP, it uses a stronger encryption algorithm and more robust authentication.

A wireless encryption standard offering enhanced security with an even stronger encryption algorithm and improved key management compared to WPA. It's considered the current gold standard for Wi-Fi security.

A wireless encryption standard that is the latest and most secure version. It introduces a new authentication protocol (SAE) and stronger encryption, making it more robust against attacks.

A type of antenna that focuses radio waves in a specific direction, improving signal strength and reducing interference. This is useful for long-range transmissions.

WEP is vulnerable to dictionary attacks as it relies on a password, making it easy to crack using a decryption table generated from a password list.

WEP is vulnerable to DoS attacks as the associate and disassociate messages are not authenticated, allowing attackers to repeatedly disconnect clients from the network, causing denial of service.

WEP uses a short IV (Initialization Vector) value, which is only 24 bits long. This short IV value leads to repeated keystreams used for data protection, making the network vulnerable to various attacks.

The RC4 algorithm used in WEP was designed for one-time use but is applied to multiple messages, leading to keystream reuse and vulnerability.

WEP's key scheduling algorithm (KSA) makes the first few bytes of plaintext easily predictable, increasing the risk of attacks. The IV value is not explicitly revealed to the network, making it easily reusable with the same secret key by multiple devices.

A security protocol used in WPA as a replacement for WEP, offering stronger security by changing encryption keys for every packet.

An algorithm that uses a master key, device's MAC address, and a packet sequence number to generate a unique encryption key for each packet.

A 64-bit code added to each packet, ensuring data integrity during transmission. The receiver compares its own calculated MIC with the received one.

Keeps track of the order packets are sent, preventing attackers from replaying intercepted packets to gain access to the network.

Utilizes a single Pre-Shared Key (PSK) for all devices on the network, making it easy to set up but vulnerable to password-cracking attacks.

Offers a more secure option used in businesses, involving a central authentication server (RADIUS) to verify each device's credentials.

An attack where an attacker captures a PSK and can decrypt all packets encrypted with that key, making it essential to use strong passwords.

Clients using WPA-TKIP are vulnerable to attacks that allow attackers to hijack TCP connections or decrypt transmitted data.

An attack where attackers can guess the IP address of the subnet, injecting small packets that degrade network performance.