Wireless Networks and Security: Technologies and Standards Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of wireless networks and security, beginning with an introduction to the concept and its importance in modern communication. The report delves into a detailed comparison of three key wireless communication technologies: satellite, Wi-Fi, and WiMax, analyzing their communication spectrum, modulation techniques, medium access control mechanisms, and network topologies. Furthermore, the report evaluates nine wireless communication standards, including UHF RFID, NFC, ZigBee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, cellular systems, IEEE 802.11p, and LPWAN, in the context of Internet of Things (IoT) and Cyber Physical Systems (CPS). The evaluation considers factors such as bandwidth, coverage, and power consumption, culminating in a conclusion that UHF RFID offers the best performance. The report highlights the advantages of wireless networks over wired networks, emphasizing flexibility and cost-effectiveness. The report concludes by summarizing key findings and reinforcing the importance of wireless communication in the present era.

Running head: WIRELESS NETWORKS AND SECURITY
Wireless Networks and Security
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

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WIRELESS NETWORKS AND SECURITY
Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Discussion..............................................................................................................................................2
1. Three Wireless Communication Technologies Comparison...........................................................2
2. Evaluating Nine Wireless Communication Standards for Internet of Things and Cyber Physical
Systems..............................................................................................................................................3
3. Best Performance of Wireless Networking Standard.....................................................................5
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................5
References.............................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
The various computer networks, which do not have any connection or link with the wires or
cables, are termed as wireless networks [5]. It is the most effective type of network in the
networking era. The proper utilization of any wireless network solely enables a company in avoiding
all the expensive procedures of the introduction of cables or wires within any building for connecting
the various rooms or floors. The most significant basis of this wireless networking mainly involves
the variety of radio waves. The radio waves are referred to as the various types of electromagnetic
radiation with the wavelengths [9]. The most common types of wireless technologies are wireless
networking, wireless fidelity or Wi-Fi, satellite, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access or
WiMax, Bluetooth technology, Bluetooth 4.0, ZigBee, Z-Wave and many more.
This report will be focusing on the various wireless communication technologies. These
technologies would be leading the wireless world. The report will be subsequently focusing on the
comparison of the wireless communication technologies. The three selected technologies are
satellite, WiMax and Wi-Fi. The next part is the evaluation of nine standards of wireless networks
and proper justification on that evaluation.
Discussion
1. Three Wireless Communication Technologies Comparison
The comparison of the three wireless communication technologies is given below:
Major Factors Satellite Wireless
Communication
Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Worldwide
Interoperability for
Microwave Access
(WiMax)
i)
Communicati
on Spectrum
The six bands of satellite
communication are Ka, Ku,
X, C, S and L bands. The
respective communication
spectra are 26 - 40 GHz, 12
- 18 GHz, 8 - 12 GHz, 4 - 8
GHz, 2 - 4 GHz and 1 - 2
GHz. The most popular and
utilized band is Ku band [1].
The frequency band for
IEEE 802.11a is 5 GHz, for
IEEE 802.11b is 2.4 GHz,
for IEEE 802.11g is 2.4
GHz, for IEEE 802.11n is 5
GHz, for IEEE 802.11ac is
6 GHz, band for IEEE
802.11ad is until 60 GHz,
for IEEE 802.11af is under
Two protocols are the
IEEE 802.16d and the
IEEE 802.16e. For the
IEEE 802.16d, the
frequencies are 3.5 and
5.8GHz [6]. For the IEEE
802.16e, the frequencies
are 2.3, 2.5 and 3.5GHz.

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1 GHz and for IEEE
802.11ah is from 700
MHz [10].
ii) Modulation
Techniques
BPSK or binary phase shift
keying, QPSK or quadrature
phase shift keying and
OQPSK or orthogonal
quadrature phase shift
keying [2].
QPSK or quadrature
phase shift keying and
CCK or complementary
coded keying [7].
They are 64 QAM or 64
quadrature amplitude
modulation, 16 QAM or
16 quadrature amplitude
modulation, QPSK or
quadrature phase shift
keying and BPSK or
binary phase shift keying
[10].
iii) Medium
Access
Control
Mechanism
The protocols are
frequency division multiple
access or FDMA in short
and time division multiple
access or TDMA in short.
The medium access
control mechanism
depends on the
specifications of IEEE
802.11 [7].
The protocols of medium
access control
mechanism for WiMax
are the connection of
point to multi point.
iv) Network
Technologies
Switched, point-to-point
and finally hybrid
topologies [4].
Black haul and mesh
topologies.
AP based, point to
multipoint bridge
topologies [9].
2. Evaluating Nine Wireless Communication Standards for Internet of Things and Cyber Physical
Systems
Wireless communication standard can be termed as the various standards for the purpose of
supporting any communication level to help any user. The several kinds of wireless communication
standard to help with the important balance range, device mobility or network throughput [3]. All
these communication standards could be evaluated on the basis of the two factors like Cyber
Physical Systems or CPS and Internet of Things or IoT. It is given below:
a) UHF RFID and NFC: With the significant integration of internet of things and ultra high
frequency radio frequency identifier, the practical needs of the perception layer of the IoT is
properly fulfilled. This could be easily done as the power consumption is lower [8]. The
computational entity of the UHF RFID, when combined with cyber physical system provides high
security for presence of storage functions.

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NFC is referred to as the Near Field Communication. It is a group of various protocols for
communication purpose and thus bringing an extremely high secured connectivity. If this network is
combined with IoT, it would be convenient and energy saver [1]. The most significant advantage will
be for the medical domain. When this network is combined with CPS, cyber threat like
eavesdropping is mitigated.
b) ZigBee and Z-Wave: One of the most significant protocols, ZigBee allows PAN connection
for its users. When, it is combined with IoT, stability and security is provided to the networks. When
ZigBee is combined with CPS, high security is provided with lower consumption of power [5]. Hence,
it is very advanced.
Another significant wireless communication standard is Z-Wave. This network is mesh in
nature and hence all types of connections will be possible. Moreover, the radio waves used in this
aspect, comprise of lower energy level and lower power consumption. The powering of IoT is done
by Z-Wave and thus communication is possible for longer distances [7]. For the case of CPS, the
major applications are robotics and automated vehicles.
c) Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy: The Bluetooth technology is used for transferring
data with high speed in shorter distances. Within IoT, the communication could be done easily and
without any problem and with CPS, the systems would be easier to handle and hence
communication becomes easier.
Bluetooth low energy is the next step after Bluetooth [2]. The connectivity is much advanced
when combined with IoT and the best example is alarming system. For the CPS, Bluetooth low
energy connects the master systems with the slave microcontrollers.
d) Cellular Systems: The cellular systems when combined with internet of things are known
as cellular internet of things or CIoT. Various technologies are there in cellular internet of things. The
access of radio is much simpler than the rest [8]. For CPS, these cellular systems are known as mobile
cyber physical systems and enable various applications.
e) IEEE 802.11p: The next amendment of IEEE 802.11 is IEEE 802.11p. The effectiveness of
this network becomes higher when it is combined with internet of things. For CPS, smart
transportation is the application.
f) LPWAN: This standard when combined with internet of things provides various
technologies like Weightless SIG and Ingenu [5]. For CPS, this particular network provides high area
coverage with lower consumption of power.

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3. Best Performance of Wireless Networking Standard
After properly evaluating the above mentioned nine wireless communication standards for
the internet of things and cyber physical systems, the best performance is of UHF RFID [2]. The most
significant advantages of this standard is that it has great bandwidth and coverage area is between
300 MHz until 3 GHz. Thus, best network is UHF RFID on the basis of performance.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion, conclusion can be drawn that the wireless network
helps to provide various communications however, wirelessly. The complicated process of the
involvement of cables is solely mitigated with this type of network. The devices of networks or the
computer systems could be easily connected without the hassle of wires. Thus, flexibility of taking
the devices anywhere is possible with this. As the expenses are less, many users opt for this network.
Security is another advantage of the wireless communication. This report has significantly
highlighted on wireless communication technologies with a detailed comparison between them.
Moreover, proper evaluation has done been on nine wireless standards for communication and the
best has been selected.

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References
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