IEEE 802.11 Standard
Been around for about 20 years. The primary way wireless devices communicate.
WAP
Wireless access point (WAP) - Bridge between an ethernet network and a wireless 802.11 network. WAP has one ethernet connector.
Wireless Home Router
Has antennas and a lot more connectors since it acts as a router, switch, and wireless access point in one device.
Infrastructure model
A system where 802.11 network is comprised of many WAPs.
Wireless Network Card
Old versions snap in & have an antenna attached. Can also be in a USB stick. Some computers have wireless built in.
Laptop wireless antennas
Laptop wireless antennas are usually run around the monitor. Important for A+ test.
SSID
Service Set Identifier (SSID) - name of a wireless network
Ad hoc mode
No WAP. when a computer/laptop acts as a wireless access point for other devices.
Antennas
Send/receive signal. used to access wireless connection.
Omni-Directional Antenna
One piece of metal that sticks straight up. makes a fuzzy ball shape signal.
Dipole Antenna
Two omni-directional antennas pointing in opposite directions. Big flat circular signal.
Patch Antenna
Flat looking antenna. Propagates in one direction. Half of a big fuzzy ball pattern.
Yagi Antenna
Highly directional. A really long football shape. usually have two of these pointed at each other for long throws.
Parabolic
Very very long highly directional throws
Site Survey
A tool which can show details on wifi networks running in the area.
WAP Channel best practices
Best practice is to have the WAP set the channels automatically
Comptia A+ and SSID security
Comptia A+ wants you to turn off SSID name broadcast for security.
In reality this doesn’t help much, but comptia says it does so remember for the test.
Transmit power
500 ml watts typical router usage. if your home has dead spots, you can increase the power. If it is stretching further than you like you can decrease the power.
Which is not a wireless encryption standard?
WEP
WPA
WEP2
WPA2
WEP2 never existed. The others are all wireless encryption schemes.
Which should you try first if your device can’t connect to a remembered public wireless network?
Delete the profile and try to make a new connection.
If you spot a WAP on the ceiling of a large room with no obvious power outlet nearby, how is it most likely powered?
PoE - Power of Ethernet is a common way to provide power to a WAP.
Who can read data between devices and wireless access point?
Anyone with a radio receiver can read data between devices and a wireless access point. Just radio waves.
Which is most likely to prevent a device from connecting to a previously used Wi-Fi network?
The atenna(s) are poorly oriented.
The SSID has changed
Too many devices are accessing the WAP
The WAP is disconnected from the internet.
The SSID has changed. The MOST-likely answer is that the SSID changed. Poor atenna orientation mad reduce speed or range. Too many devices using the WAP are likely to cause low or intermittent connectivity. Even if a WAP is disconnected from the internet, devices can still connect.
WEP
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) - built in encryption, uses hexadecimal keys that users needed to know. used RC-4 which was easily cracked.