Local Area Network Architecture Flashcards
Basic Service Set (BSS)
Building block of wireless connectivity.
All STAs are interconnected with the use of an AP.
BSS Identifier (BSSID)
In a BSS, the BSSID is the MAC address of the AP.
In an IBSS it is a randomized local address.
Service Set ID (SSID)
Human readable name of a LAN.
Often used interchangeably with ESSID.
Names like “Starbucks Wifi” are those networks’ SSIDs.
Extended Service Set ID (ESSID)
Human readable name of a LAN.
Often used interchangeable with a SSID.
Extended Service Set (ESS)
One or more interconnected BSSs.
Eg: walking through a hotel and remaining of the same network.
Mesh Basic Service Set (MBSS)
Group of devices that all act as a single wifi network, with the same SSID and password unlike traditional APs.
Self-healing: If one device goes down, all other devices still have the ability to operate normally.
Independent Base Service Set (IBSS)
Ad-Hoc network.
No master device (AP) and allows all devices to have equal status to talk to any other device within that IBSS.
Once a useable SSID is created, devices begin to probe for that SSID. First to find it, begins to communicate. Next device that finds the SSID, sends a beacon and synchronizes with the other device.
MAC Spoofing
Changing the factory default MAC address on the NIC to bypass MAC filtering.
To protect privacy and to allow a user with a masked MAC address on a public network if desired.
MAC Randomization
Many modern devices use this when not authenticated or associated to a network.
Randomized MAC indicator: when the second digit of the first byte represents a locally administered unicast address. 2, 6, A, E.
MAC Filtering
Allows users to manually configure an AP to allow a “allow” and “deny” list.
Provides greater security to the AP due to the limited access.
