Blog

• CWNP
• August 16, 2012
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Carrier Waves – WLAN Foundations

While the exact phrase carrier wave may not be referenced on the CWNP exams and training materials (though carrier signal is), it is an important concept in wireless communications. Wireless engineers and technicians must deal with many different wireless technologies. In the 802.11 standard (as amended) alone, you are dealing with multiple modulation techniques, which are methods used to impose information onto carrier waves to create a carrier signal. Therefore, a brief summary of carrier waves and why they are important is in order. Continue reading...

• CWNP
• August 01, 2012
• 

Bluetooth Devices and AFH - WLAN Foundations

In the WLAN Foundations series, I will be covering the foundational concepts that longtime WLAN engineers have placed in the deepest recesses of their minds and think little about these days. The WLAN Foundation series blog posts will be short and to the point. In this post, I explain Bluetooth AFH. Continue reading...

• CWNP
• July 20, 2012
• 

Improving Marital Relationships (On the CWNP Blog?)

It dawned on me the other day, “If I can learn to use the knowledge I have of 802.11 communications and apply it to my communications with my wife, maybe I can succeed in implementing a collision-free zone.” OK. It might be hard to remove all “collisions,” but we can certainly learn some important things about marital communications from the 802.11 standards. In this post, I will explain the first lesson I learned about married life from the 802.11 standard. Continue reading...

• CWNP
• July 10, 2012
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802.11 Commentary Part 3 – How WLANs Are Different

This video covers 802.11-2012 clause 4.2, which focuses on the differences between WLANs and wired LANs. Continue reading...

• Tom Carpenter
• July 05, 2012
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802.11ac (VHT) - Just the Facts

When a new development comes along, related to any technology, the proper foundation must exist if we are to understand it well. Today, I want to present the basic facts related to the new 802.11ac draft amendment of the 802.11-2012 standard. The purpose is to answer the five most common questions asked about 802.11ac:

• Why create a new physical layer (PHY)?
• In what frequency band will the PHY operate?
• What new capabilities or technologies are introduced?
• Who will benefit from it?
• When will we see it?

• CWNP
• June 20, 2012
• 

802.11 Commentary Part 2 - Front Matter

This video covers the 802.11 Front Matter and provides you with an overview of the important early pages in the 802.11 standard. You will learn why they are there and how they help you understand all of the remaining clauses within the standard.

• CWNP
• June 12, 2012
• 

802.11 Commentary Series Launches

The first video in the new 802.11 Commentary series is live on YouTube. We will be adding to this series each week until we have worked out way through the entire 802.11-2012 standard roll-up. Continue reading...

• CWNP
• June 04, 2012
• 

And The Road Goes Ever On...

It was a Commodore Pet. I turned on the system, saw the lime flickering text on the screen, and was hooked for life. Like an addict, I pursued the knowledge of computers and computing with a passion that has sometimes bordered on insanity. All-nighters, caffeine filled weekends and shopping online for documentation older than I am have all led me to where I am today. Yes, the journey started with a stand-alone Commodore computer (which I still argue was the best line of computers in personal computing history), but it moved well beyond the scope of personal computing.

• CWNP
• April 19, 2012
• 

Announcing the CWNA (PW0-105) Update!

Strap on your boxing gloves and prepare yourself for the latest update of the CWNA exam. We’re pleased to announce the upcoming release of the PW0-105 CWNA exam and the availability the new CWNA PW0-105 study guide!

• CWNP
• March 29, 2012
• 

First Look at 802.11u

At the end of Q1 2012, much of the industry’s attention this year has been given to Hotspot 2.0, 802.11u, and the heterogeneous network (hetnet). As an industry, we’re watching (or will be watching) the unlicensed underdog take its rightful place as a mature, mission-critical technology for enterprises and carriers. If Wi-Fi is not already everywhere, give it 12 months.