Certified Wireless Network Administrator – CWNA (CWNA) – Outline

Detailed Course Outline

WLAN and Networking Industry Organizations

  • Wi-Fi Related Organizations
  • The IEEE
  • PHY Amendments
  • 802.11 Amendments
  • Wi-Fi Alliance
  • PoE (802.3)

RF Characteristics and Behavior

  • Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • Wavelength, amplitude and other RF characteristics
  • Reflection, refraction and other RF behavior
  • RF Propagation
  • Basic Types of Modulation

RF Mathematics and Measurements

  • RF units of measure
  • Basic RF mathematics
  • RF signal measurements
  • Understand link budgets

RF Antennas and Hardware

  • RF Units of Measure
  • Types of Antennas and Antenna Systems Commonly Used With 802.11 WLANs
  • Antenna Polarization and Gain
  • Antenna Implementation
  • Types of Antenna Cables, Connectors, and Other Accessories

802.11 PHYs and Network Types

  • 802.11 PHYs and Network Types
  • 802.11 Frequency Bands
  • 802.11 Channels Explained
  • OSI Model Layers and Wi-Fi
  • 802.11 Physical Layers (PHYs)
  • Throughput vs. Data Rate
  • RF Modulation Methods
  • 802.11 Use Case Scenarios
  • WLAN Operating Modes including BSS. ESS and Roaming

802.11 Network Devices

  • Access Point Features and Capabilities
  • AP and WLAN Management Systems
  • Wireless Monitoring Systems (Analytics)
  • WLAN Controller Functionality
  • Network Architecture Planes
  • WLAN Bridging
  • Client Devices
  • Client Device OS Configuration
  • Power over Ethernet (PoE) Functionality

802.11 MAC Operations

  • 802.11 Frames
  • Frame Aggregation
  • Guard Interval
  • General Frame Format
  • PHY Preamble
  • Management, Control and Data Frames
  • Locating WLANs

802.11 Channel Access Methods

  • Differences between CSMA/CD and CSMA/CA
  • Distributed Coordination Function (DCF)
  • Network Allocation Vector (NAV)
  • Clear Channel Assessment (CCA)
  • Interframe Spacing (IFS)
  • Contention Window (CW)
  • Quality of Service in 802.11 WLANs
  • Hybrid Coordination Function (HCF)
  • Additional Control Frames and Protection Modes

WLAN Network Architectures

  • Control, Management and Data Planes
  • WLAN Controller Solutions
  • Network Architectures
  • RF Channel Planning
  • Service Set Configurations
  • Cell Sizing and Interference

WLAN Requirements and Solutions

  • Explore WLAN Deployment Scenarios
  • BYOD and Guest Access
  • Mobile Device Management
  • Radio Resource Management (RRM) and other automatic RF management solutions
  • Additional Management Features

Security Solutions for WLANs

  • Additional Authentication Features
  • Deprecated Standard Security
  • Weak Security Mechanisms
  • Pre-shared Key and IEEE 802.1X/EAP
  • Wireless Intrusion Prevention Systems (WIPS)
  • Protocol and Spectrum Analysis for Security
  • Using Secure Protocols

Site Surveys, Network Design and Validation

  • Survey Processes
  • Understanding Requirements
  • Verify Design Requirements
  • Documentation
  • Locating Interference
  • Spectrum Analysis
  • Application and Throughput Testing
  • Protocol Analysis

WLAN Troubleshooting

  • CWNP Troubleshooting Methodology
  • Protocol Analysis Troubleshooting Features
  • Spectrum Analysis Troubleshooting Features
  • RF Interference
  • Hidden Nodes
  • Connectivity Problems

Classroom Live Labs

Remote Lab Familiarization

  • Overview
  • Task 1: Navigate the GigaWave Remote Lab
  • Task 2: Navigate the Interactive Diagram Page
  • Task 3: Closing the Lab

Lab 1: Visualizing RF Principles

  • Activity Objective
  • Visual Objective
  • Required Resources
  • Task 1: Prepare the Client Laptop in the Remote Lab
  • Task 2: Use Ekahau to visualize Free Space Path Loss
  • Task 3: Use Ekahau to Visualize Attenuation
  • Task 4: Closing the Lab

Lab 2: RF Mathematics

  • Activity Objective
  • Required Resources
  • Task 1: Complete These Power Conversions
  • Task 2: Calculate EIRP
  • Task 3: Calculate a Link Budget

Lab 3: Visualizing Antenna Patterns

  • Activity Objective
  • Required Resources
  • Task 1: Open the FSPL File in Ekahau
  • Task 2: Use Various 2.4 Antenna and Observe the Change in RF Coverage
  • Closing the Lab

Lab 4: 802.11 Basics

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Analyze Wireless Frames
  • Task 2: Closing the Lab

Lab 5: Initialize an Autonomous WLAN Deployment

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Configure an Autonomous AP via CLI
  • Task 2: Configure Your Standalone AP from the GUI
  • Task 3: Closing the Lab

Lab 6: Configure Security on Autonomous AP WLAN Deployment

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Configure the Autonomous AP for PSK
  • Task 2: Configure Windows 7 Client to Connect to the Pod-X-Auto Using PSK
  • Task 3: Add a Local Radius Client to the Autonomous AP
  • Task 4: Configure Local RADIUS Server on the Autonomous AP
  • Task 5: Configure an SSID for Local EAP on the Autonomous AP
  • Task 6: Configure the Windows Supplicant
  • Task 7: Closing the Lab

Lab 7: Configuring the WLC Central Switch WLAN Deployment

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Prepare the Client Laptop in the Remote Lab
  • Task 2: Review and Modify Management Access
  • Task 3: Review AP Status
  • Task 4: Configure a WLAN
  • Task 5: Associate the Client
  • Task 6: Disassociate the Client
  • Task 7: Closing the Lab

Lab 8: Configuring Security in a Centralized WLAN Deployment

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Configure the Data WLAN for PSK
  • Task 2: Configure the Wireless Client to Connect to the PSK WLAN
  • Task 3: Modify the WLAN to Support WPA2 with 802.1X Authentication
  • Task 4: Configure the Client and Access the Network
  • Task 5: Modify the WLAN to Support WebAuth
  • Task 6: Create a Local Net User
  • Task 7: Connect the Client to the WebAuth WLAN
  • Task 8: Closing the Lab

Lab 9: Implement a WLC Local Switch WLAN Deployment

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Configure the Controller
  • Task 2: Connect to the WLAN
  • Task 3: Closing the Lab

Lab 10: Configure Security on a Cloud WLAN Deployment

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Implement PSK Authentication on a Cloud WLAN Deployment
  • Task 2: Implement Local EAP-PEAP on a Cloud WLAN Deployment
  • Task 3: Implement WebAuth on a Cloud WLAN Deployment
  • Task 4: Disable SSIDs on the Cloud WLAN Deployment

Lab 11: Perform Wi-Fi Scanning

    Activity Objective Topology Task 1: Enable Metageek insider Task 2: Review 2.4 GHz Activity Task 3: Review 5 GHz Activity Task 4: Close the Lab

Lab 12: Perform a Predictive WLAN Design

    Activity Objective Task 1: Familiarization with Ekahau Site Survey Pro + Planner Task 2: Perform a Basic Predictive WLAN Design using a Single Floor Layout Task 3: Closing the Lab

Lab 13: Perform Passive Site Survey

    Activity Objective Task 1: Configure AP for Spectrum Expert AP Mode of Operation Task 2: Configure Cisco Spectrum Expert – Spectrum Analyzer Software Task 3: Closing the Lab