DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CAMPUS WIDE WIRELESS NETWORK

1.1 Introduction

Wireless campus network is a system that provides the agility needed to adapt to different teaching methods, research requirements, and student needs. It enables students and faculty to access the network from anywhere on campus, be it in lecture halls, libraries, or outdoor study areas. The world has changed dramatically since wireless networks were first introduced. The advancement of wireless networks and their applications have expanded dramatically. Nowadays, mobile phones are a common tool used by people for information sharing and communication. They are an integral part of large wireless network systems.

The wireless interface of an access station can provide wireless coverage for a small geographical area approximately 50 meters in diameter. Radio signals can be used by local mobile computers to connect to the access station. Multiple access stations are required to provide coverage for a large area because one access station can only cover a limited area with wireless technology. Routing issues arise when a mobile computer moves from one access station's area to another when multiple access stations are connected to the same internet.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitation of the study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

In recent years, location has been facilitated by wireless networks, allowing location-based services to be offered to users. To determine the user's location, a variety of measurements that are typically available during normal network and terminal operations primarily for resource management and synchronization can be used. Given the wide range of applications for wireless networks, this project will concentrate on resource sharing on a dedicated network. Using inexpensive ham-like radios, Norman Abramson, a professor at the University of Hawaii, created the first wireless computer communication network in history, known as ALOHAnet, which went online in 1971. Seven computers spread across four islands made up the system, which used phone lines to connect to the Oahu Island central computer.

WLAN hardware was first so expensive that it was limited to use as a cabling-difficult or impossible alternative to wired LAN in locations. Initially, industry-specific solutions and proprietary protocols were used in development; however, by the end of the 1990s, these were superseded by standards, mainly the different IEEE 802.11 versions (found in products bearing the Wi-Fi marquee). The faster 54 Mbit/s 802.11a (5 GHz) and 802.11g (2.4 GHz) standards make it even less likely that HiperLAN/2, an alternative ATM-like 5 GHz standardized technology, will ever succeed in the market. HiperLAN/2 has not yet proven successful in anything.

Eighty-two was enhanced with 802.11n in 2009. A maximum data transfer rate of 600 Mbit/s is achieved while operating in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Known as dualband, the majority of modern routers can make use of both wireless bands. In addition to being shared by Bluetooth devices and microwave ovens, the crowded 2.4 GHz band can now be avoided for data communications. An increased number of devices can share the space in the 5 GHz band due to its wider bandwidth and additional channels compared to the 2.4 GHz band. Some regions do not have access to every channel.

An access point typically provides a connection to the wider Internet via a wireless local area network (WLAN), which connects two or more devices via a wireless distribution method (often spread-spectrum or OFDM radio). Users can move around in a local coverage area and remain connected to the network thanks to this feature.

The majority of contemporary WLANs, dubbed Wi-Fi, are built on IEEE 802.11 standards. Because they are simple to set up and offer free wireless access to clients, wireless local area networks (WLANs) have gained popularity in both homes and commercial buildings. One example is the pilot program that New York City launched to offer wireless Internet access to city employees across all five boroughs. Likewise, Muritala International Airport, Lagos has free wireless internet access for passenger travelling.

1.3 Statement of Problem

Investigation revealed that with wireless connections can connect anyplace, while cable connections are limited to specific locations. Students' options for study, research, and learning are restricted to specific areas by the manual system, which is expensive and inflexible. The limitations of a wired network are something that most of us have grown used to.

A lot of people are confined to a certain area or small space when individuals need to check our email or print a report. Recently, corporate, manufacturing, and academic settings have become more aware of wireless communication due to its increasing popularity. The benefits of a wired network can be obtained with the additional advantage of computing freedom and resource sharing, thanks to wireless network technology.

1.4 Aim / Purpose of the Study

The aim of the study is to design and implement a Campus Wide Wireless Network for file and printer sharing over the network using Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri as a case study.

1.5 Objectives of the Study

In achieving the above stated aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To install wireless router, setup the router and preference, printer, and integrate the printer to the wireless router; and
2. To save cost of buying printer machine for each mobility and flexibility, which is any eligible staff moves around with his /her laptop, can still print file within the coverage.

1.6 Significance of Study

There are numerous benefits to this project, but only a few will be discussed here. First, let's take into account the fact that each workstation in the School of Science and Technology department requires a printer machine, which will incur significant costs for the school in terms of maintenance, money, and space when the project is implemented.

However, by then, a printer machine will be able to be shared over a dedicated wireless local area network for the department.

The documentation of the proposed system will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

1.7 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Design and Implementation of a Campus Wide Wireless Network using Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri as a case study.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this research work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).

1.9 Definition of Terms

Router:

It is a specialized network device that determines the next network point to which to forward a data packet toward its destination.

Internet Protocol Address (IP Address):

It is a numerical label assigned to each device (e.g., computer, printer) participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.

An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing. Its role has been characterized as follows: “A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route indicates how to get there.

Protocol:

It is a set rule governing how to communicate over a network

Dual Band:

It is a communication device (especially a mobile phone) that supports two radio frequency bands.

Radio Modems:

These are radio transceivers for serial data communications. They connect to serial ports RS232, RS422/485 and transmit to and receive signals from other matching radio (point to point) or radios (multi drop) network. Wireless Radio Modems are designed to be transparent to the systems they operate within.

Network Switch:

This is a computer networking device that connects devices together on a computer network, by using a form of packet switching to forward data to the destination device. A network switch is considered more advanced than a (repeater) hub because a switch will only forward a message to one or multiple devices that need to receive it, rather than broadcasting the same message out of each of its ports.

Hub:

It is a device for connecting multiple Ethernet devices together and making them act as a single network segment. It has multiple input/output (I/O) ports, in which a signal introduced at the input of any port appears at the output of every port except the original incoming.

Network Bridge:

It is a network device that connects multiple network segments. In the OSI model bridging acts in the first two layers, below the network layer. There are four types of network-bridging technologies: simple bridging; multiport bridging; learning, or transparent bridging; and source route bridging.