1. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 1 Need Clarification on The Definition of ESS Mesh Prepared by Tricci So

2. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 2 Let’s Start From The Basic What does ESS Mesh really mean???

3. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 3 What is Basic Service Set (BSS)? However, ESS Mesh is more than just supporting BSSs !!! Bridge/Switch/Router AP MN/STA BSS A set of stations (MN/STA) controlled by a single Access Point (AP) operating in an infrastructure mode. ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition, page 3 – 3.7: A set of stations controlled by a single coordination function. ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition, page 4 – 3.13: Coordination Function: The logical function that determines when a station operating within a basic service set (BSS) is permitted to transmit and may be able to receive protocol data units (PDUs) via the wireless medium (WM).

4. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 4 What is a Distribution System (DS)? ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition, page 4 – 3.20: A system used to interconnect a set of Basic Service Sets (BSSs) and integrated Local Areas Networks (LANs) to create an Extended Service Set (ESS). ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition, page 11 – 5.2.2: The DS enables mobile device support by providing the logical services necessary to handle address to destination mapping and seamless integration of multiple BSSs..... An Access Point (AP) is a STA that provides access to the DS by providing DS services in addition to acting as a STA... => AP = providing DS services + STA Data move between a BSS and the DS via an AP. Note that ALL APs are ALSO STAs; thus they are addressable entities. The addresses used by an AP for communication on the WM and on the DSM are NOT necessarily the same... ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition, page 14 – 5.3: The IEEE 802.11 architecture allows for the possibility that the DS may NOT be identical to an existing wired LAN. A DS may be created from many different technologies including current IEEE 802 wired LANs. IEEE 802.11 does NOT constrain the DS to be either DATA or NETWORK layer based. Nor does IEEE 802.11 constrain a DS to be either centralized or distributed in nature. What is WDS? WDS = Wireless Distribution System

5. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 5 What is 802.11 infrastructure? ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition, page 5 – 3.28: The infrastructure includes the distribution system medium (DSM), access point (AP), and portal entities. It is also the logical location of distribution and integration service functions of an Extended Service Set (ESS). An infrastructure contains one or more APs and zero or more portals in addition to the Distribution System (DS). What is 802.11 Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS)? ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition, page 5 – 3.27: A BSS that forms a self- contained network, and is which no access to a Distribution System (DS) is available.

6. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 6 How 802.11 Defines Extended Service Set (ESS)? ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition, page 3 – 3.7: A set of one or more interconnected basic service sets (BSSs) and integrated Local Area Networks (LANs) that appears as a single BSS to the Logical Link Control (LLC) layer at any station associated with one of those BSSs. ANSI/IEEE Std 802.11, 1999 Edition, page 12 – 5.2.2.1: The key concept is that the ESS network appears the same to an LLC layer as an IBSS network. Stations within an ESS may communicate, and mobile stations may move from one BSS to another (with the same ESS) transparently to LLC.

7. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 7 What is Extended Service Set (ESS)? What do you think this is? Do you see What I see ??? Do you see What I see ??? “Bridge” or “Switch” or “Router” BSSs Router ESS Wired Distribution System (DS) => can be Layer-2 “or” Layer-3 NOTE: A DS can be “wired” or “wireless” “Bridge” or “Switch” or “Router” BSSs ESS According to 802.11 Specification, this is Wireless Distribution System (WDS), isn’t it?

8. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 8 What do 802.11s PARs say today? Scope of Proposed Project: To develop an IEEE 802.11 Extended Service Set (ESS) Mesh with an IEEE 802.11 Wireless Distribution System (WDS) using the IEEE 802.11 MAC/PHY layers that supports both broadcast/multicast and unicast delivery over self-configuring multi-hop topologies. Purpose of Proposed Project: The IEEE 802.11-1999 (2003 edition) standard provides a four- address frame format for exchanging data packets between APs for the purpose of creating a Wireless Distribution System (WDS), but does not define how to configure or use a WDS. The purpose of the project is to provide a protocol for auto-configuring paths between APs over self- configuring multi-hop topologies in a WDS to support both broadcast/multicast and unicast traffic in an ESS Mesh using the four-address frame or a derivative. Additional Explanatory Notes: The proposed amendment shall be an extension to the IEEE 802.11 MAC. The amendment will define a protocol for providing an IEEE 802.11 Extended Service Set (ESS) Mesh using the IEEE 802.11 MAC to create an IEEE 802.11 Wireless Distribution System (WDS) that supports both broadcast/multicast and unicast delivery at the MAC layer using radio-aware metrics over self-configuring multi-hop topologies. An ESS Mesh is functionally equivalent to a wired ESS, with respect to the STAs relationship with the BSS and ESS. A target configuration is up to 255 devices (APs andn STAs), of which up to 32 of the devices may be APs participating in the ESS Mesh. However, larger configurations may also be contemplated by the standard. The amendment shall utilize IEEE 802.11i security mechanisms, or an extension thereof, for the purpose of securing an ESS Mesh in which all of the APs are controlled by a single logical administrative entity. The amendment shall allow the use of one or more IEEE 802.11 radios on each AP in the ESS Mesh.

9. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 9 What Have We Been Say about ESS Mesh So Far? Have we been talking WDS Mesh instead of ESS Mesh??? Router Bridge Distribution System AP-STA Link 802.11 BSS Mesh Wireless Links 802.11 ESS Mesh 802.11 ESS

10. doc.: 11-04-0500-00-0mes Submission 7 May 2004 Tricci SoSlide 10  Have we been talking about WDS Mesh so far rather than ESS Mesh? Questions  How should we define WDS Mesh relative to ESS Mesh?  What does ESS Mesh really MEAN anyway?  ESS { DSs, BSSs }  BSSs { APs, STAs } ESS Mesh =  ESSs in Mesh Configuration ???