802.11w Channels ====================== .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is 802.11w?** 802.11w is a standard that enhances wireless security by protecting management frames in Wi-Fi networks. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Why is management frame protection important in 802.11w?** Management frames control connections and roaming; protecting them prevents attacks like spoofing and denial of service. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w operate on specific channels?** 802.11w protection applies to all channels used by the wireless network; it is independent of the channel frequency. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11w work on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands?** Yes, 802.11w management frame protection can be used on any Wi-Fi band, including both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w affect channel planning?** No, 802.11w focuses on security and does not impact channel selection or channel bandwidth. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What types of management frames does 802.11w protect?** It protects disassociation, deauthentication, and robust action frames to prevent spoofing and forgery. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11w mandatory in modern Wi-Fi?** It is mandatory for devices to support Protected Management Frames (PMF) in WPA3 and recommended in WPA2. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11w cause compatibility issues?** Some older devices may not support 802.11w, leading to connection problems if PMF is required. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does 802.11w enhance Wi-Fi security?** By encrypting and authenticating management frames, it protects against common attacks like disassociation and deauthentication floods. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w affect throughput or latency?** The overhead of securing management frames is minimal and usually does not significantly impact performance. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11w compatible with 802.11a, b, g, n, ac, ax?** Yes, 802.11w can be implemented alongside other standards, as it focuses on security rather than physical or MAC layers. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How does 802.11w interact with WPA2 and WPA3?** It is integrated with WPA2 and required for WPA3, enhancing security by protecting management frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11w prevent denial-of-service attacks?** It helps prevent DoS attacks that exploit unprotected management frames by authenticating these critical frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w require special hardware?** Generally no; 802.11w is a firmware/software feature but may require device support for PMF. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **How is 802.11w enabled?** Usually via wireless network configuration on access points and clients, often as part of security settings (WPA2/WPA3). .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Does 802.11w impact roaming?** Yes, it improves roaming security by protecting management frames involved in handoff between access points. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Are there alternatives to 802.11w?** Before 802.11w, management frames were unprotected; 802.11w is the standardized solution for this security gap. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What is the impact of 802.11w on battery life?** The additional processing overhead is small and usually negligible on modern devices. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Can 802.11w coexist with legacy devices?** Yes, but legacy devices that do not support PMF may be unable to connect if PMF is required on the network. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **Is 802.11w widely adopted today?** Yes, especially in enterprise and WPA3-enabled environments where management frame protection is standard. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow **What tools help verify 802.11w deployment?** Wireless analyzers and protocol sniffers that can detect PMF-protected frames. .. panels:: :container: container pb-4 :column: col-lg-12 p-2 :card: shadow Topics in this section, * :ref:`List of channels ` * :ref:`List of channel widths ` * :ref:`List of Bands ` * :ref:`Reference links ` .. _channels_w_step4: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: 2.4 GHz Channels for 802.11w ===================== ======================= ====================== ============== Channel Number (MHz) Center Frequency (MHz) Frequency Range DFS Required ===================== ======================= ====================== ============== 1 2412 2401 – 2423 No 2 2417 2406 – 2428 No 3 2422 2411 – 2433 No 4 2427 2416 – 2438 No 5 2432 2421 – 2443 No 6 2437 2426 – 2448 No 7 2442 2431 – 2453 No 8 2447 2436 – 2458 No 9 2452 2441 – 2463 No 10 2457 2446 – 2468 No 11 2462 2451 – 2473 No 12 2467 2456 – 2478 No (region dependent) 13 2472 2461 – 2483 No (region dependent) 14 2484 2473 – 2495 No (Japan only) ===================== ======================= ====================== ============== .. tab-item:: 5 GHz Channels for 802.11w ===================== ======================= ====================== ============== Channel Number (MHz) Center Frequency (MHz) Frequency Range DFS Required ===================== ======================= ====================== ============== 36 5180 5170 – 5190 No 40 5200 5190 – 5210 No 44 5220 5210 – 5230 No 48 5240 5230 – 5250 No 52 5260 5250 – 5270 Yes 56 5280 5270 – 5290 Yes 60 5300 5290 – 5310 Yes 64 5320 5310 – 5330 Yes 100 5500 5490 – 5510 Yes 104 5520 5510 – 5530 Yes 108 5540 5530 – 5550 Yes 112 5560 5550 – 5570 Yes 116 5580 5570 – 5590 Yes 120 5600 5590 – 5610 Yes 124 5620 5610 – 5630 Yes 128 5640 5630 – 5650 Yes 132 5660 5650 – 5670 Yes 136 5680 5670 – 5690 Yes 140 5700 5690 – 5710 Yes 144 5720 5710 – 5730 Yes 149 5745 5735 – 5755 No 153 5765 5755 – 5775 No 157 5785 5775 – 5795 No 161 5805 5795 – 5815 No 165 5825 5815 – 5835 No ===================== ======================= ====================== ============== .. _channels_w_step5: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: List of channel widths * channel widths .. _channels_w_step6: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: List of Bands ======================= ====================== ====================== ============================================================ Band Name Frequency Range (GHz) Frequency Range (MHz) Channels ======================= ====================== ====================== ============================================================ 2.4 GHz Band 2.400 – 2.485 2400 – 2485 1 – 14 (region dependent) UNII-1 5.150 – 5.250 5150 – 5250 36, 40, 44, 48 UNII-2 (DFS) 5.250 – 5.350 5250 – 5350 52, 56, 60, 64 UNII-2 Extended (DFS) 5.470 – 5.725 5470 – 5725 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140, 144 UNII-3 5.725 – 5.825 5725 – 5825 149, 153, 157, 161, 165 ======================= ====================== ====================== ============================================================ .. _channels_w_step17: .. tab-set:: .. tab-item:: Reference links * Reference links