802.11b signal on a 802.11g WLAN

[honky]

I am studying Wireless Networks, hoping to become a Certified Wireless Network Administrator. As I was drifting off to sleep last night, a question popped in my head that I am sure someone here could answer for me.

802.11b - current standard, quite popular

802.11a - faster speeds, but with no backwards compatibility to .802.11b

802.11g - same speed as 802.11a, but has the backwards compatibility with 802.11b, better security/encryption than 802.11b

Now, please correct me if the above is wrong. It seems to me, with the interest being currently placed in 802.11g, it will emerge soon enough as the preferred method of Wireless networking. I also assume 802.11b will be around for a while.

So, on to my question(s):

If 802.11b signals are used on a 802.11g-compliant network, is the 802.11b signal encapsulated in 802.11g's security/better encryption?

Or does the 802.11b signal(s) get transferred with 802.11b's transfer methods/encryption?

Would the 802.11b signals inherit the 802.11g security/encryption techniques, or would they carry along at 802.11b default settings?

Please reply if I have over-simplified this, or am glaringly wrong somewhere.

Thank you.

Oh, and hello everyone! I am brand spanking new here.

[johnnyr]

Hi Honky,
I'm working on CWNA also, so maybe we can have some good discussions...;-)

Here's my take on your questions:
The 802.11b transmissions will not change, so there is no additional encryption going on. It's just that the new access point will sort out the --b and --g traffic and pass them on to the wired network.
The problem is that the 2.4ghz band used by 802.11b and g are also used for many other devices. If you have cordless phones, bluetooth devices, 802.11b and 802.11g devices, and who knows what else frequency hopping around in a small space, they are bound to trample on one another, and at best, throughput will die!

802.11a (as you know) moves to the 5 ghz band, where there is less inteference, so far.

Cheers!

[lonnypaul]

If you are using a device, ie an 802.11b card, to communicate with a new standard 802.11g access point - it is going to drop down to the lowest tandard capacity.

How would you even fathom that an 802.11b device could communicate on an 802.11g network and get the benefit of better security and encyption?

802.11g will communicate the with 802.11b and 802.11b+ and the 802.11a devices, but only at the capacity of the lesser standard - otherwise - it won't work!

As to the 5GHz spectrum, 802.11a doesn't excite me all too much. Plus - with the broad base of installed 802.11b, 11a doesn't seem to stand much of a chance except in those situations where a higher throughput is REALLY needed.

D-Link's going to be coming out with a 802.11a/802.11b access point, which is a great step before the 802.11g stuff gets out of the box. That would be my bet.

[johnnyr]

lonnypaul said
802.11g will communicate the with 802.11b and 802.11b+ and the 802.11a devices, but only at the capacity of the lesser standard - otherwise - it won't work!

I don't think the .11g will communicate with the .11a device; they operate on entirely different frequency bands.