Required textbooks
• 802.11 Wireless Networks: The Definitive Guide, Second Edition
Author: Matthew Gast
Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc. (April 25, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0596100523

For background and supplimentary readings, we recommend:
• Wireless Security: Models, Threats, and Solutions by R. K. Nichols and P. C. Lekkas (ISBN: 0071380388)
• Wi-Foo: The Secrets of Wireless Hacking, Second Edition by Andrew Vladimirov, Konstantin V. Gavrilenko, and Andrei A. Mikhailovsky (ISBN: 0-321-20217-1)
• Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practices by William Stallings (ISBN: 0-13-091429-0)
• Real 802.11 Security: Wi-Fi Protected Access and 802.11i by Jon Edney, William A. Arbaugh. Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (July 25, 2003); ISBN-10: 0321136209

All reading materials/slides will be put on WebCT. Slides will be available after each lecture.

As wireless enabled devices like laptops, cellular phones, PDAs, gaming consoles, and even RFID tags become increasingly pervasive, the demand for reliable and secure mobile computing services escalates. In this course we will cover principles, architectures, and standards of modern wireless communication systems, as well as specific applications and uses of these systems. This course not only surveys the state of the art in mobile computing, but also reviews protocols which are currently being deployed for wireless networks, as well as many which are still being developed.

Specifically, we will study wireless standards (such as IEEE 802.1 la/b/g, Bluetooth, Zigbee, WiMax, mesh, mobile IP, and cellular networks); security protocols (including WEP, WPA, RSN, and IEEE 802.11i), vulnerabilities, attacks, and countermeasures. Other topics include spectrum usage/allocation, signal propagation/modulation and antenna, interference, network planning and management, troubleshooting and performance tuning, RFID, and etc.

Click here for the course outline.

The purpose of this course is to help the students gain knowledge about technologies in managing wireless and mobile networks. Upon successful completion of this course students should have the knowledge to:

• The characteristics of radio propagation and interference in multipath propagation.
• The major standards and protocols for wireless systems and applications.
• Strategically design, implement, and maintain a wireless network.
• Understand main factors that impact the network performance. Gain necessary skills to perform troubleshooting and performance tuning.
• Understand the requirements to build a secure and robust wireless network; understand various attack methods used to target and exploit a wireless network system, the intrusion detection process, and countermeasures.

Class time will be devoted to introducing the students to the fundamental concepts and knowledge of wireless networking and security. The lab portion of the course will be used to learn “hands on” wireless network setup, management, security attacks, defenses, and monitoring.

Final grades will be criterion based, not normed or curved. You can all get A's, or all get C's, depending on your own performance.

Note:
(1) The overall course grade will be determined by the relative contributions from quizzes, exams, labs, and final exams as given on the course syllabus.
(2) Borderline cases are subject to the instructor’s discretion, with a positive attitude, classroom participation and improvement throughout the term counting in the student’s favor.
(3) If you have questions regarding the grading of your homework, projects or exams, you MUST come to see the instructor WITHIN ONE WEEK after the date your homework, projects or exams have been returned to you.

Make up exams will be given only for excused absences discussed with me prior to the exam, or due to illness. If no arrangements are made and your absence is unexcused, your grade will be a ZERO.

All scheduled lab/homework assignments will need to be submitted by 10 pm on the day that it is due. Each student is expected to complete and turn in his or her own work. Teamwork and collaboration is allowed, however exams and quizzes will require you to demonstrate your skills and abilities within the classroom.

For each day your assignment is late, 10% will be deducted from your score; assignments will NOT be accepted after one week.

Following is the policy adopted by the Senate on November 9, 1960 and approved by the President:  "A student detected cheating beyond any reasonable doubt during any examination period or in the preparation of any significant individual assignment such as a quarter report, is to receive a failing grade for the course, and a record of the failure is to be submitted to the Dean of Students. This record is to be for the confidential use of the Dean of Students and is to be destroyed upon the student's graduation. On the second such occurrence, a student shall be expelled from the University without the possibility of readmission." 

Cheating shall be considered to include using any information to which you are not entitled. During an exam this would include written crib sheets, writing on your body, using the information from another student exam paper, programming formulas or data into the memory of a programmable calculator, etc. I will make every effort to enforce this cheating policy.