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The 802.11
Protocol Library.
Reference pages, visualizers and practice captures for Wi-Fi engineers, from your first beacon frame to Wi-Fi 8 UHR.
92 pages · 11 visualizers · 160 quiz questions · 8 crash course modules
client join, frame by frame 10 frames
1 STA → AP Probe Requestwlan.fc.type_subtype == 0x0004
2 AP → STA Probe Responsewlan.fc.type_subtype == 0x0005
3 STA → AP Authentication, Open System, seq 1wlan.fixed.auth_seq == 1
4 AP → STA Authentication, seq 2, status 0wlan.fixed.auth_seq == 2
5 STA → AP Association Requestwlan.fc.type_subtype == 0x0000
6 AP → STA Association Response, AID 1wlan.fixed.aid
7 AP → STA EAPOL-Key M1, ANoncewlan_rsna_eapol.keydes.msgnr == 1
8 STA → AP EAPOL-Key M2, SNonce + MICwlan_rsna_eapol.keydes.msgnr == 2
9 AP → STA EAPOL-Key M3, install + GTKwlan_rsna_eapol.keydes.msgnr == 3
10 STA → AP EAPOL-Key M4, MICwlan_rsna_eapol.keydes.msgnr == 4
Port authorized. Data can flow.Watch it animate →
Find your level
Start where you are.
Beginner
New to Wi-Fi protocol analysis. Start here.
802.11 Crash Course
8 modules, RF to Wi-Fi 7
Amendment Timeline
Wi-Fi history, 1997-2024
Channel Reference
2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz channel plans
Industry Organizations
IEEE, Wi-Fi Alliance, FCC, ETSI
Frame Lab
Free PCAPs to practise with
Intermediate
Reading PCAPs, studying for CWNA/CWAP.
Wireshark Filters
30+ 802.11 filters with notes
MCS Calculator
Data rates with IEEE spec math
RSSI / SNR Reference
Min thresholds per MCS
RSSI, SNR & Link Budget
Why RSSI alone does not determine throughput
RF Math & EIRP
dB, mW, Rule of 3/10, link budget
WLAN Architectures
BSS, ESS, split-MAC, cloud
Channel Access (EDCA)
CSMA/CA, TXOP, WMM ACs
Status & Reason Codes
Deauth and assoc failures
Band Steering & Sticky Clients
802.11v BTM, vendor implementations, PCAP
EAP Methods
EAP-TLS vs PEAP vs EAP-TTLS comparison
CWNA/CWAP Quiz
40 questions, all domains
CWNA-109 Tracker
120 questions, SM-2, 6 domains
Podcast Generator
12 topics, 3 audiences, browser TTS
Expert
Protocol deep dives, Wi-Fi 7, security analysis.
4-Way Handshake
Animated EAPOL visualizer
DHCP DORA
Discover/Offer/Request/Ack + xid correlation
State Machine
802.11 three-state transitions
OFDMA RU Allocator
Click-to-allocate Wi-Fi 6 RUs
MLO Modes
Wi-Fi 7 MLSR/EMLSR/STR/NSTR
TWT Schedule
Wake schedule + mantissa/exp math
BSS Color SR
OBSS_PD + constant product rule
Preamble Puncturing
80/160/320 MHz bitmap + DFS/OBSS/AFC
MU-MIMO Beamforming
Array factor + null steering for SU/MU
MLO 4-Way Handshake
Wi-Fi 7 per-link GTK, MLD-level PTK
Wi-Fi 7 Track
802.11be MLO, 320 MHz, EHT
Wi-Fi 8 UHR
MAPC, DRU, ELR, SMD, WPA3
Exchange Timing & SLA
Auth/EAPOL/FT/DHCP WARN+FAIL thresholds
CCI vs CCC
Co-channel contention mechanics, CCA, NAV, BSS Color
RX-SOP
Receiver Start of Packet, the threshold that decides which frames an AP hears
Asymmetric Link Visibility
Why the client view of a link is not the AP view, and where field problems hide
The Sniffer Vantage Trap
Why capture RSSI is the sniffer view, not the AP or client view
Severity Model
CRITICAL → INFO classification + nDPI mapping
Top N Analysis
Weighted ranking - worst clients first
Study path
Four steps, in order.
progress saves in your browser, nothing is sent anywhere
Read the concepts, test yourself, then track which CWNA domains you have covered.
01
802.11 Crash Course
Eight modules from RF fundamentals through Wi-Fi 7. Start here if the spec still looks like noise.
02
CWNA / CWAP Quiz
Test what stuck. Every answer cites the IEEE clause it comes from, so a wrong answer points at what to reread.
03
CWNA-109 Tracker
The exam objectives mapped to pages on this site. See which domains you have covered and which are still blank.
04
Your Progress
Domain coverage, streak, and which visualizers you have completed. Stored locally in your browser.
Interactive tools
Try it, don't just read it.
MCS Rate Calculator
Select standard, width, streams -- instant data rate with full IEEE spec math
Handshake Visualizer
Watch WPA2/WPA3 EAPOL M1-M4 animate between AP and client in real time
State Machine
Click any state or transition -- frames, failure points, Wireshark filters
Frame Control Decoder
Enter any hex FC value -- decode all 16 bits instantly
Exchange Timing & SLA
Enter a measured timing -- instant PASS/WARN/FAIL against IEEE SLA thresholds
// about this library
I spend most of my free time figuring out how to make 802.11 protocol concepts click. The spec is dense, the failure modes are subtle, and most engineers learn by reading Wireshark output until something makes sense. Everything I work out ends up here as interactive visualizers, reference pages, and frame-level walkthroughs. ·
// preparing for a wi-fi interview?
71 questions with real spoken engineer answers covering fundamentals through Wi-Fi 7 MLO and PCAP scenario questions. Free PDF, sent on request.
// field notes -- one email every two weeks
New pages, new PCAPs, Wi-Fi 7 observations
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