Wireless Security; Figure 6-1 Rts Threshold - ZyXEL Communications ZyWALL 5 User Manual

ZyWALL 5 Internet Security Appliance

Figure 6-1 RTS Threshold

When station A sends data to the ZyWALL, it might not know that the station B is already using the
channel. If these two stations send data at the same time, collisions may occur when both sets of data
arrive at the AP at the same time, resulting in a loss of messages for both stations.
RTS/CTS is designed to prevent collisions due to hidden nodes. An RTS/CTS defines the biggest size
data frame you can send before an RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake is invoked.
When a data frame exceeds the RTS/CTS value you set (between 0 to 2432 bytes), the station that
wants to transmit this frame must first send an RTS (Request To Send) message to the AP for
permission to send it. The AP then responds with a CTS (Clear to Send) message to all other stations
within its range to notify them to defer their transmission. It also reserves and confirms with the
requesting station the time frame for the requested transmission.
Stations can send frames smaller than the specified RTS/CTS directly to the AP without the RTS
(Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake.
You should only configure RTS/CTS if the possibility of hidden nodes exists on your network and the
"cost" of resending large frames is more than the extra network overhead involved in the RTS
(Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake.
If the RTS/CTS value is greater than the Fragmentation Threshold value (see next), then the RTS
(Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake will never occur as data frames will be fragmented
before they reach RTS/CTS size.
Enabling the RTS Threshold causes redundant network overhead that could negatively affect the
throughput performance instead of providing a remedy.
6.2.4 Fragmentation Threshold
A Fragmentation Threshold is the maximum data fragment size (between 256 and 2432 bytes) that
can be sent in the wireless network before the ZyWALL will fragment the packet into smaller data
frames.
A large Fragmentation Threshold is recommended for networks not prone to interference while you
should set a smaller threshold for busy networks or networks that are prone to interference.
If the Fragmentation Threshold value is smaller than the RTS/CTS value (see previously) you set
then the RTS (Request To Send)/CTS (Clear to Send) handshake will never occur as data frames will
be fragmented before they reach RTS Threshold size.
6.3

Wireless Security

Wireless security is vital to your network to protect wireless communication between wireless stations,
access points and other wireless.
6-2 Wireless LAN and Authentication Server