WLAN Association Request frame

Once the WLAN client devices or mobile stations identified the compatible WLAN network and already authenticated with it, they will start attempting to join the same. This action performed by sending out association request frame.


WLAN association request frame

Fig-1 mentions all the required fields carried by the WLAN Association request frame. All the fields are mandatory and order of the fields should be as mentioned.

Capability information field indicates type of network station wants to join with. Before the AP accepts the association request frame received, it verifies following:
• Capability Information
• SSID
• rates supported
If all the above fields match with the parameters of the WLAN network then only the frame will be accepted. AP also decodes the 'Listen Interval' field which indicates how often STATION listens to beacon frames in order to monitor TIM element.

WLAN Association Response frame


WLAN re-association response frame

WLAN APs will reply association response frames after receiving association request frames from the mobile stations willing to join them(i.e. network). All the fields are mandatory. As part of the response, WLAN AP will assign Association ID. The different vendors will have different methods for the ID assignments.

What is Difference between

FIR filter Vs. IIR filter
difference between FDM and OFDM
Difference between SC-FDMA and OFDM
Difference between SISO and MIMO
Difference between TDD and FDD
Difference between 802.11 standards viz.11-a,11-b,11-g and 11-n
OFDM vs OFDMA
CDMA vs GSM
Bluetooth vs zigbee

WLAN MAC frames Links

WLAN Association Request and response frame
WLAN authentication Request and deauthentication frame
WLAN beacon frame
WLAN passive vs active scanning frame
WLAN Probe Request and response frame
WLAN reassociation Request and response frame
WLAN RTS and CTS frame

Other Standard MAC layer protocol

WIMAX MAC PROTOCOL
WLAN MAC LAYER PROTOCOL PART1
WLAN MAC LAYER PROTOCOL PART2
ZIGBEE MAC LAYER FRAME
BLUETOOTH MAC LAYER
802.11AC MAC LAYER

RF and Wireless Terminologies