WLAN MAC Frame Types and Subtypes
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This document describes the different types and subtypes of WLAN MAC frames. WLAN MAC frames are broadly classified into three categories: management frames, control frames, and data frames.
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Management Frames: These frames handle network management functions, such as joining a network, authenticating, and discovering available networks.
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Control Frames: These frames assist in the delivery of data frames. Examples include request-to-send (RTS), clear-to-send (CTS), and acknowledgment (ACK) frames.
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Data Frames: These frames carry the actual data payload.
The table below details the type and subtype fields for each of these frame categories:
WLAN MAC Frame Types and Subtypes Table
| Type Value | Type Description | Subtype value | Subtype Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | Management Frame | 0000 | Association Request |
| 00 | Management Frame | 0001 | Association Response |
| 00 | Management Frame | 0010 | Reassociation Request |
| 00 | Management Frame | 0011 | Reassociation Response |
| 00 | Management Frame | 0100 | Probe Request |
| 00 | Management Frame | 0101 | Probe Response |
| 00 | Management Frame | 0110-0111 | Reserved |
| 00 | Management Frame | 1000 | Beacon |
| 00 | Management Frame | 1001 | ATIM |
| 00 | Management Frame | 1010 | Disassociation |
| 00 | Management Frame | 1011 | Authentication |
| 00 | Management Frame | 1100 | Deauthentication |
| 00 | Management Frame | 1101 | Action |
| 00 | Management Frame | 1110-1111 | Reserved |
| 01 | Control Frame | 0000-0111 | Reserved |
| 01 | Control Frame | 1000 | Block Ack Request |
| 01 | Control Frame | 1001 | Block Ack |
| 01 | Control Frame | 1010 | PS-Poll |
| 01 | Control Frame | 1011 | RTS |
| 01 | Control Frame | 1100 | CTS |
| 01 | Control Frame | 1101 | ACK |
| 01 | Control Frame | 1110 | CF-End |
| 01 | Control Frame | 1111 | CF-End+CF-Ack |
| 10 | Data Frame | 0000 | Data |
| 10 | Data Frame | 0001 | Data+CF-Ack |
| 10 | Data Frame | 0010 | Data+CF-Poll |
| 10 | Data Frame | 0011 | Data+CF-Ack+CF-Poll |
| 10 | Data Frame | 0100 | Null-No data |
| 10 | Data Frame | 0101 | CF-Ack(No Data) |
| 10 | Data Frame | 0110 | CF-Poll(No Data) |
| 10 | Data Frame | 0111 | CF-Ack+CF-Poll(No Data) |
| 10 | Data Frame | 1000 | QoS Data |
| 10 | Data Frame | 1001 | QoS Data+CF-Ack |
| 10 | Data Frame | 1010 | QoS Data+CF-Poll |
| 10 | Data Frame | 1011 | QoS Data+CF-Ack+CF-Poll |
| 10 | Data Frame | 1100 | QoS Null(no data) |
| 10 | Data Frame | 1101 | Reserved |
| 10 | Data Frame | 1110 | QoS CF-Poll(No data) |
| 10 | Data Frame | 1111 | QoS CF-Ack+CF-Poll (No Data) |
| 11 | Reserved | 0000-1111 | Reserved |
Continue Learning Wi-Fi MAC Layer Essentials
- WLAN Adhoc Vs Infrastructure Mode
- WLAN Association Request Response Frame
- WLAN Authentication De-authentication Frame
- WLAN Beacon Frame
- WLAN Channels Vs. Frequencies
- WLAN Class 1, 2, and 3 Frames
- WLAN DCF vs PCF : Key differences
- WLAN Probe Request & Response Frame
- WLAN Re-association Request Response Frame
- WLAN RTS and CTS Frames
- SIFS, PIFS, DIFS, EIFS, and AIFS in WLAN : Key differences
Explore Legacy Wi-Fi Versions (IEEE 802.11b/a/g)
- WLAN Basics Tutorial
- WLAN Physical Layer: 802.11a PHY
- WLAN MAC Layer Part-1
- WLAN MAC Layer Part-2
- WLAN Security Basics, WEP Protocol and Wi-Fi Checklist
- WiFi Radio Frequency Channels: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 4.9 GHz
- WiFi Roaming: Understanding the Basics