Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA)

Get a head start right out of the gate with a Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) certification. It is the base certification for Enterprise Wi-Fi within the CWNP family of certifications and a springboard toward earning your security, design, analysis, and network expert certifications. Achieving it enhances your networking career profile, providing evidence that you have sought after Wi-Fi knowledge and skills.


The goal of this course is to add Wi-Fi expertise to a networking professional’s skill set while covering all CWNA-109 exam topics. The course begins with discussion topics and hands-on lab exercises covering the basic operation of 802.11 Wi-Fi technology. Once a base of Wi-Fi knowledge is established, enterprise-relevant topics such as Wi-Fi design, security, and troubleshooting are covered. You will use enterprise-class hardware and software tools during live lab exercises, all accessible remotely for any instructor-led or virtual class.

 

As a bonus, you will receive a free exam voucher and practice test to test your knowledge before taking the exam.

Course Information

Price: $3,295.00
Duration: 5 days
Certification: Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA)
Exam: CWNA-109
Learning Credits:
Course Delivery Options

Check out our full list of training locations and learning formats. Please note that the location you choose may be an Established HD-ILT location with a virtual live instructor.

Train face-to-face with the live instructor.

Access to on-demand training content anytime, anywhere.

Attend the live class from the comfort of your home or office.

Interact with a live, remote instructor from a specialized, HD-equipped classroom near you. An SLI sales rep will confirm location availability prior to registration confirmation.

All Sunset Learning dates are guaranteed to run!

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Prerequisites:

The CWNA exam has no prerequisites; however, the following are recommended before attempting the CWNA exam:

  • Basic knowledge of networking (routers, switches, cabling, etc.)
  • Basic knowledge of TCP/IP
  • At least 1 year of work experience with wireless LAN technologies

 

Target Audience:

  • Administrators: network, systems, infrastructure, security, and LAN/WLANs
  • Support professionals: technical assistance and field support
  • Designers: network, systems, and infrastructure
  • Developers: wireless software and hardware products
  • Consultants and integrators: IT and security
  • Decision-makers: infrastructure managers, IT managers, security directors, chief security officers, and chief technology officers
  • CCNA's

 

Course Objectives:

What You’ll Learn attending the Enterprise Wi-Fi Administration course:

  • Background and roles of Wi-Fi governing bodies, including the IEEE and Wi-Fi Alliance
  • Radiofrequency properties and behaviors
  • Wireless signal fundamentals, including measurement principles
  • Antenna information, including types and installation best practices
  • Wi-Fi standards, including 802.11 amendments ax, ad, af, and ah.
  • Wi-Fi device types and infrastructure options
  • Wi-Fi communications processes, including connection, roaming, and data transfer
  • General troubleshooting tips to common real-world 802.11 wireless issues
  • Wi-Fi architecture best practices, including both network and wireless design
  • Similarities, differences, and peculiarities about Wi-Fi deployments in differing environments (offices, K-12 education, health care facilities, and more)
  • Security standards, best practices, known vulnerabilities, and remediation techniques for Wi-Fi networks
  • Site surveying, including requirements gathering, design, installation, and validation
  • Troubleshooting methodology, tools, and techniques, along with common issues

 

Course Outline:

WLAN and Networking Industry Organizations

  • Wi-Fi Related Organizations
  • The IEEE
  • PHY Amendments
  • 802.11 Amendments
  • Wi-Fi Alliance
  • PoE (802.3)

RF Characteristics and Behavior

  • Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • Wavelength, amplitude, and other RF characteristics
  • Reflection, refraction, and other RF behavior
  • RF Propagation
  • Basic Types of Modulation

RF Mathematics and Measurements

  • RF units of measure
  • Basic RF mathematics
  • RF signal measurements
  • Understand link budgets

RF Antennas and Hardware

  • RF Units of Measure
  • Types of Antennas and Antenna Systems Commonly Used With 802.11 WLANs
  • Antenna Polarization and Gain
  • Antenna Implementation
  • Types of Antenna Cables, Connectors, and Other Accessories

802.11 PHYs and Network Types

  • 802.11 PHYs and Network Types
  • 802.11 Frequency Bands
  • 802.11 Channels Explained
  • OSI Model Layers and Wi-Fi
  • 802.11 Physical Layers (PHYs)
  • Throughput vs. Data Rate
  • RF Modulation Methods
  • 802.11 Use Case Scenarios
  • WLAN Operating Modes including BSS. ESS and Roaming

802.11 Network Devices

  • Access Point Features and Capabilities
  • AP and WLAN Management Systems
  • Wireless Monitoring Systems (Analytics)
  • WLAN Controller Functionality
  • Network Architecture Planes
  • WLAN Bridging
  • Client Devices
  • Client Device OS Configuration
  • Power over Ethernet (PoE) Functionality

802.11 MAC Operations

  • 802.11 Frames
  • Frame Aggregation
  • Guard Interval
  • General Frame Format
  • PHY Preamble
  • Management, Control, and Data Frames
  • Locating WLANs

802.11 Channel Access Methods

  • Differences between CSMA/CD and CSMA/CA
  • Distributed Coordination Function (DCF)
  • Network Allocation Vector (NAV)
  • Clear Channel Assessment (CCA)
  • Interframe Spacing (IFS)
  • Contention Window (CW)
  • Quality of Service in 802.11 WLANs
  • Hybrid Coordination Function (HCF)
  • Additional Control Frames and Protection Modes

WLAN Network Architectures

  • Control, Management, and Data Planes
  • WLAN Controller Solutions
  • Network Architectures
  • RF Channel Planning
  • Service Set Configurations
  • Cell Sizing and Interference

WLAN Requirements and Solutions

  • Explore WLAN Deployment Scenarios
  • BYOD and Guest Access
  • Mobile Device Management
  • Radio Resource Management (RRM) and other automatic RF management solutions
  • Additional Management Features

Security Solutions for WLANs

  • Additional Authentication Features
  • Deprecated Standard Security
  • Weak Security Mechanisms
  • Pre-shared Key and IEEE 802.1X/EAP
  • WPA3-Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE)
  • WPA3 Opportunistic Wireless Encryption (OWE)
  • 6GHz 802.11ax Security Requirements
  • Wireless Intrusion Prevention Systems (WIPS)
  • Protocol and Spectrum Analysis for Security
  • Using Secure Protocols

Site Surveys, Network Design, and Validation

  • Survey Processes
  • Understanding Requirements
  • Verify Design Requirements
  • Documentation
  • Locating Interference
  • Spectrum Analysis
  • Application and Throughput Testing
  • Protocol Analysis

WLAN Troubleshooting

  • CWNP Troubleshooting Methodology
  • Protocol Analysis Troubleshooting Features
  • Spectrum Analysis Troubleshooting Features
  • RF Interference
  • Hidden Nodes
  • Connectivity Problems


Classroom Live Lab

Remote Lab Familiarization

  • Overview
  • Task 1: Navigate the Sunset Learning Institute Remote Lab
  • Task 2: Closing the Lab

Lab 1: Visualizing RF Principles

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Download files to the Pod-AdminPC in the Remote Lab.
  • Task 2: Use Ekahau Pro to visualize Free Space Path Loss
  • Task 3: Use Ekahau Pro to Visualize Attenuation
  • Task 4: Closing the Lab

Lab 2: RF Mathematics

  • Activity Objective
  • Required Resources
  • Task 1: Complete These Power Conversions
  • Task 2: Calculate EIRP
  • Task 3: Calculate a Link Budget

Lab 3: Visualizing Antenna Patterns

  • Activity Objective
  • Required Resources
  • Task 1: Open the FSPL File in Ekahau Pro
  • Task 2: Use Various 2.4 Antenna and Observe the Change in RF Coverage
  • Closing the Lab

Lab 4: 802.11 Basics

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Analyze Wireless Frames
  • Task 2: Closing the Lab

Lab 5: Initialize an Autonomous WLAN Deployment

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Configure an Autonomous AP via CLI
  • Task 2: Configure Your Standalone AP from the GUI
  • Task 3: Closing the Lab

Lab 6: Configuring the WLC Central Switch WLAN Deployment

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Retrieving the Access Point’s MAC Address
  • Task 2: Configuring the C9800 using the WLC Setup Wizard
  • Task 3: Configuring an AP MAC Address Authorization Filter on the C9800 Controller.
  • Task 4: Configuring the Access Points for a Primary C9800 Controller.
  • Task 5: Configuring VLANs on the C9800 Controller.
  • Task 6: Lab Close-Out Procedures

Lab 7: Configuring Security in a Centralized WLAN Deployment

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Configuring a WPA2-PSK WLAN
  • Task 2: Associate the Client with the C9800 WPA2-PSK WLAN
  • Task 3: Configuring a WPA2-802.1X Local EAP WLAN
  • Task 4: Configuring a WPA2-802.1X Local EAP WLAN (Cont.)
  • Task 5: Associate the Client with the C9800 Local-EAP WLAN
  • Task 6: Lab Close-Out Procedures
  • Task 3: Closing the Lab

Lab 8: Perform Wi-Fi Scanning

  • Activity Objective
  • Topology
  • Task 1: Enable MetaGeek inSSIDer
  • Task 2: Review 2.4 GHz Activity
  • Task 3: Review 5 GHz Activity
  • Task 4: Close the Lab

Lab 9: Perform a Predictive WLAN Design

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Familiarization with Ekahau Pro 
  • Task 2: Perform a Basic Predictive WLAN Design using a Single Floor Layout
  • Task 3: Closing the Lab

Lab 10: Perform Passive Site Survey

  • Activity Objective
  • Task 1: Configure AP for Spectrum Expert AP Mode of Operation
  • Task 2: Configure Cisco Spectrum Expert – Spectrum Analyzer Software
  • Task 3: Closing the Lab