Practical Packet Analysis

802.11 Packet Extras

80211traffic.pcap

The main difference between the packet structure of a wireless packet and that of a standard packet is the addition of an 802.11 header. This header contains extra information about the packet and the medium used to transmit it, as shown in Figure 10-7.

Figure 10-7. The 802.11 header contains extra wireless information about the packets

To examine the packet shown in Figure 10-7 more closely, open the 80211traffic.pcap example file. Let's look at some of the interesting items in this header:

Type/Subtype

This specifies the type or subtype of the 802.11 packet shown. The type can be either management, data, or control. ...