"Frame" Definition?

[SMase]

I've just activated WirelessMon for some in depth WiFi network analysis and before I proceed much further, I want to make sure that I have the correct definitions for some of the measurements being made.



Specifically, I'm looking at the Connected Node Log >> Statistics at

• RCV Error
• Directed Frames RCV

How is “Frame” defined in terms of the IEEE 802.11 standard? I’m looking in Section 7. Frame Formats of IEEE 802.11-2007 and can identify the following frame types:
– Control Frame Types:
RTS, CTS, ACK, PS-Poll, CF-End,CF-End+CF-ACK, BlockAckReq, BlockAck
– Data Frame Types:
N/A
– Management Frame Types:
Beacon, IBSS ATIM, Disassociation, Association Request, Association Response, Reassociation Request, Reassociation Response, Probe Request, Probe Response, Authentication, Deauthentication, Action

Which of these are included in RCV Error and Directed Frames RCV? Are Data Frames the only one?

Thanks

[Tim (PassMark)]

This information is retrieved from the NDIS driver, specifically;
OID_GEN_RCV_ERROR
OID_GEN_DIRECTED_FRAMES_RCV

I believe frame is a loose definition used to mean any network frame transmitted (not just 802.11 specific frames), there is no more in depth description available unfortunately.

[SMase]

TimR,

Thanks. I'll try looking into Microsoft's OID_GEN_STATISTICS.

Are the words "Packet" and "Frame" used interchangeably in WirelessMon’s documentation? Or does Packet only mean IP Packet while Frame is more of a general term?

Thanks again!

[SMase]

Actually what would be most useful is a definition of the Statistics Tab and IP Connection Tab values in terms of OID general statistics. Is this information available to users?

Thanks

[Tim (PassMark)]

We'll look at adding the OID values used to the documentation in future, though you should be able to make a good connection based on the description of them in the WirelesMon help.

I believe the term "packets" refer to IP packets, at least in the context where it is used in the WirelessMon help. I think most of the "frames" confusion arrive from the where the OID values have frame in the name but reference packets in their description (as is the case with ID_GEN_DIRECTED_FRAMES_RCV).

[SMase]

TimR,

Ok, well here is my best guess at the rest of the measurements I'm most interested in. Please let me know if I'm wrong: my next step is to determine how my chipset's manufacturer produces these OIDs

•RCV OK – OID_GEN_DIRECTED_FRAMES_RCV ?

•Failed Count - ???
•RCV Counter Error – This is just a cumulative total of RCV Errors since WirelessMon started?
•Sent Error - OID_GEN_XMIT_DISCARDS ?
•Directed Frames Sent - OID_GEN_DIRECTED_BYTES_XMIT?
•Sent Counter Error – Just a cumulative total of Sent Error?
•RCV Rate (Bytes/Second) – OID_GEN_LINK_STATE.RcvLinkSpeed?
•Sent Rate (Bytes/Second) - OID_GEN_LINK_STATE.XmitLinkSpeed?
•Band Width – OID_GEN_MAX_LINK_SPEED?
•Strength - OID_802_11_RSSI?

Thanks again

[Tim (PassMark)]

• RCV OK – OID_GEN_RCV_OK
• Failed Count - OID_802_11_STATISTICS (WLAN_STATISTICS in Vista/Win7)
  
• RCV Counter Error – Packets Received Errors from the network interface performance counters.
  
• Sent Error - OID_GEN_XMIT_ERROR
• Directed Frames Sent - OID_GEN_DIRECTED_FRAMES_XMIT
• Sent Counter Error – Packets Outbound Errors from the network interface performance counters.
• RCV Rate (Bytes/Second) – Packets Received/sec from the network interface performance counters.
• Sent Rate (Bytes/Second) - Packets Sent/sec from the network interface performance counters.
• Band Width – Current Bandwidth from the network interface performance counters.
• Strength - OID_802_11_RSSI (WLAN_CONNECTION_ATTRIBUTES in Vista/Win7)
  

[SMase]

Tim,

Thanks