This study analyzed students’ perceptions of the development of STEAM skills during the design and implementation of a wireless local area network using the Packet Tracer simulator, integrating these perceptions with technical performance assessed through a standardized rubric. A quantitative approach with a descriptive–correlational scope was employed, involving a sample of 39 students enrolled in the bachelor’s degree in information systems engineering at the Faculty of Informatics Mazatlán of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa. A STEAM questionnaire organized into seven dimensions was administered, and Spearman correlation coefficients and non-parametric tests were used for data analysis. The results indicate high mean scores across all STEAM dimensions (means > 4.00), with particular emphasis on technical application, communication, and motivation. No statistically significant associations were found between technical performance and perceived STEAM learning (p > .05), whereas the questionnaire dimensions exhibited strong and positive intercorrelations (p < .01). It is concluded that technical performance and perceived formative experience represent distinct dimensions of learning, and that simulation, when designed with pedagogical intentionality, can function as a comprehensive learning environment beyond procedural practice.

Context Wildlife tracking is often expensive and manufacturer delivery times sometimes delay critical research opportunities. Movement and activity data provide fundamental ecological information for developing conservation methods and management strategies. However, the aforementioned limitations of commercial animal tracking systems can prevent important research. Aims To build an affordable and effective system for monitoring the movement and activity of captive and wild animals with a particular focus on mammals (weighing 3 kg and over) such as the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata, hereafter ‘BTRW’). Methods A prototype hub-based animal tracking system was built for BTRW research. Data was uploaded from a collar to hub when an animal was within upload range via a wireless local area network and transmitted via a Message Queuing Telemetry Transport broker. This data package was subsequently uploaded via cellular networks to a cloud-based database and dashboard. Key results The On-Animal Tracking System (OATS) prototype system was successfully tested in the field with nine BTRW for a period of up to 60 days and provided researchers with movement data for further analysis. Conclusions OATS provides an affordable wildlife tracking system option with the design being publicly and freely available thereby, providing a tracking solution specifically designed for research. Implications This system has set the foundation for other researchers to use and adapt the design to suit their research needs thereby, providing both a customisable and cost-effective method for carrying out movement and activity research. OATS has been deployed with BTRW (described in this manuscript) along with both wild canids and livestock.

The relevance of this work is driven by the widespread adoption of IEEE 802.11 networks. This article examines the key innovations associated with the transition from the seventh-generation IEEE 802.11be Wi-Fi standard, known as Wi-Fi 7, to the eighth-generation IEEE 802.11bn standard, known as Wi-Fi 8. Specifically, attention is paid to the throughput improvements, the implementation of more advanced modulation methods, and support for multi-channel transmissions, which significantly improves the speed and stability of connections. The eighth-generation standard is expected to introduce fundamentally new approaches to organizing client-access point interactions. Unlike 802.11be, 802.11bn is expected to enable simultaneous operation of a single client with multiple access points and vice versa. This will fundamentally change most of existing radio environment management mechanisms, but at the same time, it will provide previously unreachable mobility within a distributed wireless infrastructure. Current challenges facing the industry are also considered, including compatibility with previous generations of standards and the complexities that arise during wireless local area networks design. Purpose: A systematic review of the key features of the latest addition to the IEEE 802.11be standard, known as Wi-Fi 7, and the next generation of IEEE 802.11bn, known as Wi-Fi 8, currently under development, Methods: Analysis of professional and scientific literature, standards texts, and industry practices. Results. In addressing the stated objective, this paper presents an overview of the key improvements expected in the IEEE 802.11bn standard. Particular attention is paid to changing approaches to WLAN design in the context of new technologies such as Distributed Multi-Link Operation and Multi-AP Coordination. Theoretical significance lies in the analysis of the key aspects of the innovations in IEEE 802.11be and IEEE 802.11bn. Research problems requiring solutions that require the revision and sophistication of existing models and methods are identified. These include: dynamic resource allocation in multi-band networks, optimization of spectrum resource use, development of radio resource management algorithms, and development of handover algorithms. Practical significance: The obtained results can be used when formulating design problems for seventh- and eighth-generation Wi-Fi networks.

This paper presents a compact, wideband, and frequency-reconfigurable Magneto-Electric Dipole (MED) antenna designed for sub-6 GHz 5G New Radio (NR) and Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM)/ Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) applications. The proposed antenna utilizes an aperture-coupled excitation mechanism integrated within a multilayer FR4 structure, featuring complementary electric and magnetic dipole elements that are optimized through a four-step evolutionary design process. The final configuration achieves a simulated broad Impedance Bandwidth (IBW) of 2.24–4.55 GHz in the all-diodes-off state, while maintaining stable broadside radiation, a peak gain of over 7.7 dBi, and a radiation efficiency of up to 94.2%. Frequency reconfigurability is achieved through the use of six strategically placed PIN diodes, which selectively modify the current distribution on the microstrip feed line by coupling six rectangular stubs. Multiple diode-controlled switching states enable wide tunability from 1.79 GHz to 4.41 GHz, providing support for more than twelve major 5G NR bands, including n7, n30, n34, n38, n40, n41, n48, n53, n65, n77, n78, n90, n95, and n97, as well as ISM/WLAN services. Simulated and measured results exhibit strong agreement across all states, with peak gains ranging from 7.06 to 7.82 dBi and radiation efficiencies between 65.6% and 96.1% (see Table 3), confirming the robustness of the aperture-coupled and diode-integrated MED architecture. Compared to recent state-of-the-art MED and reconfigurable MED antennas, the proposed design demonstrates a wider tuning range, competitive gain, and reduced structural complexity while maintaining a compact volume of 0.48λ₀ × 0.48λ₀ × 0.11λ₀ at 3.5 GHz. These characteristics highlight its suitability for compact 5G terminals, small-cell base stations, reconfigurable wireless systems, and multi-standard communication platforms.

ABSTRACT An inverted L‐shaped dual band monopole antenna with a parasitic octagonal split ring resonator (OSRR) is proposed for multiple modern wireless communication systems. The proposed antenna is designed and evaluated with the help of CST Microwave Studio. The antenna is fabricated on an FR4 substrate with an overall footprint of 19 mm × 19.5 mm × 1.6 mm. The proposed antenna has two operating bands, which extends from 2.70 to 4.18 GHz and 4.92 to 5.20 GHz, supporting various wireless applications such as wireless local area network (WLAN), wireless interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), long‐term evolution (LTE), and sub‐6 GHz new radio (NR) bands (n48/n77/n78/n79). The metamaterial characteristics are analyzed and validated with the NRW method of parameter extraction. Further, the implemented design is analyzed with various dielectric materials, including ARLON AD 250C, ARLON AD 300D, FR‐4, ROGER RO 3003, ROGER RO 3006, and ROGER TMM 10 to show the impact of substrate material on the characteristics of the proposed antenna. The prototype of the proposed antenna is fabricated and experimentally tested for validating the simulated outcomes. The measured results demonstrate strong agreement with the simulated results. Due to its compactness, the proposed antenna proves itself as a potential choice for the next generation wireless communication systems.

The energy consumption of digital communication infrastructures is increasingly recognized as a component of operational building energy use. In multi-story public buildings, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) are typically deployed under static, always-on configurations, leading to avoidable energy overhead caused by spatial interference and inefficient access point placement. This study proposes an energy-aware WLAN deployment framework that integrates user-weighted spatial placement with deterministic three-dimensional vertical interference coordination. The framework is evaluated using 50 independent Monte Carlo simulations on a representative three-story public building model. Results indicate a reduction in annual operational energy consumption from 1892.71 kWh to 1333.71 kWh (-29.5%), with a proportional decrease in carbon emissions, while maintaining a 97% coverage requirement. Furthermore, worst-case signal quality improves, with Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) P10 increasing from 17.66 dB to 25.53 dB and median network capacity rising by 30.6%. These findings suggest that interference-aware spatial coordination can function as an effective energy optimization layer within building-integrated digital infrastructures.

ARP poisoning is a prevalent security threat in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), enabling attackers to manipulate ARP tables and perform man-in-the-middle attacks. This study develops a machine learning-based detection system to identify ARP poisoning incidents in real-time, using Random Forest, AdaBoost, and a hybrid Random Forest-AdaBoost ensemble model. Data was collected from a public Wi-Fi environment in Surabaya, consisting of 11,225 ARP traffic records, augmented with simulated ARP poisoning attacks. Data preprocessing included exploratory analysis, feature engineering, encoding, and dataset balancing to improve model performance. Experimental results demonstrate that the hybrid ensemble model achieved the highest accuracy (99.92% on validation and 99.94% on testing), but its inference time of 517.30 ms rendered it unsuitable for real-time deployment. In contrast, the AdaBoost model achieved similar accuracy with significantly faster inference latency (7.82–14.93 ms), making it the most efficient model for live monitoring. The optimized AdaBoost classifier was then deployed through a Telegram-based alert system integrated with Scapy for continuous packet inspection and immediate attack notifications. This study contributes to the advancement of real-time intrusion detection mechanisms for WLAN environments by demonstrating the effectiveness of ensemble learning in ARP poisoning detection. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of balancing detection accuracy with computational efficiency for practical deployment in dynamic network environments. The findings offer insights into developing scalable, low-latency security solutions and lay the groundwork for future research on adaptive, real-time detection frameworks.

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) security has become a major challenge with the rapid growth of connected devices and wireless access points. The inherent vulnerabilities of radio communications expose organizations to a wide range of threats. This article presents an analysis of WLAN-specific vulnerabilities and a multilayer security architecture based on the defense-in-depth principle. The proposed approach combines several complementary mechanisms: WPA3-Enterprise, 802.1X/EAP-TLS authentication through a RADIUS server, dynamic VLAN segmentation, network access control, an intrusion detection and prevention system based on a hybrid CNN-LSTM model, and an application layer requiring mandatory VPN use. Experiments conducted on a representative infrastructure with 150 attack attempts show an overall detection rate of 95% for the main attack vectors considered. The average time between detection and isolation remains below 150 ms. This study therefore provides a practical methodology for strengthening WLAN security, including in highly constrained environments such as sub-Saharan Africa.

Microstrip antennas for Ka-band wireless applications will be thoroughly examined in this research. To utilize 5G wireless applications, a new research topic that has been established is the creation of microstrip patch antennas. Patch antennae are made of different shapes, such as rectangles, circular shapes, triangles, donuts, rings, etc. Many substrate materials are used in patch antenna designs. This article examines the geometric configurations of antennas, the many methods of analysis for attributes of antennas, the dimensions of antennas, the issues that antennas face, and the potential solutions to those challenges. Wireless communication technologies, such as television broadcasts, microwave ovens, mobile phones, wireless local area networks (LANs), Bluetooth, global positioning systems (GPS), and two-way radios, all use it. This article examines the geometric structures of antennas, including several characteristics and materials by which they are constructed, as well as the numerous shapes they can produce. This paper will also examine return loss (S11), bandwidth, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), gain, directivity, efficiency, and Bandwidth discussed in the prior studies. In the future, a novel patch antenna can be designed for 5G wireless applications.

An ultra-wideband eight-port multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna suitable for fifth-generation smartphones based on characteristic mode theory is proposed. The total size of the MIMO antenna is 154 mm × 74 mm × 1.5 mm. By exciting the TM10 mode, the bandwidth of |S11| < −10 dB covers 3.23-6 GHz. This bandwidth fully covers the N77/N78/N79 and wireless local area network bands for 5G applications. The antenna achieves a port isolation of better than – 15 dB and an envelope correlation coefficient of less than 0.02 without any decoupling structure. The total efficiency reaches approximately 90% over the operation band. Furthermore, simulation results show that the antenna performance remains almost unchanged under practical usage scenarios, such as handheld operation. Measurement results show that the S-parameters and radiation performance agree well with the simulated results.

Cloud gaming has transformed the digital gaming landscape by offloading rendering and computational processes to cloud servers, enabling users to play resource-intensive games on low-specification devices. However, in practice, there remains a critical issue regarding differences in performance and stability of home network connections in supporting cloud gaming services, particularly between Ethernet and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connections. This study aims to analyze the impact of cloud gaming services, using NVIDIA GeForce NOW as a case study, on the performance of home networks under two different configurations: high-speed Ethernet and low-speed WLAN. Network traffic data were captured in real time using Wireshark over a total of 18 hours of gameplay sessions conducted across three days for each network type. Quality of Service (QoS) parameters, including latency, jitter, packet loss, and throughput, were extracted and analyzed using Python-based scripts. The results indicate that Ethernet connections provide more stable latency and jitter, experience no packet loss, and deliver more consistent throughput. In contrast, WLAN exhibits higher variability in latency and jitter, with fluctuating and less stable throughput. These findings confirm that while both network types can support cloud gaming under certain conditions, Ethernet offers superior performance and consistency. This study contributes practical insights for selecting and optimizing home network configurations to ensure a more reliable and seamless cloud gaming experience.

ABSTRACT Wireless local area network (WLAN) communication technology is widely used in both civilian and commercial fields due to its high transmission rate, good compatibility, and support for simultaneous multidevice connections. WLAN receiver front‐end (RFE) with high dynamic range and high linearity helps improve information transmission distance and speed. Traditional WLAN RFEs are typically implemented using the CMOS process. However, compared with the GaAs pHEMT process, CMOS exhibits several disadvantages, including higher noise figures, lower output power, and increased insertion losses. To achieve better RF performance, this letter proposes a WLAN RFE structure based on the GaAs pHEMT process that eliminates the need for negative voltage. This design achieves better noise figure (NF) and dynamic range without increasing circuit complexity. Measured results show that the WLAN RFE chip using this topology not only supports the four operating modes required for WLAN but also exhibits a lower NF of 0.7 dB and a higher gain of 16 dB in the RX_LNA mode, along with a P1dB of 17 dBm, all within an area of only 1 × 1.05 mm 2 .

Abstract This paper introduces a novel Ultra-Wideband (UWB) slot antenna configuration designed for wearable applications. The design involves a flexible substrate made from denim jeans, integrating both a slotted patch and a slotted semi-circular partial ground structure. The optimized position of slots across the length of the patch by narrowing its width helps achieve a wide operational band. Also, a rectangular slot is introduced in the center to improve the return losses and to reduce the overall size of the design. The ground structure on the other side is semi-circular with a little I-shaped stub. These two constructions yield an impedance bandwidth of over 20 GHz (2.69 GHz -25 GHz), covering the UWB spectrum while resonating at 3.1 GHz and 18.5 GHz. A moderate gain and stable radiation characteristics across the entire operational bandwidth are achieved for the proposed design. In addition, the bending robustness, the functioning of the antenna under human loading, and the specific absorption rate (SAR) on the human body are investigated, and we find these to be satisfying. Due to its flexible characteristics, compact size, ease of fabrication, the UWB technology spectrum capability, and very high impedance bandwidth, the antenna can serve a multitude of wearable applications such as Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs), Wi-Max and Ku band applications.

With the growth of wireless communication technologies, the number of mobile devices equipped with wireless LAN (WLAN) interfaces have increased. Then, WLAN has become one of important infrastructures in the current access network. In addition, it is anticipated to serve as a key network in next-generation wireless networks. However, it is known that WLAN has various issues such as throughput performance degradation and deployment of AP in appropriate place have emerged. This paper introduces our challenge to address these issues based on mathematical models that describe physical phenomena observed in nature. Expecially, we focus on the access controls and transmission rate prediction techniques. Then, this paper demonstrates some results of our studies.

This study investigated the effects of exposure to a 2.45 GHz electromagnetic field (EMF) on rat testicular tissue, focusing on histological alterations and the potential activation of the HIF1A-VEGF pathway. Twenty-four adult male albino Wistar rats were divided into a control group (n = 12) with no EMF exposure and an experimental group (n = 12) exposed to 2.45 GHz microwave radiation (3 V/m, SAR 0.00208 W/kg) for one hour daily over 60 days. Following the exposure period, testicular tissues were analyzed for histopathological changes, VEGFA and HIF1A gene expression levels, and VEGFA protein concentration. In rat testicular tissue, while VEGFA gene expression (p < 0.05) and protein levels (p < 0.001) increased in the EMF group, no significant change was detected in HIF1A gene expression levels in the EMF group compared to the control group. Histological examination revealed a significant reduction in seminiferous tubule diameter (p < 0.001), epithelial thickness (p < 0.001), tubule density (p < 0.001), and Sertoli cell count (p = 0.0098) in the EMF-exposed group. It may be concluded that EMF at 2.45 GHz increases HIF1A-independent VEGF levels, and EMF exposure may cause testicular damage by increasing VEGF gene expression levels.

Hotel Adeeva is one of the hotels in Bengkulu City that provides various services, such as room rental, meeting money rental, party money rental, restaurant and others. The computer network at Hotel Adeeva Bengkulu City is currently connected to the internet network, the utilization of the LAN network, especially the internet at Hotel Adeeva Bengkulu City is not optimal, because it is still used for staff and employees, while guests cannot enjoy it. This study aims to implement wireless LAN authentication using the PHP API at Hotel Adeeva Bengkulu City. The study uses a quantitative experimental method. With the existence of a wireless LAN authentication system using the PHP API, it is hoped that the LAN network, especially the internet, can be enjoyed by all (staff, employees and guests). So that it adds value to the services at Hotel Adeeva. The Wireless LAN authentication system based on the PHP API uses the Mikhmon application, so that it can manage users in terms of bandwidth, users and active duration

The popularity of unmanned vehicles in numerous areas of employment, combined with the diversity and continuing evolution of their payloads, make the communication solutions utilized by such vehicles the element of a particular importance. In our previous publication, we confirmed a general applicability of wireless local area network (WLAN) technologies as solutions suitable to provide a control loop communication of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). At the same time, our research indicated that WLAN technologies provide communication resources in excess of what is required for the above task. In this paper, we aim to verify if a WLAN-based USV communication solution can be reliably utilized for both time-sensitive control loop and high-throughput payload communication simultaneously, which could provide significant advantages during USV construction and operation. For this purpose, we analyzed traffic parameters of popular USV payloads, designed a test system to monitor the impact of such traffic sharing a WLAN link with a USV control loop communication and conducted laboratory and field experiments. As initial results indicated the significant impact of payload traffic on the quality of control communication, we have also proposed a method of employing Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) hardware for this purpose, in a manner which allows the above-mentioned link sharing to operate reliably in changing real-world conditions. The subsequent verification, first in the laboratory and then during a real-world USV field deployment, confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Wireless communication technologies provide a practical means for improving the monitoring and management of electrical distribution transformers. This study presents the design and implementation of an Internet of Things (IoT)–based system for real-time monitoring of distribution transformer parameters using a wireless local area network (WLAN). The proposed system comprises an embedded monitoring unit, a centralized web server, and a web-based client interface. The embedded unit integrates voltage and current sensing modules, a microcontroller, a Wi-Fi communication module, and a local display for on-site visualization. Acquired electrical parameters are digitized using an analog-to-digital converter and transmitted to the server through an event-driven WebSocket communication protocol. The server, implemented using a Django-based web application, supports real-time data visualization, structured data storage, and remote user management through a standard web browser interface. A prototype system was developed using an Arduino Mega 2560 microcontroller and an ESP8266 Wi-Fi module, with firmware and server applications implemented in C and Python, respectively. Experimental testing under laboratory conditions confirmed reliable real-time data transmission, accurate data logging, and effective remote monitoring capabilities. While the results demonstrate the feasibility of a low-cost, IoT-enabled monitoring solution for distribution transformers, challenges related to large-scale deployment, long-term reliability, data security, and system scalability remain and are identified as important directions for future work.

Distributed channel access in wireless local area networks often suffers from limited throughput, high latency, and high collision rates. This paper investigates the use of multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) to address these challenges. In particular, we consider the challenging yet more practical case where the agents heterogeneously adopt value-based or policy-based reinforcement learning algorithms to train the model. We propose a heterogeneous MARL training framework, named QPMIX, which adopts a centralized training with distributed execution paradigm to enable heterogeneous agents to collaborate. Moreover, we theoretically prove the convergence of the proposed heterogeneous MARL method when using the linear value function approximation. Our method maximizes the network throughput and ensures fairness among stations, therefore, enhancing the overall network performance. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed QPMIX algorithm improves throughput, reduces mean delay, delay jitter, and collision rates compared with conventional carrier-sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism in the saturated traffic scenario. Furthermore, the QPMIX algorithm is robust in unsaturated and delay-sensitive traffic scenarios. It coexists well with the conventional CSMA/CA mechanism and promotes cooperation among heterogeneous agents.

Design and Analysis of a Dual-Band Flexible Omnidirectional Wearable Antenna for WBAN Applications