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Wireless Security

Wireless LANs (WLANs) are rapidly becoming a reality in all types of networked environment. They offer users a flexible, low cost network solution which can be easily set-up. However, wireless networks bring with them increased security threats and concerns.

This technology is becoming more and more popular, especially with the rapid emergence of small portable devices such as Wi-Fi enabled laptops and PDAs (personal digital assistants) etc.

To put it simply, a WLAN transmits your data through the air using radio waves, all a potential hacker has to do is grab it. With a WLAN, the boundary of your network is moved and without security measures in place, installing a WLAN can be the equivalent of putting Ethernet ports everywhere, including your car park. Even a standard 2dBi antenna on a laptop has the potential of receiving a signal up to 200 feet away with a data transfer rate of 54Mbit/s (for the 802.11g standard).

Draft protocols are currently in place for a new Wi-Fi standard - 802.11n (planned on being finalised in September 2007). It will feature Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO). MIMO uses multiple transmitter and receiver antennas to allow for increased data throughput and increased range. The same antenna could have a range of 820 feet and a data transfer rate of 250Mbit/s. And with more powerful antennas available, (as well as many do-it-yourself kits for users to magnify their antenna range) the range at which your network can be detected can easily be increased to many kilometers. Please note that whilst 802.11n products are available on the market the standard has not yet been finalised. It is also uncertain whether products using draft versions of 802.11n will remain compatible with the finalised 802.11n standard.

Advantages of Wi-Fi

• Allows LANs to be deployed without cabling, typically reducing the costs of network deployment and expansion. Spaces where cables cannot be run, such as outdoor areas and historical buildings, can host wireless LANs.
• Wi-Fi silicon pricing continues to come down, making Wi-Fi a very economical networking option and driving inclusion of Wi-Fi in an ever-widening array of devices.
• Wi-Fi enabled products are widely available in the market (such as printers). Different brands of access points and client network interfaces are interoperable at a basic level of service. Products designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED by the Wi-Fi Alliance are interoperable and include WPA2 security.
• Wi-Fi networks support roaming, in which a mobile client station such as a laptop computer can move from one access point to another as the user moves around a building or area.
• Wi-Fi is a global set of standards. Unlike cellular carriers, the same Wi-Fi client works in different countries around the world.
• Widely available in more than 250,000 public hot spots and millions of homes and corporate and university campuses worldwide.
• As of 2006, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and WPA2 encryption are not easily crackable if strong passwords are used
• New protocols for Quality of Service (WMM) and power saving mechanisms (WMM Power Save) make Wi-Fi even more suitable for latency-sensitive applications (such as voice and video) and small form-factor devices.

Wi-Fi channels explained

The 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi signal range is divided into a number of smaller bands or "channels," similar to television channels. However, unlike television channels, some Wi-Fi channel numbers overlap with each other. Channel 1 uses the lowest frequency band and each subsequent channel increases the frequency slightly. If there are other WLAN's nearby or other electrical signals (for example cordless phones or microwave ovens etc), these can cause interference with your signal, so it is possible to change channel up or down to avoid this interference. The maximum number of available channels for Wi-Fi enabled devices are (on the 802.11b/g standard):

 

This means, in the UK, you could theoretically have up to 13 independent WLAN's in the same building, each on a different channel. However with each channel stepping up by 5MHz (0.005GHz) yet having a frequency band of 22MHz (0.022GHz) many channels overlap and there can be interference between channels. So if you have one WLAN on channel 1 the next available, interference-free, channel is 6, followed by 11. Channel 2 will be followed by channels 7 and 12.

Metadigm will help you to integrate a complete solution to meet your needs and provide with a choice of industry leading wireless solutions in order to have a fully functional and secure WLAN.