Securing Your Wireless LAN

Introduction

It has become standard practice, wireless networks for convenience deploy applications require users to be mobile. Also many "road warriors" Wi-Fi accounts, which allow them access to the Internet and corporate network from remote locations to. In addition, many are providing Wi-Fi at home to avoid the difficulties of wiring at home. But because wireless networks are working with the broadcasting of radio signals between the nodes, they are particularly vulnerable to hackers andAbuse.

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) was used in the past to secure wireless LANs. However, WEP has serious flaws, especially that keys that are used in both static as well known through the stations on the network, and it is a weak implementation of the encryption algorithm. Therefore, it is important that wireless networks are protected by the new generation of security features now available.

Advanced Wireless Security Features

IT staff have a number ofoptions available to their wireless networks more secure than they used WEP:

· The Wi-Fi Alliance, Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), a standards-based security technology, based on the IEEE 802.1X standard. It's free and built into Windows XP and Macintosh OS / X. All devices with Wi-Fi Alliance sticker is guaranteed to support WPA. WPA2, implementation of IEEE 802.11i, has been released, so that should inform users of EPA on a migration as devices with the new planStandard available.

· Isolating the wireless network on a private LAN is an option for those who like the security of virtual private networks (VPNs). IPSec (IP Security) is an even stronger alternative to WPA and WPA2 are available. IPSec supports the secure exchange of packets at the IP layer and has been used widely to implement VPNs. Although a less safe option as IPSec VPN, Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) can be layered over WEP, offerAuthentication and a second layer of encryption as an option for those who need support for older laptop systems. Whatever solution is used over and over, you must be certain road warriors access corporate resources using more connections that are protected with strong encryption, either via a VPN or SSL-enabled Web pages.

· Isolating customers to prevent them talking to each other in a wireless network an option, the WLAN hacker attacks prevented by other users. Thisis particularly useful in public wireless networks and client isolation is a common feature in the more advanced wireless access points and hotspot kits.

· Controlling access to the wireless network but also the access for guests, so often a problem. Many wireless devices support guest access through separation of non-authenticated users in a separate virtual LAN apart from the corporate center. You can also use a basic firewall, web-supported sanctions authentication.

·The access to the wireless network may also be restricted to machines whose MAC addresses correspond to addresses on an approved list. The list can be either static or on a RADIUS server for look-up stored.

· Finally, most of the more challenging set of access points signal strength, varying from a few milliwatts to several hundred milliwatts. By varying the signal strength of the leakage signal from the building to the surrounding buildings and parking areas to avoid, and canPrevent eavesdropping, from pick-up the radio signal while sitting in their cars or in a nearby building.

Conclusion:

The products are now offered to make available commercial implementations of new standards in security on the wireless network. Complications can arise when trying to integrate new devices and standards with legacy systems, but in many cases, suppliers have placed such scenarios. With these new products and standards that they implement theirWireless network can be at least as safe as your wire-based network.

About Jonathan Coupal:

Jonathan Coupal is the Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of ITX Corp. Mr. Coupal manages both the day-to-day and strategic operations of the Technology Integration Practice Group. Mr. Coupal's greatest strengths to the assessment of individual customer requirements issues, the development of innovative, cost-effective solutions and providing a "best practice" implementation methodology. Mr.Coupal's extensive knowledge and experience enables him to fully analyze client systems to the most effective technologies and solutions to recommend both to optimize their business processes and fulfill immediate and future goals. Mr. Coupal and his team build a high level of trust with clients, establishing ITX as their IT partner of choice.
Mr. Coupal holds CompTIA and Microsoft certifications, including MCSE, MCSA, Security +, Linux + and I-Net +, and served as the themeMatter Expert (SME) for the development of the CompTIA Linux +.

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