Wireless Networking and Security
A Practical Guide to Secure WiFi
Myron Johnson, MCSE:
Security: 2003
RTA Information Technology, Tempe, Arizona
Wireless networks (WiFi) are a great for connecting a laptop to the Internet or to the rest of your office or home. With WiFi connections now at 100Mbps
and higher, wireless is as fast as many wired networks.
It's especially good for Internet connections, where the speed of WiFi
far exceeds the speed of the fastest Internet connections.
But what about security? Well, be
careful.
By default, most WiFi routers have ZERO security. This means
that ANYBODY can join your wireless network. ANYBODY can read transmissions to
and from the Internet and your PC. Type in your password on an
unencrypted Internet site and anybody within listening distance can,
potentially, know your password.
How far is "listening distance"? Well,
the current record for WiFi transmissions is about 150 miles.
Realistically, somebody with a suitable antenna and the right software
can read your transmissions from a block away. Hackers recently broke
into a major discount store's wireless network from the store's parking
lot.
How to avoid this misfortune?
It's easy!
Implement WiFi encryption. That rejects
unauthorized users and keeps strangers from reading
everything you type and browse on the Internet. It also keeps others
from using your Internet connection, possibly for illegal purposes.
There are two common encryption
protocols:
WEP
WPA
Plus:
802.1x Authentication helps limit which computers can log onto your
network.
WEP is the oldest (and still most
common) protocol. It has been broken by determined hackers and is best used only if
there's no better alternative. But if you have a choice between NO
encryption and WEP, definitely go with WEP.
WPA is newer and available on all
recent WiFi routers and WiFi network cards. WPA is considered quite
safe. Its weakest spot is the complexity of the password used to create
the encryption key. A long encryption key will ensure the security of
your WPA connection.
802.1x is extremely secure method
for authentication, but
requires a Windows Server and some specialized training to implement.
RTA Information Technology can easily install 802.1x encryption at your
business.
Turning on Wireless encryption requires similar steps when using WEP
or WPA:
1) Enable encryption on your WiFi router.
2) Select the type of encryption desired (WEP or WPA).
3) Enter a Public Shared Key (PSK). Be sure to use a long and complex
Key.
4) Enable encryption on your PC's WiFi card.
5) Select the same type of encryption.
6) Enter the same Public Shared Key as on your Router.
That's it!
There are additional steps that some take to increase WiFi security,
including:
a) MAC address filtering
b) Turning of SSID (network name) broadcast
c) Changing the SSID name to something different than the default name
(i.e. "Default").
RTA recommends performing Step c) Changing the SSID. We believe the
other two Steps increase usability without substantially improving
security. But don't change it to the name of your business or household.
Don't tell a potential hacker who's he's talking to.
We can quickly set up a suitable WiFi network for your home or
office. We can also help with range problems and making WiFi work across
a large office or home and across multiple floors. Call us for a quick
evaluation of your needs. 480-345-8399
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