...Two ways to secure a WLAN, and the ramification if the WLAN is breached. Sebastian Bach Two ways to secure a WLAN, and the ramification if the WLAN is breached. There is an added vulnerability when securing a WLAN than there is with a LAN. The multitude of packets floating around going from one or more access points to a variety of electronic devices can be a tempting arena for those wanting to gain illicit access. There are several ways to increase the security level of a WLAN. The most basic of these would be a router with an integrated firewall. This is almost exclusively found in residential settings. Keeping to the same architecture, firewalls can be quite complex in their modus operandi. Where basic firewalls work on the first three or four layers of the OSI model, the more complex firewalls operate on all seven levels of the OSI model. Often times accompanying these higher end firewalls, there is what is known as a bastion. A bastion is located on the public side of the firewall and acts as bait for would be attackers. The thought behind a bastion is to get the would-be attackers to go there, thinking they have accessed the protected network. Bastions are completely unguarded to make this process easier. Another method of making a WLAN secure is to encrypt data that is on the network. If this is done, the users will authenticated, which will yet again further strengthen the WLAN. For this it is recommended to utilize either WPA or WPA 2 wireless encryption...
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...WLAN Security First of all I want to talk about WPA. There are two types of WPA authentication: WPA and WPA2. WPA is designed to work with all wireless network adapters, but it might not work with older routers or access points. WPA2 is more secure than WPA, but it will not work with some older network adapters. WPA is designed to be used with an 802.1X authentication server, which distributes different keys to each user. This is referred to as WPA-Enterprise orWPA2-Enterprise. It can also be used in a pre-shared key (PSK) mode, where every user is given the same passphrase. This is referred to as WPA-Personal or WPA2-Personal. The third type of security is WEP. WEP is an older network security method that's still available to support older devices, but it's no longer recommended. When you enable WEP, you set up a network security key. This key encrypts the information that one computer sends to another computer across your network. However, WEP security is relatively easy to crack, and I recommend using WPA2, if possible. WPA or WPA2 are more secure. Stating that above I recommend using WPA2 for everything Sure maybe WPA2 isn’t the “best” option for home use but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Next are the security features other than encryption that can be used on wireless LANs. I suggest changing the default network name. When you set up your network equipment, change the default name to make it more difficult for hackers to find. Do not choose a name that is information...
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...Practical WLAN security Abstract This report covers the basics security standards in today’s wireless networks, how they work, existing flaws and vulnerability’s. We will go trough the basic architecture of 802.11, the security it provides like WEP, WPA and WPA2. Further more we will go trough some practical experiment exploiting the flaws described in the article. The result of our practical experiments show upon how easy it is to break encryptions and deploying Evil twins, even with very little understanding of the security structure. 2.1 802.11 Standards The architecture of the wireless LANs is specified by the 802.11 standard created by IEEE [1]. There are a few versions of the standard with differences in frequency and speed. Briefly these are a few of the current standards 802.11 (1997): 2.4Ghz, 2Mbps 802.11a (1999): 5Ghz, 54Mbps 802.11b (1999): 2.4Ghz, 11Mbps 802.11g (2003): 2.4Ghz, 54Mbps Even when things like speed and frequency differ, most things are the same as the original 802.11 standard. They all are using the same medium access protocol, CSMA/CS and have features for increasing range by the cost of speed. They also support the two connection modes of ad-hoc and infrastructure, but since this reports is about practical WLAN security we'll not go any further in on that and just care about the infrastructure mode. 1. Introduction Where ever you go, either it’s an workplace, coffeeshop, library or even a park there is a high chance today that...
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...Wireless cards. Wireless cards are very different based upon what chipset you have. I personally use Atheros chipset cards which has screwed me up a bit with BackTrack as it has problems with using them for certain attacks. What I will again show is generic commands for setting up and configuring your wireless interfaces. The interface name (ath0 below) is entirely dependant on what chipset you are using, you may have any of the following: ath0 wlan0 wifi0 eth0 You need to find out what you have. To do this you should execute the following bash command: iwconfig -a This will show all wireless extension on your machine. You should see all of your network interfaces, but only the wireless ones will have detailed information next to it. Now you know what your wireless cards name is... Switch on your wireless card: ifconfig ath0 up To connect to an 'open' wireless access point (AP): iwconfig ath0 essid 'nameofnetwork' The 'nameofnetwork' is your Service Set IDentifer (SSID). That is the name of your network. To configure a WEP key: iwconfig ath0 key 3B5D3C7D207E37DCEEEDD301E3 To connect to a specific AP: iwconfig ath0 ap 03:27:A8:BC:0F:F1 Where '03:27:A8:BC:0F:F1' is the MAC address of your AP, also known as the Basic Service Set IDentifier (BSSID). Once you have setup your connection, you can get a DHCP address: dhcpcd ath0 Then check that you have an IP from the wireless network. But what if the network...
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...działania 2.2 Zalety i wady 2.3 Topologie WLAN 1.4 Główne standardy w sieciach bezprzewodowych 2. Zabezpieczenia wykorzystywane w sieciach komputerowych 3.4 Protokoły szyfrowania 3.5 Usługi ochronne 3. Urządzenia 4.6 Hosty 4.7 Serwery 4.8 Oprogramowanie 4.9 Sprzęt sieciowy 4.10 Anteny 4. Projekt sieci bezprzewodowej dla budynku hotelowego 5.11 Projekt logiczny sieci 5.12 Plan budynku (hotelu) 5.13 Stacje robocze, komputery przenośne, drukarki. 5.14 Konfiguracja serwera sieciowego 5.15 Analiza bezpieczeństwa 5.16 Kosztorys 5. Podsumowanie 6. Literatura WSTĘP Sieć komputerową możemy najogólniej zdefiniować jako zbiór urządzeń elektronicznych połączonych ze sobą w sposób umożliwiający im wymianę informacji o różnym przeznaczeniu i formacie oraz pozwalający na dzielenie sie rozmaitymi zasobami. Przykłady urządzeń sieciowych: - komputer, laptop - serwer - drukarka - router, most (bridge), brama (gateway) - przełącznik (switch) i koncentrator (hub) Zasoby współdzielone przez urządzenia sieciowe i ich użytkowników można rozumieć wielopłaszczyznowo, miedzy innymi jako: - sprzęt, np. drukarki i skanery - pojedyncze pliki lub ich zbiory - programy - bazy danych plików i użytkowników - moc obliczeniowa - przestrzeń dyskowa Bezprzewodowa sieć lokalna WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) W ciągu kilku ostatnich lat sieci...
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...organisation today is looking to implement Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) infrastructure to improve its communication capabilities by providing access anywhere for employees, and more importantly, convenient access for customers and other users. WLAN provides users many benefits such as portability, flexibility, reduced hardware need and lower installation cost. Without a doubt, the benefits of WLAN enhance an organisation’s overall productivity. However, WLAN is not without its own security problems. WLAN infrastructures that are not secured would actually affect the security posture of the LAN environment as well. Having an unsecured WLAN can result in a loss of service, or can be used as a staging area to launch attacks against other networks. The significant challenges faced today in securing wireless LANs are maintaining privacy, data confidentiality, and preventing unauthorized access using proper access control mechanisms. This paper will mainly focus on the wireless access points (APs) as devices that act as a central transmitter and receiver or WLAN radio signals. It will begin by introducing the concept of WLAN. The introductory section gives brief information on the WLAN components and its architecture. In order to examine the WLAN security threats and vulnerabilities, this paper will look at Rogue APs, Ad-Hoc Networks, MAC Spoofing, Honeypot APs and Denial of Service. Keywords: Wireless Local Area Network, WLAN, Wireless Security, Wireless Access Points, Wireless Security...
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...Our recommendations of two wireless technologies are WLAN and Wi-fi. With WLAN it would service as a platform, which adds mobility to business solutions. What the WLAN does that would be beneficial to our business is that the WLAN would be integrated within intermountain wired network, it would also support a large range of devices and applications and would also offer centralized network management services. WIFI would also be a great asset due to its mobility. Wi-Fi is ideal due to not having any cables, which is basically wired LAN. The wifi wireless technology would provide an Internet connection giving users access to a small geographical perimeter giving about 100 feet access. This type of service would allow us to communicate wirelessly, mobile devices such As laptops and desktops. A Wireless local area network or a WLAN is the use of high frequency radio waves along with the use of an internet access point device allowing two or more devices to get reception and internet access without being wired to anything. The advantage of this is that the user can keep a connection while moving around the office because it is wireless. It is much easier to incorporate additional devices to the WLAN since there is no wires attached, however, the downfall is that it is not always the most secure or reliable method as. Wifi is a wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to grant access to the internet on multiple devices at a high speed level. The advantages of having...
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...6/17/2012 | | Executive Summary 3 Site Survey 4 WLAN Security 5 Beta Testing 7 Equipment 8 Budget 12 Conclusion 12 Bibliography 14 Appendix A: TECHNICAL TERMS 15 Executive Summary The Athletes Shack (TAS) is a chain of sporting goods stores that is looking into adding a wireless network (WLAN) to their current network. TAS has 10 retail distribution stores in the area and would like all the stores to be able to see live inventory suing mobile devices. The management team at Athletes Shack has realized that their success depends on exceptional customer service and efficiency on the floors of the store. To take the next step the company is looking to go wireless and use that technology to separate themselves from other sporting good chains. To continue to have an edge over Foot Locker, Champs Sports and other Athletes Shack feel this is a necessary step. Once the WLAN is installed in each of the 10 locations this will allow remote log in via the internet and VPN connection. The expectation is to have a major improvement on customer service. Added technological benefits to sales associates while on the floor will include real time sales pricing quotes, inventory product availability and to check the company website. In store operations will see additional business value through addition of wireless tracking for inventory, merchandise receiving, item ordering and price checking. A solid WLAN solution will interconnect all 10 stores, providing an in store...
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...to Plan for Security i). Statement of Policy This policy statement seeks to address the optimum and responsible use of the wireless local area network WLAN facility available at the university in relation to specific network security issues. The issue of concern in this policy is the promotion of responsible use of the WLAN facility among the university’s student and workers. The strategy aims at preventing security problems that may arise from the misuse and malicious exploitation of the facility by people granted approval to access the university’s WLAN information systems. a) Scope and Applicability The scope of this policy statement covers the hardware, software and access protocols associated with the WLAN use by students and workers at the university. The policies adopted will seek to regulate access permissions for the users of the WLAN facility and to promote responsible use in line with policies outlined in this policy document and by industry standards and legal requirements of use. b) Definition of Technology Address The WAN is available for use by the students and workers within the university. The WLAN facility provides access to information systems meant to facilitate the learning and worker needs by providing information access and software platforms. c) Responsibilities The administration and management of the WLAN facility is the responsibility of appointed network administrators at the university’s faculty of Information and Communication Technology. The network...
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...Chapter 12 WLAN Troubleshooting IN ThIs chApTer, you WILL LeArN AbouT The foLLoWINg: ÛÛ Layer 2 retransmissions NÛ RF interference Multipath Adjacent cell interference Low SNR Mismatched power settings Near/far Hidden node NÛ NÛ NÛ NÛ NÛ NÛ ÛÛ 802.11 coverage considerations NÛ Dynamic rate switching Roaming Layer 3 roaming Co-channel interference Channel reuse/multiple channel architecture Single channel architecture Capacity vs. coverage Oversized coverage cells Physical environment NÛ NÛ NÛ NÛ NÛ NÛ NÛ NÛ ÛÛ Voice vs. data ÛÛ Performance ÛÛ Weather Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Diagnostic methods that are used to troubleshoot wired 802.3 networks should also be applied when troubleshooting a wireless local area network (WLAN). A bottoms-up approach to analyzing the OSI reference model layers also applies to wireless networking. A wireless networking administrator should always try to first determine whether problems exist at layer 1 and layer 2. As with most networking technologies, most problems usually exist at the Physical layer. Simple layer 1 problems such as nonpowered access points or client card driver problems are often the root cause of connectivity or performance issues. Because WLANs use radio frequencies to deliver data, troubleshooting a WLAN offers many unique layer 1 challenges not found in a typical wired environment. The bulk of this chapter discusses the numerous potential problems...
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...1. Which of the following is true about the distance limitations in this LAN? c. All Ethernet user devices can be up to 100 meters away. (but no farther), while WLAN devices can typically be farther away than 100 meters. 2. Which of the following answers matches a particular standard to its maximum bit rate? a. 802.11g: 54 Mbps 3. Which of the following answers list a condition that could have affected the speeds that the engineer observed when testing the WLAN? b. The current radio noise d. The distance between the client device and the AP 4. Which of the following statements are true when comparing the wired and wireless LANs on this floor? b. The wireless LAN has a larger capacity d. A single transmission from the AP to a WLAN user device goes faster than the transmission from the Ethernet switch to a wired user device. 5. Which of the following answers describes the most accurate method the engineer can use to determine the coverage area? a. Do a wireless site survey. 6. Which of the following plays the biggest role in testing and certifying products to prove that they work with other products that have already been certified? c. Wi-Fi Alliance 7. Which of the following answers define a wireless LAN physical layer standard that was originally ratified by the IEEE before the year 2000? a. 802.11a b. 802.11.b 8. Which of the following locations is the least likely place to find a wireless LAN? b. As a link between two Ethernet switches on two...
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...Compact Microstrip-Fed Dual-Band Coplanar Antenna for WLAN Applications Rohith K. Raj, Manoj Joseph, C. K. Aanandan, K. Vasudevan, Senior Member, IEEE, and P. Mohanan, Senior Member, IEEE Abstract—A novel compact microstrip fed dual-band coplanar antenna for wireless local area network is presented. The antenna comprises of a rectangular center strip and two lateral strips miprinted on a dielectric substrate and excited using a 50 crostrip transmission line. The antenna generates two separate resonant modes to cover 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz WLAN bands. Lower resonant mode of the antenna has an impedance bandwidth (2:1 VSWR) of 330 MHz (2190–2520 MHz), which easily covers the required bandwidth of the 2.4 GHz WLAN, and the upper resonant mode has a bandwidth of 1.23 GHz (4849–6070 MHz), covering 5.2/5.8 GHz WLAN bands. The proposed antenna occupy an area of 217 mm2 when printed on FR4 substrate . A rigorous experimental study has been conducted to confirm the characteristics of the antenna. Design equations for the proposed antenna are also developed. ( = 4 7) Index Terms—Coplanar waveguide, dual-band antennas, printed antennas, wireless local area networks (WLANs). I. INTRODUCTION IRELESS LOCAL area networks (WLAN) are being widely recognized as a viable, cost effective and high speed data connectivity solution, enabling user mobility. The rapid developments in WLAN technologies demand the integration of IEEE 802.11 WLAN standards of the 2.4 GHz (2400–2484 MHz), 5.2 GHz (5150–5350...
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...will coming out to be the appropriate solution as category 6 with the extendedstar topology, components are specified to be interoperable between different vendor products and most importantly is compatible with backward technologies. Cat 6a establishes a set of specifications to help the evolution of the upcoming generation of applications and considered to be future proof. For the backbone cabling fiber optics is a best solution keeping the data security, efficiency and performance in mind. This combination of cabling will definitely coming out to be successful and meeting the needs of the technology demands for next 10-15 years with the plenty of headroom. Option: WLAN as an option: Another technology which can turn out to be a good option over here would be Wireless Local area network (WLAN). WLANs use electromagnetic airwaves (radio or infrared) to communicate information from one point to...
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...policy addresses fair and responsible use of Acme’s wireless local area network (WLAN) technologies. This includes but is not limited to hardware, software and protocols associated with WLANs. It is intended for authorized users within the Acme enterprise. Authorized users are defined as anyone who has been granted approval to access Acme information and information systems. This includes employees and contingent workers. Authorized users are expected to understand and comply with the contents of this document. Appropriate Use Laptop users are permitted, with prior management approval, to use Acme’s internal WLAN solution. The WLAN should be used only when a wired network solution in unavailable or inappropriate for a particular situation. To ensure appropriate protection of privacy, all wireless transmissions will be secured utilizing strong mutual authentication and encryption. When establishing a connection to a public hotspot or WLAN within your home, a VPN connection must be established and used in conjunction with an Acme approved personal firewall solution. Only Acme approved WLAN technologies are permitted within the enterprise. Use of non-standard hardware, software and protocols is strictly prohibited. Systems Management It is the responsibility of the Network Administrator, for Acme’s WLAN, to ensure all Access Points are configured with proper settings as defined by the WLAN System-Specific Policy. This includes but is not limited to authentication and...
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...Medical Device Networking for Smarter Healthcare: Part 3 Next-Generation WLAN Deployments in Hospitals Lantronix, Inc. 167 Technology Drive Irvine, CA 92618 Tel: +1 (800) 422-7055 Fax: +1 (949) 450-7232 www.lantronix.com Medical Device Networking for Smarter Healthcare: Part 3 of 4 Contents Introduction..................................................................................................................................................... 3 Wireless Roll-outs........................................................................................................................................... 5 Medical Device Connectivity / Mobile Carts .......................................................................................... 5 Handheld Devices .................................................................................................................................... 6 Computer-based Physician Order Entry (CPOE)..................................................................................... 7 Next-Generation Wireless Applications ......................................................................................................... 7 Location-based Services .......................................................................................................................... 7 Voice-over-WLAN .................................................................................................................................. 8 Internet/Intranet...
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