Wireless Network Security Essay -- Wireless Networks Technology Essays

IntroductionWireless nets have grown in popularity. This is largely due to the plus in the valuate of a ne twork as more users are attached to it. The value added to a network by nature of connecting more devices to it, is summarized in Metcalfs law. Metcalfs law states that if you connect any number, n, of machines - whether computers, phones or plane cars - and you get n squared potential value.1 The incredible growth of the Internet seems to validate Metcalfs law. It then seems reasonable that eliminating physical constraints to connecting to a network would provide value by allowing more devices to be connected to a network regardless of physical location. Wireless networks provide that ability.Wireless networks moderate over the full spectrum of network topographies. These topographies include Personal, Local, Controller, metropolitan, and Wide area networks. A Personal Area net income (PAN) is the interconnection of information technology devices inwardly the put of an individual person, typically deep down a range of 10 meters.?2 A Local Area Network (local area network) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a usual communications line or wireless link and typically share the resources of a single processor or server within a flyspeck geographic area (for example, within an office building).?2 A Campus Area Network (CAN) is a fiber-optic network that physically interconnects entire buildings into one giant network. bandage each building whitethorn have several discrete local area networks within it, each building represents a single node on the CAN. 3 A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is ?a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large LAN merely smaller than the area covered by a wide area network (WAN - explained next).?2 A Wide Area Network (WAN) is ?a geographically dot telecommunications network.?2 Wireless networks come in many conf igurations and use many technologies. Figure 1 depicts an example of the wireless technologies and standards used for each of the networks types defined above. The figure indicates two major categories of wireless technologies fixed and mobile. The figure also indicates 10 technologies in use Bluetooth, irDA, 802.11, IR LAN, IR Bridge, Ricochet, RF Bridge, Cellular, MCS and Satellite. more or less all of these tec... ...e issues addressed in the 802.11i standard, third party software vendors are rapidly creating and commercializeing wireless security services and third-party solutions. As the wireless market matures, it will become increasingly difficult to ?crack? wireless network security.References1 http//www.seas.upenn.edu/gaj1/metgg.html - Metcalf?s Law and Legacy2 http//www.whatis.com - Whatis?com3 http//www.lib.siu.edu/faq/network1.faq.html - LAN FAQ14 http//local.cips.ca/queencity/Events/archivedEvents/2000-01/SpringSeminar01/kentonjanzen/sld003.htm - Canadian Information Processing club5 http//www.tml.hut.fi/Studies/T-110.557/2002/papers/zahed_iqbal.pdf - Wireless LAN Technology Current State and Future Trends6 http//www.athenasemi.com/market/index.html - Wireless Market Overview7 http//www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/columns/cableguy/cg0302.asp - Microsoft TechNet8 http//csrc.ncsl.nist.gov/publications/drafts/draft-sp800-48.pdf - Wireless Network Security9 http//www.whatis.com (war driving) ? Whatis?com10 http//www.netgear.com/pdf_docs/10StepsWirelessSecurity.pdf - Ten user-friendly Steps for Wireless LAN Security Wireless Network Security Essay -- Wireless Networks Technology EssaysIntroductionWireless networks have grown in popularity. This is largely due to the increase in the value of a network as more users are attached to it. The value added to a network by nature of connecting more devices to it, is summarized in Metcalfs law. Metcalfs law states that if you connect any number, n, of machines - whether computers, phones or even cars - and you get n squared potential value.1 The incredible growth of the Internet seems to validate Metcalfs law. It then seems reasonable that eliminating physical constraints to connecting to a network would provide value by allowing more devices to be connected to a network regardless of physical location. Wireless networks provide that ability.Wireless networks operate over the full spectrum of network topographies. These topographies include Personal, Local, Controller, Metropolitan, and Wide area networks. A Personal Area Network (PAN) is the interconnection of information technology devices within the range of an individual person, typically within a range of 10 meters.?2 A Local Area Network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link and typically share the resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (for example, within an office building).?2 A Campus Area Network (CAN) is a fiber-optic network that physically interconnects entire buildings into one giant network. While each building may have several discrete LANs within it, each building represents a single node on the CAN. 3 A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is ?a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large LAN but smaller than the area covered by a wide area network (WAN - explained next).?2 A Wide Area Network (WAN) is ?a geographically dispersed telecommunications network.?2 Wireless networks come in many configurations and use many technologies. Figure 1 depicts an example of the wireless technologies and standards used for each of the networks types defined above. The figure indicates two major categories of wireless technologies fixed and mobile. The figure also indicates 10 technologies in use Bluetooth, irDA, 802.11, IR LAN, IR Bridge, Ricochet, RF Bridge, Cellular, MCS and Sa tellite. Virtually all of these tec... ...e issues addressed in the 802.11i standard, third party software vendors are rapidly creating and marketing wireless security services and third-party solutions. As the wireless market matures, it will become increasingly difficult to ?crack? wireless network security.References1 http//www.seas.upenn.edu/gaj1/metgg.html - Metcalf?s Law and Legacy2 http//www.whatis.com - Whatis?com3 http//www.lib.siu.edu/faq/network1.faq.html - LAN FAQ14 http//local.cips.ca/queencity/Events/archivedEvents/2000-01/SpringSeminar01/kentonjanzen/sld003.htm - Canadian Information Processing Society5 http//www.tml.hut.fi/Studies/T-110.557/2002/papers/zahed_iqbal.pdf - Wireless LAN Technology Current State and Future Trends6 http//www.athenasemi.com/market/index.html - Wireless Market Overview7 http//www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/columns/cableguy/cg0302.asp - Microsoft TechNet8 http//csrc.ncsl.nist.gov/publications/drafts/draft-sp800-4 8.pdf - Wireless Network Security9 http//www.whatis.com (war driving) ? Whatis?com10 http//www.netgear.com/pdf_docs/10StepsWirelessSecurity.pdf - Ten Easy Steps for Wireless LAN Security