Wireless LAN technologies and Microsoft Windows

IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN technology is an important option for networking in corporate intranets, home networks and Internet access. The purpose of this article is to describe the advantages of wireless LAN supported with 802.11® security and technology standards in Microsoft® Windows® and general wireless LAN guidance in medium and large organizations, networks small office.

Benefits of wireless LAN

802.11 wireless LAN gives you the following benefits:

1. Wireless connections can be substituted for wired network infrastructure in the case of costly wiring that is not convenient to deploy. These benefits include:
   1. In order to connect the network in two high-rise buildings separated by physical, valid and financial obstacles, you can use the link provided by the carriers (spend a fixed installation cost). and a cost-effective price) or you can create a point-to-point wireless link using wireless LAN technology (spend a fixed installation cost without periodic costs). Eliminating the burden of periodic communication can significantly save costs for the organization.
   2. Wireless LAN technology can be used to create a temporary network, which makes sense for certain tasks that take place only for a short time. For example, the network used for conferences or commercial-quality slideshows can apply this type of wireless network, obviously it is more flexible than deploying with cable lines with wired network type. Traditional Ethernet.
   3. Many buildings, such as old buildings, may not be allowed to run, as this may lead to deterioration of the building. Therefore, if applying wireless solutions here will be a necessary option.
2. The wireless aspect of wireless LAN is also very attractive to any family, who can connect the home computer together without punching, pulling cables through walls and ceilings.
3. Increase efficiency for mobile employees. This benefit is as follows:
   1. Mobile users like people using laptops and notebooks can change locations and still remain connected to the network. This allows mobile users to move from one location to another, travel in seminars, corridors, cafes, and classrooms and still have access to network data. If there is no wireless network, the user must carry a cable and be limited because of working close to the cable jacks.
   2. Wireless LAN connection is a perfect technology for environments that require a lot of mobility. For example, retail environments may benefit when users use laptops to enter inventory information directly in the database from the stalls.
   3. Even if there is no wireless infrastructure, wireless laptop computers can still be available from the ad hoc network and share data with other computers.
4. Easy access at public Internet destinations.

Further, many companies' high-rise buildings, Internet access and even access to corporate sites can be done through public wireless hot spot networks. Airports, restaurants, train stations and other public areas throughout the city can be provided with these types of wireless services. When someone goes to the destination during their business trip, perhaps meeting a customer at their company office is limited, access restrictions can be provided by a local wireless network. . This network can recognize this user from another company and create an isolated connection with that company but still have Internet access for new users. Wireless infrastructure providers are enabling wireless connectivity in public areas around the world. Many airports and conference centers provide wireless access to their guests.

Support for IEEE 802.11 standards

Windows Vista ™, Windows XP, Windows Server® 2003 and Windows Server Code Name 'Longhorn' support for 802.11 wireless LAN standards. An installed wireless LAN adapter appears when a network connection is in the Network Connections folder. Many computers are using Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 operating system, you can configure wireless settings on the Wireless Networks tab from the properties of a wireless network connection.

Although Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 'Longhorn' provide built-in support for 802.11 wireless LAN standards, Windows wireless components still depend on:

1. Features of wireless network adapter
   
   The installed wireless network adapter must support the wireless or wireless LAN security standards you require. For example, Windows XP SP2 supports optional configurations for WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) security standards. However, if the adapter does not support WPA, then you will not be able to enable or configure these security options.
2. Features of software that install wireless network adapters.
   
   To allow you to configure wireless network options, the wireless network adapter installer must support reporting all of its features to Windows. Verifying the wireless adapter is written for Windows Vista or XP features and is the most current version by checking Windows Update or the wireless adapter manufacturer's Web site.

If supported by a wireless adapter and reported by a wireless network adapter, Windows supports the following IEEE wireless standards:

1. 802.11
2. 802.11b
3. 802.11a
4. 802.11g

The following table is the standard, their maximum bit rate, the frequency setting range and its application.

Standard Maximum bit rate Application bandwidth 802.11 2 megabits per second (Mbps)
2Mbps S band for industry, science and medicine frequency range (2.4 to 2.5 GHz) Not widely used.
802.11b11 MbpsS band for industry, science and medicineWidely used802.11a54 MbpsC band for industry, science and medicine (5,725 to 5.875 GHz)Not widely used due to expensive and limited to the802.11gband54 MbpsS band for industry, science and medicine Highpopularity with 802.11g devices and later with 802.11b devices

Note
The S band uses the same ton range as microwave ovens, cordless phones, wireless video cameras, and Bluetooth devices. C band uses the same band as newer wireless phones and many other devices.

802.11 operation models

Wireless LAN for all 802.11 standards uses the following operational model:

1. Infrastructure model : a wireless network must have at least one access point (AP), a device that acts as a bridge for a radio-based computer to other computers and to a network run wires like the Internet or private networks.
2. Ad hoc model: This model does not contain wireless access points and computers based on wireless connections that connect and communicate directly with other computers.

Regardless of the operating mode, a service set identifier (SSID), also known as the wireless network name, identifies a specific wireless network by name. The SSID is configured on wireless ANTISPYWARE for initial infrastructure or wireless client mode in ad hoc mode. Wireless access points and wireless clients initially periodically report SSIDs so other wireless buttons can be found and join the wireless network.

Support for IEEE 802.11 security protocols

Although IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN technologies offer many of the benefits described in the previous section, they also present many other security issues that are not present in a conventional wired network. Unlike the closed cable system of an Ethernet network because they are protected in physical transmission, for completely different wireless systems, wireless frames are sent as radio transmissions and spreads. Go far to areas in your office or home. Any computer that is in a wireless coverage area can receive wireless signal frames as well as send its wireless signals backwards (it can be said that they can communicate with each other). If you do not protect your wireless network, some dangerous users may use it to access personal information or perform attacks against computers or may take advantage of your computer to attack. other computers on the Internet.

To protect wireless networks, you must configure authentication and encryption options:

1. Authentication requires that the computer provide their valid account credentials (such as username and password) or proof that they have been configured with the authentication key before allowing the sending of the above data frames. wireless network. Authentication prevents users from being dangerous, not allowing these people to log into your wireless network.
2. Encryption requires encoding the content of all wireless data frames so that only recipients can interpret it. Encryption prevents users from being dangerous, not allowing them to capture wireless signals in the network and assign sensitive data. Encryption can also prevent dangerous users from sending valid data frames and accessing your own resources on the Internet.

IEEE 802.11 wireless LANs support the following security standards:

1. IEEE 802.11
2. IEEE 802.1X
3. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
4. Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2)

IEEE 802.11

The original IEEE 802.11 standard is defined for open systems and shared key authentication methods for authentication and Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) for encryption. WEP can use 40-bit or 104-bit encryption keys. The original IEEE 802.11 security standard is improved with regard to its weaknesses and the cumbersome complexity of private and public deployment. Because of its susceptibility to attack and support the spread of newer security standards such as WPA, its use is significantly reduced.

IEEE 802.1X

IEEE 802.1X is an existing standard for Ethernet switches and adapts to 802.11 wireless LANs to provide stronger authentication than the 802.11 standard. The IEEE 802.1X Verifier is designed for medium and large wireless LANs, which contain an infrastructure that verifies the existence of remote dial-up user service (Remote Authentication) servers. Dial-In User Service: RADIUS) and account databases such as Active Directory® directory service. IEEE 802.1X also prevents a wireless node from logging into a wireless network to a node that has successfully performed authentication. IEEE 802.1X uses the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). Wireless network authentication can be based on other EAP authentication methods such as using names and passwords or issuing digital certificates.

Note
Many wireless network adapters use a link to indicate whether data frames have been sent or received. However, because the IEEE 802.11X authentication occurs before the wireless network adapter starts sending or receiving data frames, this link does not reflect the 802.11X authentication action.

WPA

Although 802.11X was born with the purpose of patching the weaknesses in its earlier version of 802.11, it didn't have a solution to WEP's weaknesses. As the 802.11i standard is being finalized, the Wi-Fi Alliance, an organization of wireless carriers, has created a forwarding standard known as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). Wpa replaces WEP because it has better encryption with the encryption method known as the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP).

WPA also allows the use of the advanced encryption standard (AES) option.

1. WPA-Enterprise uses 802.1X authentication
2. WPA-Personal uses a pre-shared key (PSK) for authentication and is designed for small and family (SOHO).

WPA2

The IEEE 802.11i standard was established to replace WEP and other security features of the 802.11 standard. Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) is a product certificate available through the Wi-Fi Alliance to certify that wireless devices exist in accordance with the 802.11i standard. The purpose of WPA2 certification is to support the mandatory security features of the IEEE 802.11i standard that may not be available in all WPA products. For example, WPA2 requires support for both TKIP and AES encryption.

WPA2 has two different modes:

1. WPA2-Enterprise uses 802.1X authentication designed for small and medium infrastructure mode networks.
2. WPA2-Personal uses a PSK for authentication and is designed for SOHO infrastructure mode networks.

Summary table of IEEE 802.11 security standards

The total table below is all wireless LAN security standards.

Security standard Authentication methods Encryption methods Encoding size (bit) Note IEEE 802.11 WEP key opening and sharing system 40 and 104 With weak authentication and encryption, usage can be reduced . IEEE 802.1X EAP authentication methods N / A N / A The EAP method provides for WPA-Enterprise 802.1X TKIP and AES authentication
(Optional) 128 Good authentication (with EAP method) and TKIP or AES WPA-Personal PSK TKIP and AES very strong encryption
(Optional)128Strong authentication (with PSK) and TKIP or AES strong encryption.WPA2-Enterprise802.1XTKIP and AES128Strongauthentication(with EAP) and TKIP or AES strong encryption.WPA2-PersonalPSKTKIP and AES128Strong authentication (with PSK) and TKIP or AES strong encryption.

If supported by a wireless network adapter and reported by the wireless adapter, Windows will support security features for 802.11 wireless LAN.

1. 802.11 with WEP (Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 'Longhorn')
2. 802.1X (Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 'Longhorn')
3. WPA (Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP [SP1] and wireless network rollup update package for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 SP1 and Windows Server 'Longhorn')
4. WPA2 (Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Wireless Client Update for Windows XP Service Pack 2, and Windows Server 'Longhorn')

Although Windows supports the 802.11X standard, third-party wireless client software occasionally uses Windows' built-in 802.1X components. In this case, failure to authenticate a wireless network may be due to the loss of configuration of the third-party 802.1X software.

Checklist and resources

The following section provides the general principles of wireless networks with different sizes and links to the necessary resources.

Medium and large networks

For a medium and large wireless network that uses 802.11X authentication, you should use infrastructure mode and one of the following security techniques:

1. WPA2-Enterprise with 802.1X authentication
2. WPA-Enterprise with 802.1X authentication

List of WPA products

To create a medium and large wireless network based on WPA-Enterprise, you must ensure the following:

1. Wireless access points support WPA
2. Wireless adapters support WPA
3. Wireless adapter supports reporting WPA features with Windows.
4. Computers running Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP SP1, wireless network rollup update packages for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 SP 1, or Windows Server 'Longhorn'

List of WPA2 products

To create a medium and large WPA2-based wireless network, you must have the following:

1. Wireless access points support WPA2
2. Wireless adapters support WPA2
3. Wireless adapter supports reporting WPA features with Windows.
4. Computers running Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2 and Wireless Client Update for Windows XP Service Pack 2, or Windows Server 'Longhorn'

Small office networks or families

For small or home office networks (SOHO) that do not use 802.1X authentication, you should use the infrastructure model and one of the following security techniques:

1. WPA2-Personal with PSK authentication set.
2. WPA-Personal with PSK authentication.

In one or two cases you have to configure PSK on wireless ANTISPYWARE and each wireless client or device. If you have a computer running Windows XP SP2, you can use the Wireless Network Setup Wizard to simplify the configuration for PSK.

You can use 802.11X authentication in SOHO wireless networks. However, you need to have an authentication infrastructure and many old wireless devices such as printers, which are not supported for 802.11X authentication.

WPA product checklist

To create a WPA-Personal-based SOHO wireless network you must ensure the following:

1. AP access points support WPA
2. Wireless network adapters support WPA
3. Wireless network adapter supports reporting WPA features for Windows.
4. Computers that are using Windows XP SP2, Windows XP SP1, wireless network rollup update packages for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, or Windows Server 'Longhorn'

List of WPA2 products

To create a WPA2-Personal-based SOHO wireless network you must ensure the following:

1. AP access points support WPA2
2. Wireless network adapters support WPA2
3. Wireless network adapter supports reporting WPA2 features for Windows.
4. Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2 and Wireless Client Update for Windows XP Service Pack 2, or Windows Server 'Longhorn'