users, the enabling of the built-in security known as Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is sufficient for their home or small to medium office WLAN. WEP uses 64- and 128-bit encryption and is the cipher scheme designated for use in 802.11b networking. U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps wireless products include enhanced
256-bit WEP encryption that is not commonly.
Available in the 802.11b standard. WEP encrypts the data transmitted over a WLAN, protecting the once vulnerable communication between the client and access point. When combined with traditional security measures (password protection, authentication, encryption, virtual private networks), WEP can be very effective. For business and enterprise users, network and data security is of the utmost concern. To
address this, there are a number of common precautions that a WLAN user can take to limit a network to hacker attacks, vandalism, and corporate espionage.
Change Common Passwords Frequently: Most of the top manufacturers have default passwords for all of their equipment. Users should be diligent in changing any default passwords and to change them on a regular
basis in order to avoid detection.
Limit MAC Addresses: Some access points allow users to specify exactly which Media Access Control (MAC) addresses can communicate with the network. A MAC address is a
hardware address that uniquely identifies each node of a network. Every network adapter in the world has a unique MAC address. By strictly specifying only those MAC addresses that can attach to a network, unauthorized users can be denied access.
Disable DHCP: By default, some accesspoints respond directly to Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) requests or allow the forwarding of DHCP requests from clients. DHCP is a protocol for assigning IP addresses dynamically on a network. However,with DHCP enabled on a WLAN, and without proper security measures enabled, a user can connect automatically to the network. Change Subnet Default: Some access points default to the IP subnet of 192.168.x.x. When disabling DHCP and using static IP addresses,
users should also change their default IP subnet value.
Move Access Point in Front of Firewalls or DMZs: The best solution for keeping prying eyes away from a corporate network is to move the access point off of the corporate LAN and in front of a firewall or on a DMZ (demilitarized zone) port. With the access point in front of a firewall, intruders will not have access to the corporate LAN. All corporate wireless users will require the installation and use of a virtual private network (VPN) client to create a secure tunnel into the corporate LAN. This may require additional
administrative support from IT personnel, but the extra security is well worth the effort.
In addition to offering standard 64- and 128-bit WEP encryption, the U.S. Robotics family of 22 Mbps wireless products also offers the added security of 256-bit encryption for improved security over conventional 11 Mbps wireless products to protect against hackers while maintaining maximum performance. The U.S. Robotics 22 Mbps Wireless Access Point and 22 Mbps Wireless Cable/DSL Router also include the added security of built-in MAC address authentication for even more local network protection.
