Wireless technology security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wireless technology security - Research Paper Example It facilitates easy movement and the extension of common applications to several areas of a building, town or the world minus costly cable installations. Their implementation and administration is based on radio communication, which occurs at the physical layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) type of network structure (Rappaport, 2002). This paper will discuss various wireless network types and security protocols. Although with several variations, basically, there are three main types of wireless networks namely, Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) (Pahlavan & Levesque, 1995). Since setting up a wireless network must include means that ensure only authorized users can access and use it, the paper will also look at the security risks government and businesses run by using wireless networks with their associated security measures. WPAN These are low range networks used for linking devices that are ge nerally within a person’s reach in relatively small areas. As cable replacement for peripheral devices, WPANs are commonly used in interconnection of printers, personal assistants, headsets and scanners in the absence of hard wired connections (Pahlavan & Krishnamurthy, 2009). The key technologies in WPAN are Bluetooth and infrared. Bluetooth connectivity can have a 10 Mbps throughput in a range of up to 100 meters without using an amplifier. With the integration of WiFi in some electronic consumer devices and the highly efficient power consumption of Bluetooth technology, the popularity of WPAN is growing (Pahlavan & Krishnamurthy, 2009). Infrared technology can establish wireless connections speeds of a few Mbps over several meters. WLAN A WLAN connects devices over short distances such as in a library, coffee shop, and university campus or aboard an airplane or train, and eventually provides connection to the broader internet via an access point (Geier, 2002). Within the W LAN, all components connecting to a wireless medium are known as stations and are equipped with interface controllers. The stations are broadly categorized into two; clients and access points (APs). Wireless clients are made up of mobile devices like IP phones, personal digital assistants and laptops. They also include fixed devices like workstations and desktop computers fitted with interfaces for the wireless network. On the other hand, APs serve as the wireless network’s base stations and are normally routers. In their function, they receive and transmit radio frequencies from and to the wireless enabled devices, enabling them to communicate with each other. Within a WLAN, users who do not need internet access may create a temporary network among themselves without using the access points. Making use of spread spectrum technology, a WLAN lets users stay connected to the network even when they move around, so long as they are still within the local area of coverage (Geier, 2002). For networks or computers placed in two relatively distant points, the fixed wireless technology makes use of point to point links over a dedicated microwave connection in a line of sight path. An example of such fixed wireless technology occurs in the linking of networks located in several buildings across a city. WLANs offer benefits like reduced ownership costs (except the high initial acquisition cost), quick installation, scalability and flexibility. Its growth is aided by popularity and affordability of laptops and other handheld devices. With public APs, passwords or registrations are not often required to link to the network. WWAN Typically, WWANs offer coverage over wide areas like between bordering cities, towns or neighborhoods. They connect an organization’