Security strategies for wireless networks
On Air

© Scott Maxwell, Fotolia
WLANs give you Internet access without a bird's nest of wiring. But if you don't take security seriously, you might find yourself with uninvited guests.
The wireless network has gained a permanent place in many home and small-office networks. Devices such as a WLAN router and a DSL or cable modem are available for little or no money from your Internet provider or local electronics shop. Most contemporary computers come with everything you need for wireless networking, and even if you have to upgrade your desktop system for wireless access, PCI WLAN cards for desktops are quite inexpensive.
But the fun stops when you discover that a neighbor has been using your WLAN to surf the web. Although an occasional clandestine surfer might not hurt your bank account in the age of flat-rate access fees, unauthorized surfing can have unpleasant consequences. If that nice guy next door happens to use your Internet connection to do something illegal, you can expect a visit from the police. Even if you don't find yourself in the center of an Internet crime ring, the very presence of an outside user on your network poses any number of security threats. Thus, it is very important – especially if you are still using legacy equipment – to make the most of the security features available with your wireless devices. In this article, I offer some tips for better security on wireless networks.
The 802.11b WLAN devices still used in many private households today belong to a hardware generation that dates back to the late 1990s. These devices support a maximum data transfer rate of 11MBps, with the bandwidth shared among the clients. This overall capacity means that, under perfect technical conditions, you can expect transfer rates of around 5MBps.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
Plasma 6.3 Now Available
Plasma desktop v6.3 has a couple of pretty nifty tricks up its sleeve.
-
LibreOffice 25.2 Has Arrived
If you've been hoping for a release that offers more UI customizations, you're in for a treat.
-
TuxCare Has a Big AlmaLinux 9 Announcement in Store
TuxCare announced it has successfully completed a Security Technical Implementation Guide for AlmaLinux OS 9.
-
First Release Candidate for Linux Kernel 6.14 Now Available
Linus Torvalds has officially released the first release candidate for kernel 6.14 and it includes over 500,000 lines of modified code, making for a small release.
-
System76 Refreshes Meerkat Mini PC
If you're looking for a small form factor PC powered by Linux, System76 has exactly what you need in the Meerkat mini PC.
-
Gnome 48 Alpha Ready for Testing
The latest Gnome desktop alpha is now available with plenty of new features and improvements.
-
Wine 10 Includes Plenty to Excite Users
With its latest release, Wine has the usual crop of bug fixes and improvements, along with some exciting new features.
-
Linux Kernel 6.13 Offers Improvements for AMD/Apple Users
The latest Linux kernel is now available, and it includes plenty of improvements, especially for those who use AMD or Apple-based systems.
-
Gnome 48 Debuts New Audio Player
To date, the audio player found within the Gnome desktop has been meh at best, but with the upcoming release that all changes.
-
Plasma 6.3 Ready for Public Beta Testing
Plasma 6.3 will ship with KDE Gear 24.12.1 and KDE Frameworks 6.10, along with some new and exciting features.