CTU- San Francisco Campus

CompTech 213 – Computer Network and Security

Topic 6: Wireless Technology and Security

WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES AND SECURITY

Wireless Technologies and Devices

In addition to the wired network, various technologies exist that allow the transmission of
information between hosts without cables. These are known as wireless technologies. An
electromagnetic wave is the same medium that carries radio signals through the air.

Types of Wireless Communication Technologies

Wireless Telephone
The world's first wireless telephone conversation occurred in 1880, when Alexander Graham
Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter invented and patented the photophone, a telephone that
conducted audio conversations wirelessly over modulated light beams (which are narrow
projections of electromagnetic waves).

Radio Frequency (RF)

RF waves can penetrate through walls and other obstacles, allowing a much greater range than
IR. Certain areas of the RF bands have been set aside for use by unlicensed devices such as
wireless LANs, cordless phones and computer peripherals. This includes the 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz
and the 5 GHz frequency ranges. These ranges are known as the Industrial Scientific and
Medical (ISM) bands and can be used with very few restrictions.

Bluetooth Technology
Bluetooth technology allows you to connect a variety of different electronic devices wirelessly
to a system for the transfer and sharing of data and this is the main function of Bluetooth. This
one-to-many communications has made Bluetooth technology the preferred method over IR
for connecting computer peripherals such as wireless mice, keyboards, headphones and
printers.

Microwave
Microwave is an effective type of wireless data transmission that transfers information using
two separate methods. One is the satellite method that transmits information via a satellite
that orbits 22,300 miles above the Earth with transmit data frequency ranging from 11 GHz to
14 GHz and with a transmission speed of 1 Mbps to 10 Mbps. Another method is a terrestrial
method, in which two microwave towers with a clear line of sight.

Infrared (IR)
Infrared is a media transmission system that transmits data signals through light emitting
diodes (LEDs) or Lasers. Infrared (IR) is relatively low energy and cannot penetrate through walls
or other obstacles. However, it is commonly used to connect and move data between devices
such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and PCs.

Satellite
Satellite communication is one of the wireless technologies, which is widely spread all over the
world allowing users to stay connected virtually anywhere on the Earth. The Satellites used in
this mode of communication, communicate directly with the orbiting satellites via radio signals

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)

WiMAX can potentially deliver data rates of more than 30 Megabits per second, yet the providers
offer average 0 data rates of 6 Mbps and often deliver less, making the service significantly
slower than the hard-wired broadband. WiMAX is also one of the versions of 4G wireless
available in phones as Sprint’s 4G technology.

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)

Wi-Fi is a form of low-power wireless communication used by many electronic devices such as
laptops, systems, smart phones, etc. Wi-Fi is common in-home networking applications which
provides portability without any need of cables. Wi-Fi networks need to be secured with
passwords for security purposes in order not to be accessed by others.

1
 Wireless LAN Components
There are various components that must be considered in a WLAN including: a wireless client or STA, an Access Point, a
Wireless Bridge, Antenna and other wireless devices.

Wireless Client
Any host device that can participate in a wireless network either mobile or stationary. Most devices
that can be connected to a traditional wired network can be connected to a WLAN if equipped with
the proper wireless NIC and software.

Wireless Bridge
Used to connect two wired networks through a wireless link, which allows long range point-to-point
connections between networks.

Wireless Adapters
Wireless adapters are hardware devices that are installed inside computers which enables wireless
connectivity. If a computer does not have a wireless adapter, it will not be able to connect to a router
in order to access the Internet. Some computers have wireless adapters built directly into the
motherboard, while it is also possible to install stand-alone wireless adapters to add wireless
capability to a computer that doesn’t have a built-in facility.

Wireless Router
A wireless LAN router adds a built-in access point function to a multiport Ethernet router. This combines
multiple Ethernet networks with wireless connections. A typical wireless LAN router includes four
Ethernet ports, 802.11 access point, also provides table of IP Address for DHCP configuration.

Access Point
Controls access between a wired and a wireless network. Allows wireless clients to gain access to a
wired network and vice versa. Acts as a media converter accepting the Ethernet frames from the wired
network and converting them to 802.11 compliant frames before transmitting them on the WLAN.

Wireless Repeaters
Access points, which require interconnecting cabling, generally play a dominant role for providing
coverage in most wireless LAN deployments. Wireless repeaters, however, are a way to extend the
range of an existing wireless LAN instead of adding more access points. There are few standalone
wireless LAN repeaters on the market, but some access points have a built-in repeater mode.

Antennas
It increases the output signal strength from a wireless device of AP and Bridges. It also receives wireless
signals from other devices such as STAs. Increase in signal strength from an antenna is known as the
gain, higher gains usually translate into increased transmission distances. Directional antennas
concentrate the signal strength into one direction. Omni-directional antennas are designed to emit
equally in all directions.

Radio
The radio system is one type of wireless data transmission, and it is a wireless media that transfers data
by carrying electromagnetic waves with low frequencies to distant locations through an electrical
conductor and an antenna. The transmission frequency for information transmitted through a radio
system ranges from 10 kilohertz (kHz) to 1 gigahertz (GHz), and the frequencies are regulated by the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Wireless Phones (Cellphones & Smartphones)

Cellular and cordless phones are two more examples of devices that make use of wireless signals.
Cordless phones have a limited range but cell phones typically have a much larger range than the local
wireless networks since cell phone use large telecommunication towers to provide cell phone coverage.
Some phones make use of signals from satellites to communicate, similar to Global Positioning System
(GSP) devices.

Wireless Technology Capabilities

Wireless technology is fairly easy and inexpensive to install. The cost of home and business wireless devices continues to
decrease. Yet, despite the decrease in cost, the data rate and capabilities of these devices have increased, allowing faster,
more reliable wireless connections.

2
Benefits/Advantages of Wireless Connections
• Mobility – allows for easy connection on both stationary and mobile clients.
• Scalability – can be easily expanded to allow more users to connect and to increase coverage area.
• Flexibility – provides anytime, anywhere connectivity, especially internet.
• Cost Savings – cost less for installation and maintenance
• Reduce Installation Time –reduce its time off installation from cabling and provide connectivity for many clients.
• Reliability in Harsh Environment – easy to install in time of emergency in hostile places.
• Internet Accessibility - can be accessed from anywhere and at any time without the need to carry cables or wires.
• Medical Application - helpful for Doctors, workers and other professionals working in remote areas as they can be in
touch with the medical centers through wireless communication.
Despite the flexibility and benefits of wireless, there are some limitations and risks.

Disadvantages/Limitations of Wireless Connections

• Less Network and Data Security - A Hacker can easily capture the wireless signals that spread through the air and
exploited by unauthorized users, and this also increases the risk of losing data or information.
• Interference – It is susceptible to interference from other devices that produce electromagnetic energies.
• Technology – less connection speed than wired connection.

Types of Wireless Networks and Their Boundaries

A network is a group of devices connected to one another. In the case of wireless networks, radio communication is usually
the medium of choice. However, even within the radio-powered subset, there are dozens of different technologies designed
for use at different scales, topologies, and for dramatically different use cases.

One way to illustrate this difference is to partition the use cases based on their "geographic range”.

Type Range Applications Standards

Personal area network (PAN) Within reach of a person Cable replacement for peripherals Bluetooth, ZigBee, NFC
Within a building or Wireless extension of wired
Local area network (LAN) IEEE 802.11 (WiFi)
campus network
Metropolitan area network Wireless inter-network
Within a city IEEE 802.15 (WiMAX)
(MAN) connectivity
Cellular (UMTS, LTE,
Wide area network (WAN) Worldwide Wireless network access
etc.)

Wireless LAN Standards

A number of standards have been developed to ensure that wireless devices can communicate. They specify the RF spectrum
used, data rates, how the information is transmitted, and more. The main organization responsible for the creation of wireless
technical standards is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The IEEE 802.11 standard governs the WLAN
environment. There are five amendments to the IEEE 802.11 standard: 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n and 802.11ac.
Collectively these technologies are referred to as Wi-Fi, Wireless Fidelity. Another organization, known as the Wi-Fi Alliance,
is responsible for testing wireless LAN devices from different manufacturers. The Wi-Fi logo on a device means that this
equipment meets standards and should interoperate with other devices of the same standard.
Wireless Ethernet Standards
Ethernet (wired) networks begin with 802.3, Bluetooth has an 802.15 prefix, and WiFi is tagged with 802.11. All the different
WiFi varieties will begin with this 802.11 number, followed by a letter or two which, from a consumer point of view, is useful
for identifying other properties, such as the maximum speed and range of the particular device. You may have seen a listing
like Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac on the spec sheet for many smartphones, which covers all of the oldest and most common
modern standards.
Wi-Fi Standards
Features 802.11 (legacy) 802.11a 802.11b 802.11g 802.11n 802.11ac
Max Speed 1.2 Mbit/s 54 Mbit/s 11 Mbit/s 54 Mbit/s 150 - 540 Mbit/s 800 - 1300 Mbit/s
Frequency 2.4 GHz 5.8 GHz 2.4 GHz 2.4 GHz 2.4 & 5 GHz 5 GHz
Year 1997 1999 1999 2003 2009 2013

3
 NETWORK GENERATIONS
Zero Generation - 0G
Mobile radio telephone, the systems that preceded modern cellular mobile
telephony technology. OG (Zero Generation) is also known as Mobile Radio
Telephone system. As this generation was invented prior to cellular system it was
mentioned as pre cellular system. Generally Mobile Radio Telephone system
provides half duplex communications i.e. only one person will speak and other should
hear.

First Generation - 1G
1G (or 1-G) refers to the first generation of wireless telephone technology (mobile
telecommunications). These are the analog telecommunications standards that were
introduced in the 1980s and continued until being replaced by 2G digital
telecommunications. The main difference between the two mobile telephone
systems (1G and 2G), is that the radio signals used by 1G networks are analog, while
2G networks are digital.

Second Generation - 2G
2G (or 2-G) is short for second-generation wireless telephone technology. Second generation 2G cellular telecom networks
were commercially launched on the GSM standard in Finland by Radiolinja (now part of Elisa Oyj) in 1991. 2G is digitally
encrypted, with far greater mobile phone penetration levels, and 2G introduced data services for mobile, starting with SMS
text messages. 2G technologies enabled the various mobile phone networks to provide the services such as text messages,
picture messages and MMS (multimedia messages).

Third Generation - 3G
3G, short form of third generation, is the third generation of mobile telecommunications technology. 3G has application in
wireless voice telephony, mobile Internet access, fixed wireless Internet access, video calls and mobile TV.

Third and Half Generation - 3.5G

3.5G is a grouping of disparate mobile telephony and data technologies designed to provide better performance than 3G
systems, as an interim step towards deployment of full 4G capability. The technology includes: High-Speed Downlink Packet
Access, Evolved HSPA and 3GPP Long Term Evolution.

Fourth Generation - 4G
4G provides, in addition to the usual voice and other services of 3G, mobile broadband Internet access, for example to laptops
with wireless modems, to smartphones, and to other mobile devices. Potential and current applications include amended
mobile web access, IP telephony, gaming services, high-definition mobile TV, video conferencing, 3D television, and cloud
computing.

Fifth Generation - 5G
5G denotes the next major phase of mobile telecommunications standards beyond the current 4G/IMT-Advanced standards.
It will make Unified global standard. The Physical and Data Link layer defines the 5G wireless technology indicating it as an
Open Wireless Architecture (OWA).The 5G technology also maintain virtual multi-wireless network. 5G brings forward a real
wireless world-Wireless World Wide Web (WWWW)

Sixth Generation (6G)

6G is proposed to integrate 5G with satellite networks for global coverage. It is considered to be a cheap and Fast Internet
Technology to provide unbelievably high data rates or very fast Internet speed access on air through wireless and mobile
devices possibly up to 11 Gbps, while travelling or in a remote location.

Seventh Generation (7G)

The 7G of mobile wireless networks which aims to acquire space roaming. The world is trying to become completely wireless,
demanding uninterrupted access to information anytime and anywhere with better quality, high speed, increased bandwidth
and reduction in cost.

WLAN Configuration and Security

WLAN and the SSID
When building a wireless network, it is important that the wireless components connect to the appropriate WLAN. This is
done using a Service Set Identifier (SSID).

The SSID is a case-sensitive, alpha-numeric string that is up to 32-characters. It is sent in the header of all frames transmitted
over the WLAN. The SSID is used to tell wireless devices which WLAN they belong to and with which other devices they can
communicate. Regardless of the type of WLAN installation, all wireless devices in a WLAN must be configured with the same
SSID in order to communicate.
4
 Security Consideration on a Wireless LAN
Why People Attack WLANs
One of the primary benefits of wireless networking is ease and convenience of connecting devices. Unfortunately, that ease
of connectivity and the fact that the information is transmitted through the air also makes your network vulnerable to
interception and attacks.

With wireless connectivity, the attacker does not need a physical connection to your computer or any of your devices to
access your network. It is possible for an attacker to tune into signals from your wireless network, much like tuning into a
radio station. The attacker can access your network from any location your wireless signal reaches. Once they have access to
your network, they can use your Internet services for free, as well as access computers on the network to damage files, or
steal personal and private information. These vulnerabilities in wireless networking require special security features and
implementation methods to help protect your WLAN from attacks.

One easy way to gain entry to a wireless network is through the network name, or SSID. All computers connecting to the
wireless network must know the SSID. By default, wireless routers and access points broadcast SSIDs to all computers within
the wireless range. With SSID broadcast activated, any wireless client can detect the network and connect to it, if no other
security features are in place. The SSID broadcast feature can be turned off. When it is turned off, the fact that the network
is there is no longer made public.

Wireless Security
MAC Address Filtering
MAC address filtering uses the MAC address to identify which devices are allowed to connect to the
wireless network. When a wireless client attempts to connect, or associate, with an AP it will send
MAC address information. If MAC filtering is enabled, the wireless router or AP will look up its MAC
address a preconfigured list. Only devices whose MAC addresses have been prerecorded in the
router's database will be allowed to connect. If the MAC address is not located in the database, the
device will not be allowed to connect to or communicate across the wireless network.

Authentication on a WLAN
Another way to control who can connect is to implement authentication. Authentication is the process of permitting entry to
a network based on a set of credentials. It is used to verify that the device attempting to connect to the network is trusted.
The use of a username and password is a most common form of authentication. In a wireless environment, authentication
still ensures that the connected host is verified, but handles the verification process in a slightly different manner.
Authentication, if enabled, must occur before the client is allowed to connect to the WLAN. There are three types of wireless
authentication methods: open authentication, PSK and EAP.

Open Authentication
By default, wireless devices do not require authentication. Any and all clients are able to associate regardless of who they
are. This is referred to as open authentication. Open authentication should only be used on public wireless networks such as
those found in many schools and restaurants. It can also be used on networks where authentication will be done by other
means once connected to the network.

Pre-shared keys (PSK)

With PSK both the AP and client must be configured with the same key or secret word. The AP sends a random string of bytes
to the client. The client accepts the string, encrypts it (or scrambles it) based on the key, and sends it back to the AP. The AP
gets the encrypted string and uses its key to decrypt (or unscramble) it.

Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)

EAP provides mutual, or two-way, authentication as well as user authentication. When EAP software is installed on the client,
the client communicates with a backend authentication server such as Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service (RADIUS).
This backend server functions separately from the AP and maintains a database of valid users that can access the network.
Encryption on a WLAN
Authentication and MAC filtering may stop an attacker from connecting to a wireless
network but it will not prevent them from being able to intercept transmitted data.
Since there are no distinct boundaries on a wireless network, and all traffic is
transmitted through the air, it is easy for an attacker to intercept, or sniff the wireless
frames. Encryption is the process of transforming data so that even if it is intercepted
it is unusable.

5
Wired Equivalency Protocol (WEP)
Wired Equivalency Protocol (WEP) is an advanced security feature that encrypts network traffic as it travels through the air.
WEP uses pre-configured keys to encrypt and decrypt data. A WEP key is entered as a string of numbers and letters and is
generally 64 bits or 128 bits long.

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)

WPA also uses encryption keys from 64 bits up to 256 bits. However, WPA, unlike WEP, generates new, dynamic keys each
time a client establishes a connection with the AP. For this reason, WPA is considered more secure than WEP because it is
significantly more difficult to crack.

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA2)

In 2004, WPA2 is its use of a security protocol based on Advanced Encryption Standard (), the U.S. Government’s preferred
choice of encryption. As it stands now, the only people who should still be using TKIP on a wireless network are those who
are dealing with hardware that is rated for 802.11g only.

WiFi Protected Setup (WPS)

In 2007, a new security method – WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) – began to show up on wireless access points. With this type
of security, a user is able to add new devices to their network by simply pushing a button (within administration software or
physically on the router) and then typing in an 8-digit PIN number on the client device.

Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP)

It is an encryption protocol included as part of the IEEE 802.11i standard for wireless LANs (WLANs). It was designed to provide
more secure encryption than the notoriously weak Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), the original WLAN security protocol.

(Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)

It is a symmetric encryption algorithm. The algorithm was developed by two Belgian cryptographer Joan Daemen and Vincent
Rijmen. AES was designed to be efficient in both hardware and software, and supports a block length of 128 bits and key
lengths of 128, 192, and 256 bits.

Traffic Filtering on a WLAN

In addition to controlling who can gain access to the WLAN and who can make use of transmitted data, it is also worthwhile
to control the types of traffic transmitted across a WLAN. This is accomplished using traffic filtering. Traffic filtering blocks
undesirable traffic from entering or leaving the wireless network. Filtering is done by the AP as traffic passes through it. It can
be used to remove traffic from, or destined to, a specific MAC or IP address.

Wireless Standard
It is necessary to consider several factors when determining which WLAN standard to use.
The most common factors include: bandwidth requirements, coverage areas, existing
network implementations, and cost. This information is gathered by determining end-
user requirements.

Bandwidth, even if the applications do not require a high-speed connection, one of the
higher-speed technologies may be necessary if multiple users are connecting at the same
time. Different standards support different coverage areas. The 2.4 GHz signal, used in
802.11 b/g/n technologies, travels a greater distance than does the 5 GHz signal, used in
802.11a technologies. Thus 802.11 b/g/n supports a larger BSS. This translates into less equipment and a lower cost of
implementation.
The existing network implementation also affects new implementation of WLAN standards. For example, the 802.11n
standard is backward compatible with 802.11g and 802.11b but not with 802.11a. If the existing network infrastructure and
equipment support 802.11a, new implementations must also support the same standard.
Cost is also a factor. When considering cost, consider Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) which includes the purchase of the
equipment as well as installation and support costs. In a medium to large business environment, TCO has a greater impact on
the WLAN standard chosen than in the home or small business environment. This is because in the medium to large business,
more equipment is necessary and installation plans are required, increasing cost.
References

Adapted and Compiled from:

CCNA IT Essential, “PC Hardware and Software” version 4.0, Cisco Networking Academy
CCNA Discovery 1, “Networking for Home and Small Businesses”, Cisco Networking Academy
CCNA Discovery 2, “Working at a Small-to-Medium Business of ISP”, Cisco Networking Academy
CCNA Exploration 1, “Network Fundamentals”, Cisco Networking Academy
Cisco Networking Academy Program, CCNA 1 and 2 Companion Guide, Cisco Press

https://www.efxkits.us/different-types-of-wireless-communication-technologies/
https://support.metageek.com/hc/en-us/articles/200971094-Wi-Fi-Security-Types
http://etutorials.org/Networking/wn/Chapter+5.+Wireless+LANs+Networks+for+Buildings+and+Campuses/Wireless+LAN+Components/
https://www.edgefx.in/different-types-wireless-communication-technologies/