The 802.11n standard promises to extend today’s most popular WLAN standard by significantly increasing reach, reliability, and throughput. The final standard, predicted to be ratified in this year, is expected to trigger broad-scale deployment of bigger, better, faster networks.
The 802.11n specification defines several mechanisms by which HT (High Throughput) STAs may coexist with non-HT (802.11a/b/g) STAs. This concept (and many of the procedures for doing so) is not new, or unique to 802.11n. In fact, many of the issues of coexistence and backwards compatibility are present in 802.11g whereby protection mechanisms are employed allowing ERP (802.11g) STAs to coexist with HR/DSSS (802.11b) STAs. To be sure, the designers of 802.11n certainly understood that in order for the technology to be successfully adopted, it must contend and coexist with legacy WLAN deployments – especially in the enterprise, where significant investment has already been made in (legacy 802.11 a/b/g) WLAN infrastructure. There should be mechanisms for the legacy and 802.11n stations to understand each other and protect themselves from interference created by each other.
The steady growth of Wi-Fi in the enterprise demands that corporate IT teams learn and adopt new security methodologies tailored to the unique requirements and weaknesses of wireless networks. This paper identifies the real-world best practices needed to deploy and maintain a secure wireless network.
This technical note from Farpoint Group provides an in-depth, technical explanation of the various ways interference impacts general wireless LAN traffic. The note includes real-world test results, for the effect of interference in a typical open-architecture office on common applications like web access, email, access to shared data and other network resources.
This technical note from Farpoint Group provides an in-depth, technical explanation of the various ways interference impacts video traffic. Based on real-world benchmarking tests, the note reports a major impact on the quality of video over the WLAN due to interference in the environment.
This technical note from Farpoint Group explores the various ways interference can impact metro-scale Wi-Fi Mesh networks. The note recognizes two potential problems: interference from nearby unrelated (to the mesh) Wi-Fi nodes and networks to selected nodes within the mesh, and, interference from the mesh to nearby residential and enterprise networks.
Craig Mathias of Farpoint Group provides an in-depth, technical explanation of the various ways interference can impact a wireless LAN, and discusses remediation strategies.
Craig Mathias of Farpoint Group discusses the tools and techniques that successfully manage interference for wireless LANs systems—such as AirMagnet's Survey, Spectrum Analyzer and Laptop Analyzer. Mathias concludes that establishing these methods will enable enterprises to deploy and operate a secure, well-performing network.
AirMagnet discusses the need for performing wireless site surveys and demonstrates how the AirMagnet Planner and Survey products enable you to streamline these processes for a better performing, more secure wireless LAN.
Whether a part of a complete security, performance and compliance solution or not, endpoint (desktop, notebook and laptop computers) security is a mandatory requirement. Planned or unplanned, Wi-Fi technology is moving into your organization. Increasingly present and increasingly inexpensive, this hidden infrastructure is often personally purchased, virally deployed and corporately expensed. Rapid Wi-Fi technology growth is forcing organizations to deal with it, in many cases before the organization is ready to take it on. This white paper discusses the challenges of endpoint security and how best to integrate it into a complete wireless network assurance solution.
Richard Webb of Infonetics utilizes extensive research in his discussion of how Voice over WLAN has evolved, the barriers to entry, and how AirMagnet's VoFi Analyzer solves real-world issues and now enables VoFi possible and probable.
This white paper demonstrates how AirMagnet's intrusion prevention technology secures the wireless LAN and addresses critical GLBA provisions.
The physical structure of hospitals and the breadth of wireless technologies utilized throughout these facilities makes it difficult to effectively operate a wireless network and diagnose problems. This paper discuss the security and performance issues commonly found in today's modern healthcare environment and how to effectively manage them.
Many options are available to safeguard wireless LANs, but which security measures should your company deploy? Furthermore, how can you tell whether your network is sufficiently protected against 802.11 and 802.1X attacks? Lisa Phifer of Core Competence explains how to conduct your own WLAN vulnerability assessment and apply results to manage your business risks.
Wireless network administrators in government face a critical challenge in assuring that wireless LANs under their management are secure from both internal and external intrusion. This white paper discusses how to overcome the government-specific challenges through a combination of policy, monitoring and technology.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) seems to focus specifically on financial reporting and corporate governance in publicly held companies, but in reality, SOX has everything to do with technology, because today's corporate data and communications functions are based almost entirely on computer-based systems. Wireless networks are of particular concern to SOX compliance because they are easily breached unless adequate defenses are in place. This white paper addresses the components of SOX that are most relevant to a wireless LAN, how the wireless LAN is vulnerable, and a comprehensive approach to wireless LAN security using AirMagnet's wireless network assurance solutions.
This white paper demonstrates how the Federal Regulations such as the Department of Defense 8100.2 Directive, HIPAA, Sarbanes Oxley & GLBA impact security of wireless networks.
This white paper explains the basics of the 802.11g standard and the deployment caveats with specific information on the importance of obtaining detailed 802.11g traffic information on the WLAN. It also explains the co-existence of 802.11b and g devices in the same WLAN environment and how 802.11g WLANs are managed with the AirMagnet analyzers.