Caution! Wireless Networking: Preventing a Data Disaster

In This Chapter

• Understanding your WLAN vulnerabilities

• Checking dangerous default settings on your network

• Setting up a personal firewall

• More things you can do to protect yourself

You’ve no doubt reviewed all of the threats that your

Wi-Fi network may face, now I will discuss the steps you can take to secure it. It is possible to lock down a Wi-Fi network, at least to the point that it would be very difficult for anyone but a technically proficient cracker to gain access. It’s also possible to make it harder for crackers and wardrivers to locate your network in the first place. This chapter lays out all of the steps you can take to protect your network.

Security is a balancing act between risk and the amount of effort (and inconvenience) you’re willing to expend to protect yourself. If your stance regarding security is too radical, you may alienate network users or customers who may try to circumvent your security measures just to get their jobs done with less hassle. After a while, you may even find yourself taking shortcuts if you’ve set the bar too high or created a tedious security program.

Take the time to weigh the risks against the impact that security will have on network users and your ability to get your work done. The steps presented in this chapter should provide an adequate level of security for most small home or office networks without adversely effecting users and ultimately undermining your security program.