IQ CORPORATION

BISPO DOS SANTOS NETO, Joel - bisjy006

Network Architecture- Assignment 2

Introduction of Wireless

Introduction
Currently the growth of Internet offerings have been impressive, making computer
networks critical resources in any information system. The diversity and ease of
acquisition of connectable devices on the network, due to its low cost significantly
influences the way business is conducted today. In larger centers the open-access
wireless networks are common in public places libraries, parks, coffee shops,
bookstores, hotels. In companies, small and medium, this technology is increasingly
present. The company offers information of interest to the staff and costumers (e.g.
calendar, notes query, financial situation, message exchange between staff,
materials).

Understanding the Wireless Network

Local wireless networks are based on the 802.11 standard, specified by the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE1) and composed of a set of stations that communicating over radio waves.
The network elements used at each station are certain consonants the design requirements. "Give the
name of 'wireless lan' local networks that connect its stations (computers) without using copper cabling.
The connection between the stations of a network location is done through radio frequency or infrared
waves "(SOUZA, 2005, p.413, emphasis added).
According to Gast (2002) wireless networks are composed of four main components:

a) Distribution System or DS (Distribution System) is the logical part employed for

communication between the access points in order to form a large area coverage. Commonly, the
Ethernet network is used as the backbone for the DS.

b) Access Point or AP (Access Point): have as their main function act as bridges (bridges) to the
wired medium, but must also maintain a logical link between customers.
c) Wireless Medium or Medium Wireless: The wireless medium is used to transfer data pieces
between the stations. Initially, we standardized the physical layer infrared and radio frequency,
however, the latter has become more popular.
d)

Station

wire,

or

Station:

such

as

are

computing

devices

laptops

with

(notebooks),

network

interfaces

handheld

without
computers

(handhelds) or workstations.

Security in Wireless Networks

Wireless networks technology has conquered most companies or corporations.
However, there are still restrictions on its use to convey information sensitive or
critical, mainly because of the transmission medium be in the public domain and
typically extend beyond the geographical area of the organization (Ribas, 2002).
Because of these features, wireless networks have vulnerabilities that instigate
attempted attacks. Therefore, it is necessary to know the details of the various
types of attacks practiced to prepare defenses (Fleck; Potter, 2002). The tools
available for monitoring and even wireless networks control are not designed with
harmful intent. For the most part, they were developed to demonstrate that
potential weaknesses were actually security breaches. The Network administrators
need these types of tools to understand how better protect the data flowing through
their networks.

According Linhares, Gonalves (2006), as a rule, the design of mechanisms Security

is based on three basic requirements:
a) Authentication: identification of people and devices. Should guarantee access
to network and services only to individuals and authorized devices;
b) Confidentiality: data encryption. Must allow only people previously authorized
able to decrypt and understand the messages;
c) Integrity: must ensure that the data received by the receiver are the same that
were transmitted by the broadcaster.
NETWORK TOPOLOGY
Due to the size of the geographical area to be covered by the wireless network, it
would not possible to cover it with only one access point. Therefore, we chose the
topology without extended infrastructure wireless network (ESS).

The local / strategic points were defined in such a way that the BSS created by a AP
has an intersection with adjacent APs (critical to allow roaming between cells). Still,
priority was given to points near available wired infrastructure. To increase security
between the administrative networks and the wireless network, so that one cannot
communicate with each other, it was used virtual local networks (VLAN). Beyond
addition, we used a hotspot system (better explained later) to perform user
authentication and firewall to perform the filtering permitted / prohibited packages..
Use of VLAN enables higher flexibility in managing networks, it allows the use of
different networks the same switch dynamically and securely. Thus, one may use

the infrastructure existing to transport data between the access points around the
campus, not an exclusive equipment being required.

Equipment
Before choosing the components that would be used to form the wireless network, it
was necessary to set the standard and operating frequency. For this, some
questions were considered:
(a) the wireless network function is to only access the Internet;
(b) 802.11b, 2.4 GHz, can now be considered obsolete, as the 802.11g standard,
also 2.4 GHz, offers compatibility with the legacy standard and offers enhanced
speed;
(c) equipment that supports 802.11a, 5 GHz, have yet cost much higher than
802.11g;
(d) most of the available portable equipment supports 802.11g standard. In this
manner, the 802.11g standard was chosen by the institution.
The Access point choice was the AIR-CAP2602E-A-K9 that is sold by CISCO.

References