{"id":3124,"date":"2015-04-14T12:07:30","date_gmt":"2015-04-14T18:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jumpcloud.com\/blog\/?p=3124"},"modified":"2024-11-14T18:09:53","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T23:09:53","slug":"three-ways-to-secure-wireless-networks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/blog\/three-ways-to-secure-wireless-networks","title":{"rendered":"Three Ways to Secure Wireless Networks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Your network is unique\u2026 just like every other network<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chances are, your network\u2019s security is a major priority too. Your network is what provides access to all the resources that are critical to your organization\u2019s success. Some of those assets are confidential — maybe even top secret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means that any connections to your network should be well controlled and monitored.<\/a> But even in this era of cloud infrastructure, where we have access to advanced security, your on-premises network is still the gateway to your cloud-based infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the advent of the WiFi 802.11 standard, nearly all networks were hard-wired. So physical security was significant protection: if an attacker couldn\u2019t get into your office, he couldn\u2019t access your network. But with WiFi, an attacker can be sitting in a parked car across the street. That means the network has to protect itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The technology exists for organizations to make their wireless network secure. But the most common security measures that businesses implement today are lackluster at best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Three Primary Ways that Most People Protect their Network:<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Leaving the WiFi access open, but requiring a VPN connection to access anything important<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Protecting the WiFi network with a single password or passphrase<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Protecting the WiFi network on a per user basis<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Option #1: Open WiFi Access with Additional VPN<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n
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    \"secure<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    This approach can work. It is actually possible to provide per-user controls on access through the VPN.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But unless you intend to allow the public to access the unprotected part of your network (perhaps for free Internet access), there\u2019s no sense in giving up your bandwidth needlessly and creating the chance for someone to be inside of your network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Option #2: WiFi Network with Single Passphrase<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n
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    \"RADIUS<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    #2 is the method that most home networks and small businesses use for network access controls. It works well in situations where the list of people accessing the network is fairly stable and there\u2019s little to no reason to share a network password with others. It has the benefit of being resistant to attackers, while not being overly cumbersome to manage with a small user population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Unfortunately, all it takes is one person giving out your WiFi password<\/a> for your network security to be totally compromised. So the number of people who can be supported using this method is small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Option #3:  Wifi Access on a Per User Basis<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n
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    \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    Per user controls are by far the most secure. Unlike with options #1 and #2, adding per-user controls allows you to remove access for a specific user. This can be integral to your network\u2019s security in the event of an employee termination, especially in sensitive situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Without this capacity, terminating an employee will force you to change your pass key. That means you must then require all your users to reset their WiFi password, which can be incredibly disruptive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Isn\u2019t There a Better Way to Secure Wireless Networks?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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