Wiley Publishing - Wireless Networks

Author’s Acknowledgments

We’d like to offer special thanks to Pat O’Brien, who started this rolling. Peter worked as the technical editor for Pat on Hacking For Dummies. Thanks for passing on Melody’s name.
Thanks to Melody Layne, acquisitions editor, for pitching the book to the edi­torial committee and getting us a contract. Much appreciated.

Thanks to Becky Huehls, who started us out on this project as editor but wisely got herself re-assigned. Thanks to Kelly Ewing for picking up the ball and running with it after Becky. Unfortunately, Kelly fumbled it, but Colleen Totz was able to struggle with it over the goal line.
Dan DiNicolo, technical editor, is commended for his diligence in reviewing the material. Thanks, Dan.

Peter would like to thank Kevin Beaver, Ken Cutler, Gerry Grindler, Ronnie Holland, Carl Jackson, Ray Kaplan, Kevin Kobelsky, Carrie Liddie, Dexter Mills Jr., and Larry Simon for responding to a request for wireless informa­tion. Thanks for answering the call for help. The provided information shows in this book.

Barry would like to thank his co-author Peter. Always a pleasure, sir. He would also like to acknowledge Craig McGuffin and John Tannahill who are always there for him, as friends and business associates , and never fail to lend a helping hand.

Introduction

Recently, a very knowledgeable speaker at a presentation for a wireless vendor talked about wireless as ubiquitous. We would have to disagree. Wireless is widespread, but it is not everywhere. But it is rapidly becoming ubiquitous.

In about 1990, cell phone users carried around a phone that looked and felt like a World War II walkie-talkie. You didn’t casually whip that baby out and start a conversation. At that time, you either had a deep wallet, a big ego, or a compelling need to talk to your mother. Now, depending on where you live in the world, the cell phone provides better quality at a lower cost — and in a much smaller form factor.

In about 1994, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) equipment manufacturers sold gear that was comparable to the wireless phone market. The devices were large and very expensive and provided poor bandwidth. You had to have a compelling reason to spend the money on the low bandwidth. But that has changed. In 2004, you can buy a reasonably priced laptop with onboard sup­port for 802.11b and Bluetooth. You can add a fairly inexpensive 802.11a and g PC Card and easily connect wirelessly and, if you have a Centrino-based system or Microsoft Windows XP, somewhat seamlessly. The WLAN market of today is analogous to the Ethernet market of the mid 1980s. In those years, solutions were proprietary, and standards were being approved. Companies were jockeying for position. Now, you would have difficulty finding a desktop or laptop computer that does not come with Ethernet support. When we look back from the future, we will see some parallels between 802.3 and 802.11 development.

Telephone companies have wrestled with the issue of the “last mile” for a while. But forget the last mile; Bluetooth and IrDA provide the last foot. Mice, keyboards, phones, PDAs, and other devices support Bluetooth for wire replacement. When you have a Bluetooth-enabled printer, you no longer need to hook up to the network to print one page or a contact.

Vendors are trying to get along with each other to develop standards so that one day we can walk around with a phone, PDA, or laptop and connect to any network, anywhere, anytime. We wrote this book for those of you who want to release your company f its bondage. If you want to unfetter your clients so that they can access t e-mail before getting on the red-eye to New York or Toronto, this book is you. If your desktop looks like spaghetti junction and you want to rid you of all those wires, this book is for you. If you want to provide up-to-the-m stock quotes to the Chair of your company while she sits in the boardroo this book is for you. If you have a small to medium enterprise (SME) or b ness (SMB) or a small office/home office (SOHO) and don’t want to rewir (or pay someone to rewire) your office, this book is for you. If you have w less at home and want to learn about features that you can expect for ho gear, this book is for you.

About This Book

Mark Twain once wrote, “Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.” So we have done the easy part for you. We crossed ou all the wrong words and came up with this book. What are left are the wo that will help you plan for, install, acquire, protect, manage, and administ wireless networks from personal area to wide area.

We have started your journey by providing information on

*.Differentiating WPAN, WLAN, WMAN, and WWAN
*. Planning your wireless network
*.Doing a site survey
*.Using IrDA for transferring files
*.Using Bluetooth for wire replacement
*. Securing IrDA and Bluetooth
*. Acquiring the right equipment
*.Installing and configuring an access point
*.Acquiring and installing client hardware
*.Installing and configuring client software
*. Building a network to allow roaming
*.Connecting while on the go
*. Securing your WLAN
*. Understanding WEP, WPA, and RSN
*. Understanding EAP
*.Setting up a VPN using PPTP
*. Troubleshooting your network
*. Evaluating and fixing network performance
*. Using administrator software and utilities

How to Use This Book

You don’t have to start reading this book at the beginning — each chapter stands on its own, as does each and every part. In fact, if you are new to wireless networking but not new to networking, you may want to start with the radio frequency (RF) primer in Appendix C. It’s an exploration of radio frequency. We do suggest, however, that you consider starting at the begin­ning and reading to the end.

We encourage you to use the white space and the margins of this book. Mark it up and make it your own. Look up the links that we provideto find a wealth of information. You’ll want to write in the book because it will become an irre­placeable reference when you cross out words and add others yourself.

How This Book Is Organized

We grouped the chapters of this book into manageable chunks, called parts. Each part has a theme. For instance, the first part is like a handshake. We help you get started through planning and acquiring hardware and software. In between, we have some management parts. And the last part is an exchange of data.

Part I: Planning and Acquiring Your Network

Part I is the foundation required for the world of wireless networks. Chapter 1 breaks down the various types of wireless networks and provides examples of each type. If you’re trying to sell wireless within your organization, you will see some benefits of wireless you might want to use. Chapter 2 introduces the necessary planning for a successful implementation. You will see how to do a site survey. Chapter 3 sorts out more terminology and explains the differences between an ad hoc and an infrastructure network. You get the scoop on differ­entiating between BSS, IBSS, and ESS.

Part II: Implementing Your Wireless Network

Part II starts at 10 meters and moves to 100 meters and then beyond. Chapter 4 gives you an overview of IrDA and Bluetooth and security measures for both. You will understand how to use these technologies to replace wires in your office or on your body. Chapters 5 and 6 move on to wireless local area net­working. In Chapter 5, you see how to set up an access point. Chapter 6 talks about connecting Windows 2000, Windows XP, tablet PC, Linux, and Mac OS clients as well as Centrino-based systems. Chapter 7 moves you a little beyond your office through the use of bridges and switches. When you want to roam about your offices, you need to set your system up correctly. You can read how to do this in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 deals with accessing wireless wide area net­works. You will find a discussion about hot spots. But more important, you see how to get your e-mail wirelessly while on the road.

Part III: Using Your Network Securely

In Chapter 9, we introduce you to the additional risks of wireless networks — additional because you have all the risks of a wired network plus those specific to wireless. For instance, signal jamming is not a real risk in wired networks, but it is in wireless networks.

It wouldn’t be fair to just enumerate risks without providing some help. Chapter 10 provides a security architecture for your wireless network. You probably have a healthy paranoia when it comes to wireless and its security. Hopefully, Chapter 11 can allay some of your fears — and add some new ones. Chapter 12 helps you set up a secure channel because, quite frankly, who cares if WEP can be broken when you protect your data at a higher level?

Part IV: Keeping Your Network on the Air — Administration and Troubleshooting

Availability is an integral part of a network. So is administration. After we develop a network that is reliable, available, and secure, we must administer it. This includes documenting components. Chapter 13 highlights known wireless problems and practiced solutions. For instance, when you have a near/far condition, move one of the workstations closer. You’ll find pithy advice like this in Chapter 13. Chapter 14 discusses bridges and bridging technology. When you have a network, you have people complaining about connectivity

and performance. Chapter 15 provides some commonsense solutions to typi­cal wireless problems. Finally, Chapter 16 provides guidance for trying to wrap your hands (and heads) around your network. Whether you have an authorized wireless network or not, you won’t want to miss this chapter.

Part V: The Part of Tens

The Part of Tens provides top-ten that lists authors think are interesting. Our Part of Tens is no different. We provide a look at ten indispensable tools for network administrators and tinkerers alike (Chapter 17); ten ways to secure your WLAN (Chapter 18); and ten ways to use wireless in your busi­ness (Chapter 19).

Part VI: Appendixes

We also provide some valuable reference material in the Appendixes. Appendix A lists trade associations and user groups for wireless. You can find out whether there is a WUG (wireless user group) in your neighborhood. If you don’t have one, start one and send us the information. Appendix B pro­vides information on the 802 standards that you need to know for the wireless market. Appendix C, as mentioned earlier, provides the minimum necessary information that you need to set up a wireless network. If you want more infor­mation, refer to Appendixes A and B.
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