Learn more about how wireless can add value to your business operations, and the measures you must take to secure it before you implement it.

Wireless Meets Small Business

These days, wireless computing means freedom in business. No longer must people be tethered to their desks, bound by the mass of cables and cords that connect their equipment. Wireless means work can be done beyond office walls, from anywhere there is a wireless hotspot - which these days seem to be everywhere - the airport, coffee shops, hotels, and many homes. The possibilities for mobile working increase exponentially with wireless, translating into increased productivity. At the same time, wireless introduces a new set of security issues, and all too many businesses are jumping on the wireless bandwagon before they understand the technology and all the risks associated with it.

In July, the Yankee Group released a survey indicating that spending on wireless voice and data services by small and medium-sized businesses will grow by 93 percent this year. With dropping costs of entry and more stable standards, going wireless is easier than ever for small businesses. While the benefits of wireless can be great, you need to consider your unique situation, and whether you have the time and expertise to manage the security issues that can accompany wireless.

If you can identify with either of the following, then wireless may be the right connectivity solution for your small business:

Office space: Wireless offers flexibility and scalability that can benefit a growing business. If you have plans to increase in size and/or be changing offices in the near future, wireless can save you from having to go through hardwiring an Ethernet connection into the walls of your office - only to have to leave after a short time using it.

Connectivity needs: Do you and your employees travel, work from home, or work collaboratively from a single room often? If the answer is yes, then wireless can increase productivity for your business.

The key is to identify how wireless can add value to your business operations, and the measures you must take to secure it before you implement it.

When setting up a WLAN connection

Select the Wi-Fi technology standard you will use. Wi-Fi stands for wireless fidelity, and is a consumer-friendly way of referring to a high-frequency wireless local area network (WLAN). Wi-Fi includes 802.11-based WLAN technology and works on radio frequencies. The most commonly used Wi-Fi standard is 802.11b. Coming in a close second is 802.11g, which offers broad product support and increased speed, and may replace 802.11b in the future.

You will use your current high-speed Internet connection on your Wi-Fi network, whether it is a cable modem, DSL, ISDN, or satellite broadband. Your Internet connection will connect to your access point (AP), and from there, the signal will be transmitted in the air via radio waves to all the computers on your network that are equipped with wireless adapter cards.

A wireless router with the access point built in will serve as the central base station for your network. A typical Wi-Fi AP/router can support some 15 to 20 users, so most small businesses need only a single AP/router.

 Every laptop and PC that will connect to your WLAN will need a wireless adapter (if it isn't already built in).

As you select your wireless adapters, access points, and routers, look for "Wi-Fi CERTIFIED" products, which will help guarantee cross-vendor compatibility.

Security considerations

First of all, every wireless device should be viewed as an extension of the wired business network - that means every PC, laptop, or handheld should have its own antivirus and firewall protection.

So, what's the difference between securing a wireless network versus a traditional LAN? In wired networks, intruders must go to the lengths necessary to find a port that has been left open and is not secured. In the case of WLANs, intruders don't need physical access to your hardware; if they are close enough to the access point, they can pick up the signal, even from outside the building. It does not take a technology expert to pick up someone else's signal. That is why with wireless, you need to take precautions to protect the air connection.

One of the most effective ways to accomplish that is by setting up a virtual private network (VPN) that secures the connection across the network. If someone intercepted packets of data between a sender and the receiver over a secure VPN, the data wouldn't mean anything to them.

Built-in security features

There are security features built into wireless networking products, but manufacturers typically turn them off by default because it makes the networks easier to set up. Here are some features to look out for - and if you see them, activate them!

Enable Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). WPA encrypts any wireless data that is transmitted, and prohibits eavesdropping. An older, less secure wireless encryption method is the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Make sure to use a strong password (at least eight characters, using both numbers and letters) when you set up this encryption.

Close your network. Many Wi-Fi systems allow the user to close the network by blocking the Service Set Identifier (SSID) from being broadcast. Closing your network will make it more difficult for hackers to find you.

Consider the placement of wireless access point. Wireless signals only travel about 200-300 feet away from the access point, and if they must pass through metal and wood, that distance significantly decreases. To lessen the chances that your wireless signal will travel very far outside your building where it could be intercepted, place your access point in the middle of the office, away from doors and windows, and use any metal or wood in your office structure to act as a boundary for your wireless signal.

Change your default password and network name. And make it difficult - don't use your business name as your network name.

Set up a MAC Access Control List. Set your access point to only enable network access to trusted Media Access Control (MAC) addresses. Every network card has a unique MAC identifier, and this way you can filter out rogue wireless connections by only letting trusted MAC addresses that are on your MAC List have access to your wireless network.

Best protection

Not everyone has the time or expertise to secure a wired and wireless network. For the ultimate in low-maintenance wired and wireless security, there is the Symantec Gateway Security 300 Series Appliance. This appliance provides intrusion detection and prevention, Internet content filtering, VPN, stateful inspection firewall, and antivirus policy enforcement for Symantec connected clients. The optional 802.11b/g Wireless Access Point Add-On turns the appliance into a wireless LAN access point that features highly secure IPsec VPN connections.

Conclusion

Wireless isn't going anywhere - and more and more wireless-enabled devices are hitting the market every day. Wireless is proving to be a cost-effective Internet option for small businesses, as it is flexible and relatively inexpensive to keep up with business demands. As the popularity of wireless continues to grow, so will the number of people looking to exploit it. So remember to give special consideration to securing this still emerging technology if you choose to implement it in your small business.