Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

In a virtual private network, data is transmitted in an encrypted tunnel on the

Internet. The main advantage of a virtual private network is that they improve anonymity

and all the use of encryption of data in a private tunnel within the public internet. This

protects data from wireless hackers, internet service providers, and government agencies

from interfering with the data during transmission since the data is transported in a

private tunnel to its destination (Gao, Hu, Min & Xu, 2012). Virtual private networks are

often used in client-server communication scenarios where an employee uses VPN login

details to access a work server and access work-related files while working at a remote

location (Gao, Hu, Min & Xu, 2012). There are two main types of virtual private

networks, which are remote access virtual private network, and site-to-site virtual private

network. A remote access virtual private network often referred to as a client-server

virtual private network, it is designed to allow a single client to access a remote network

using a virtual private network application. On the other hand, a peer to peer virtual

private network is commonly used in the corporate environment where a network in one

location is connected using a virtual private network to a network in a different location

to facilitate secure data transmission through the internet (Zorzi, 2004).

Wi-Fi Protect Access

One of the major setbacks in using wireless technology in enterprise networks is the

ability of third parties to eavesdrop in data on transmission if the wireless security

measures have been implemented. Hackers can easily permeate corporate wireless

networks and gather sensitive business information as well as passwords and business

secrets. Several protocols are used to provide security in wireless networks (Zorzi, 2004).

The Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) uses encryption algorithms to encrypt data under

transmission between different nodes in the wireless enterprise networks. However, the

use of Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) has become unpopular due to a flaw in its design

which enables third parties to recover the encryption key that was used to encrypt data

under transmission (Swati Gupta, 2016). The Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) was then

introduced in 2003 to replace Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). The newer Wired

Equivalent Privacy (WEP) addressed the shortcomings of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)

by implementing a secure public key encryption system in the form of Extensible

Authentication Protocol (EAP). The new system secured the corporate wireless network

by allowing only authorized users to log in to the wireless network (Swati Gupta, 2016).

Advantages of Wi-Fi Technology

There are several advantages which have made Wi-Fi technology popular both in the

corporate and in the home environment. These include:

Cost

The hardware cost for Wi-Fi technology is cheaper compared to Ethernet LAN

equipment. Further, the cost of installation is significantly lower compared to the labor

costs associated with running cables in homes and offices.

Convenience

Wireless technology enables employees to access resources remotely thus providing

convenience since employees are not locked into the work environment. This is

particularly relevant especially with the increase is the use of Internet-based devices such

as laptops and smartphones.

Mobility

Wireless networks can be found in every business premises including restaurants and

coffee shops. This has provided mobility to employees since they can access the network

services outside their work environment.

Productivity

Since employees can access work-related network resources conveniently, this is likely to

improve their productivity since they can make work-related decisions as they move from

place to place.

Limitations of Wi-Fi Technology

Despite the advantages of Wi-Fi technology, there are also some limitations that come

with the implementation and use of wireless networks. These include:

Security
Proper configuration is necessary to ensure that wireless networks are secure. Further,

improper configuration or known vulnerability in the configuration of the network can

lead to compromised corporate network resources.

Range

Wireless technology based on the 802.11g standard covers up to 10 meters. This may be

enough for a home environment but insufficient in large corporations that may span large

buildings (Pawar et al., 2016). Scaling the network would require additional equipment

such as repeaters to boost the radio signal.

Reliability

Wireless network signal strength is affected by interferences such as walls of buildings

and therefore making it unreliable.

Speed

The maximum speed offered by wireless networks is between 1-54 Mbps. This relatively

slower compared to wired networks which have data speeds of more than 10 Gbps.

Futures developments in Wi-Fi

Wireless networks have matured regarding security and speeds. However, researchers

such as Gao, Hu, Min and Xu (2012), foresee a future where Wi-Fi technology move

more towards a multi-user, multiple inputs, multiple outputs which is driven by the

standardization in equipment manufacturing. Further, future wireless networks will be

able to perform data analysis functions and take actions based on centralized data

repositories.

The current bandwidth offered by Wi-Fi technology is also likely to increase in the future

with multi-gigabit data rates significantly. Wireless technology covers a limited range of

up to 10 meters. However, this is likely to significantly change in the future with the

ongoing research in tougher radio frequency signals (Sharma, Bala & Verma, 2012).

With this research direction, wireless technology will become more and more like wired

technology regarding the distance of coverage. Research experiments show that RF

signals can be made to be more reliable and resilient, which can improve the performance

of wireless access points (Sharma, Bala & Verma, 2012).

 REFERENCES

Zorzi, M. (2004). Implementing 4G technology. IEEE Wireless Communications, 11(2),

2-2.

Sharma, G., Bala, S., & Verma, A. (2012). Security Frameworks for Wireless Sensor

Networks-Review. Procedia Technology, 6, 978-987.

Pawar, P., Nielsen, R., Prasad, N., & Prasad, R. (2016). GHMAC: Green and Hybrid

Medium Access Control for Wireless Sensor Networks. Wireless Personal

Communications, 94(3), 1839-1868.

Swati Gupta, S. (2016). Enhancement of Adhoc Wireless network Security by

Customized Encryption Technology & using Multilayer of Security. International

Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Information Technology.

Gao, J., Hu, J., Min, G., & Xu, L. (2012). Analysis of the MAC protocol in low rate

wireless personal area networks with bursty ON-OFF traffic. Concurrency and

Computation: Practice And Experience.