IMPORTANCE OF WIFI

WIFI gives you an extremely large amount of freedom because you can basically use it from anywhere. From your couch to your local shopping mall, wireless fidelity can always lend a helping hand. Also, WIFI is not restricted to certain groups. No matter who you are, you can use it. And, on top of its convenience, WIFI is fast, reliable, and easy to use. In the corporate enterprise, wireless LANs are usually implemented as the final link between the existing wired network and a group of client computers. This gives these users wireless access to the full resources and services of the corporate network across a building or campus setting.

Wireless Fidelity is important to the wireless LAN world, because it is securely tested to assure operability of equipment of the same frequency band and feature. WIFI is the certification logo given by the WIFI Alliance for equipments that passes the tests for compatibility for IEEE 802.11 standards. The WIFI Alliance organization, is a nonprofit organization that promotes the acceptance of 802.11 wireless technology and they ensures all WIFI certified 802.11 based wireless networking equipments works with all other WIFI certified equipments of the same frequency. The WIFI Alliance works with technical-groups like the IEEE and other companies that are developing new wireless networking equipments.

WI-FI SECURITY

WiFi hotspots can be open or secure. If a hotspot is open, then anyone with a WiFi card can access the hotspot. If it is secure, then the user needs to know a WEP key to connect.

WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy, and it is an encryption system for the data that 802.11 sends through the air. WEP has two variations: 64-bit encryption (really 40-bit) and 128-bit encryption (really 104-bit). 40-bit encryption was the original standard but was found to be easily broken. 128-bit encryption is more secure and is what most people use if they enable WEP.

For a casual user, any hotspot that is using WEP is inaccessible unless you know the WEP key.

If you are setting up a hotspot in your home, you may want to create and use a 128-bit WEP key to prevent the neighbors from casually eavesdropping on your network.

Whether at home or on the road, you need to know the WEP key, and then enter it into the WiFi card's software, to gain access to the network.

CONCLUSION

Wi-Fi is a disruptive technology that came unexpectedly and has been growing by leaps and bounds, mainly because it is inexpensive and fills a need..The vulnerabilities in wireless systems tend to be numerous because of the inherent lack of physical security.Despite all the security issues currently present, wireless networks are the future; however, people will fear using them if they perceive a substantial threat to their privacy or to sensitive information. It is the administrator's responsibility to make legitimate clients feel safe and confident in the use of a service. Security can never be perfect, especially in large networks, but reliance on mechanisms that are known to be broken is lazy and carries the danger that one's supposedly secure network becomes a playground for those who only know how to download the latest security breaking tool from the web.As Wi-Fi grows up, it is getting better, more secure, and faster. Clearly, vendors and the Wi-Fi Alliance have listened to the users' need for security.