How to stay secure in a wireless LAN Internet connection

Security is a key issue in communications today, irrespective of what form of communication it is. This includes telephone lines, money transfer data, and wired Internet and wireless LAN Internet services. The issue of wireless LAN Internet security pertains to everyone, from home users to corporate bigwigs. In response to this need for data security, there are various measures that can be taken to ensure the safety of your information in any large or small wireless LAN setting. This, however, was not the case earlier.

Wireless LAN Internet is especially vulnerable to unauthorized access because of the simple fact that it is wireless. The complete range of a network can extend beyond the physical boundaries of an office or building. For example, it may be picked up from parking lots or other public spots just next to a building. While physical security measures can deter unauthorized access to a wired LAN or Internet, it may not be the same for wireless LAN Internet, because radio waves can bleed outside a building easily. This is not just relevant to large business complexes, but also for home based wireless LAN Internet services. This kind of a practice has been so prevalent that it also has a term- piggybacking.

During the early days of wireless LAN Internet, access points did not have enough security measures to make out the difference between authorized and unauthorized access to the network. However, there are a lot of options for home, as well as large scale wireless LAN Internet connections now. Here is a look at them in brief:

WEP or WPA encryption:

This is usually considered to be the first line of defense in a wireless LAN Internet security system. Encryption basically means the encoding or jumbling of the data that transfers around the entire network, as well as to and from the Internet. When the data is encrypted, it requires a key to decrypt the information and make it useful again.

Routers are usually shipped with the encryption system turned off, but it can be turned on and you can set up a strong password as a key. WEP or Wireless Encryption Protocol is a low level of protection, while WPA or Wireless Protected Access and WPA2 are the new and relatively powerful levels of protection that you can use. You need to make sure that you regularly change the name of your network and the password.

The name of your network, also known as the ESSID, is a moderately strong way of securing a home wireless LAN Internet connection, but not a very effective one to protect against hackers who know how to handle it. The password that serves as the key for your WEP, WPA, or WPA2 protection should be carefully chosen, preferably close to 14 letters randomly chosen or any 5 randomly chosen words.

Apart from these measures, there are various other protection features that can add to the security of a Wi-Fi service in a large complex. Security is a big concern, but it can be addressed in such wireless networks with the right tools.