About this interactive
The lesson's wireless controls:
- **Shaping the signal:** place access points and antennas so coverage stops near the walls, and lower the transmit power where the signal reaches too far.
- **Pre-shared key:** one passphrase set on the access point and typed into every device; the commonest method.
- **802.1X:** each user or device authenticates with its own username and password or certificate, using EAP.
- **Captive portal:** after joining, the browser shows a sign-in or terms page before the network can be used.
- **Client isolation:** devices on the same access point cannot talk to each other.
- **Guest network:** visitors get the internet without touching the rest of the network.
Encrypt the traffic too: WEP is insecure; use WPA3 where you can. MAC filtering can be one more step, but MAC addresses can be spoofed.
What you'll learn
- Choose the wireless control that meets a need: shaping the signal, a pre-shared key, 802.1X, a captive portal, client isolation or a guest network
- Tell the controls apart by what they protect: the signal's reach, who may join and how, and which devices can reach which
Aligned to
CompTIA Network+
2.3
Given a scenario, select and configure wireless devices and technologies.
4.1
Explain the importance of basic network security concepts.
Cisco CCST Cybersecurity
2.4
Set up a secure wireless SoHo network.
Key terms
- Pre-Shared Key
PSK
- A shared secret passphrase used for authentication in wireless networks and VPNs without requiring a dedicated authentication server. In WPA-Personal mode, the PSK is used to derive the Pairwise Master Key (PMK) for encrypting the wireless session.
- 802.1X
- An IEEE standard for port-based network access control that requires devices to authenticate before gaining access to a wired or wireless network, using a supplicant, authenticator, and authentication server (typically RADIUS). It is the foundation of enterprise Wi-Fi security and wired port security using EAP methods.
- Captive Portal
- A browser-based authentication mechanism that requires users to log in through a web page before being granted access to a network.
- Wireless Client Isolation
- A wireless network feature that prevents devices connected to the same access point from communicating directly with one another.
- Guest Network
- An isolated network segment provided to visitors that is separated from the organization's internal network to prevent unauthorized access to internal resources.
- Wireless Access Point
WAP
- A device that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi.
Topics
Wireless Security
Psk
802 1x
Captive Portal
Client Isolation
Guest Network
Interactive
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