Managing Information System

MANAGING INFORMATION SYSTEM
Table of Contents...Pages
1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 Differences between WLANs and LANs...................................................................................... 3 3.0 Different WLAN Technologies .................................................................................................... 4 4.0 Types of WLAN ........................................................................................................................... 5 4.1 WLAN standards ...................................................................................................................... 7 5.0 Advantages and Disadvantages of WLANs .................................................................................. 7 6.0 What are Benefits of a Wireless Network? ................................................................................... 9 7.0 Technology of WLAN ................................................................................................................ 10 8.0 Wireless LAN applications in business fields............................................................................. 11 Wireless LANs Applications ............................................................................................................ 11 9.0 Range of coverage and cost aspects of WLAN........................................................................... 14 9.1 Range of coverage................................................................................................................... 14 10.0 Security issues and challenges .................................................................................................. 15 10.1 Wireless LAN Security Threats ............................................................................................ 15 10.2 Mitigating Security Threats .................................................................................................. 15 10.3 Attacks on WEP .................................................................................................................... 17 11.0 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 18 12.0 References ................................................................................................................................. 19
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WIRELESS LOCAL AREA NETWORK (WLAN)
1.0 Introduction
Wireless technology has helped to simplify networking by enabling multiple computer users to simultaneously share resources in a home or business without additional or intrusive wiring. These resources might include a broadband Internet connection; network printers, data files, and even streaming audio have changed their habits from using single, and video. This kind of resource sharing has become more prevalent as computer users stand-alone computers to working on networks with multiple computers, each with potentially different operating systems and varying peripheral hardware. U.S. Robotics wireless networking products offer a variety of solutions to seamlessly integrate computers, peripherals, and data. Wireless networking technology has developed like most new technologies; business needs drive technology developments, which in turn drive new business needs, which in turn drive new technology developments. To keep this cycle from spinning out of control, several organizations have stepped forward to establish WLAN standards and certifications.
Wireless LANs are a boon for organizations that don't have time to setup wired LANs, make networked- temporary offices a reality and remove the wire work that goes on in setting LANs. They are reported to reduce setting up costs by 15%. Wireless LANs (WLANs) are quickly gaining popularity due to their ease of installation and higher employee mobility. Together with personal digital assistants (PDA) and other mobility devices, they go on to improve the quality of life. Even at home, people have changed the way they live and learn. The Internet has become a standard in homes, right along with TV and phone service. Even the method of accessing the Internet has quickly moved from temporary modem dialup service to dedicated digital subscriber line (DSL) or cable service, which is always connected and is faster than dialup. In 2005, users of PCs purchased more Wi-Fienabled mobile laptops (i.e., products that are based on the IEEE 802.11 standards) than fixed-location desktops.
The most tangible benefit of wireless is the cost reduction. First, with a wireless infrastructure already in place, savings are realized when moving a person from one location in an office to another, or when moving from temporary locations or project sites. The second situation to consider is when a company moves into a new building that does not have a wired
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infrastructure. In this case, the savings from wireless is even more noticeable because running cables through walls, ceilings, and floors is a labor-intensive process.
2.0 Differences between WLANs and LANs

Although WLANs and LANs both provide connectivity between the end users, they have some key differences that include both physical and logical differences between the topologies. In WLANs, radio frequencies are used as the physical layer of the network. Differences also exist in the way the frame is formatted and in the transmission methods, detailed as follows:
1) WLANs use carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) instead of carrier sense multiple access collision detect (CSMA/CD), which is used by Ethernet LANs. Collision detection is not possible in WLANs, because a sending station cannot receive at the same time that it transmits and, therefore, cannot detect a collision. Instead, WLANs use the Ready To Send (RTS) and Clear To Send (CTS) protocols to avoid collisions.
2) WLANs use a different frame format than wired Ethernet LANs use. WLANs require additional information in the Layer 2 header of the frame. Radio waves cause problems not found in LANs, such as the following: a) Connectivity issues occur because of coverage problems, RF transmission, multipath distortion, and interference from other wireless services or other WLANs. b) Privacy issues occur because radio frequencies can reach outside the facility. In WLANs, mobile clients connect to the network through an access point, which is the equivalent of a wired Ethernet hub.
These connections are characterized as follows: (i) There is no physical connection to the network.
(ii) The mobile devices are often battery-powered, as opposed to plugged-in LAN devices. WLANs must meet country-specific RF regulations. The aim of standardization is to make WLANs available worldwide. Because WLANs use radio frequencies, they must follow country-specific regulations of RF power and frequencies. This requirement does not apply to wire LANs.
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3.0 Different WLAN Technologies
As various wireless networking technologies have advanced over time, several WLAN technologies have emerged, including: narrowband, spread spectrum, frequency hopping spread spectrum, and direct sequence spread spectrum. Narrowband As the name suggests, narrowband technology uses a specific radio frequency (in the range of 50 cps [bytes per sec] to 64 Kbps [kilobytes per sec]) for data transmission. Spread Spectrum Originally developed for military use, spread spectrum technology allows for greater bandwidth by continually altering the frequency of the transmitted signal, thus spreading the transmission across multiple frequencies. Spread spectrum uses more bandwidth than narrowband, but the transmission is more secure, reliable, and easier to detect. Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) Frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technology synchronizes the changing frequency of both the transmitter and receiver (using a narrowband carrier) to, in effect, produce a single transmission signal. This frequency hopping can occur as often as several times a second; it is constantly changing from one frequency to another, transmitting data for a certain period of time before changing frequency again. Like spread spectrum technology, FHSS technology consumes additional bandwidth, however, this is over the course of multiple carrier frequencies. Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) Direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) technology breaks down the transmitted stream of data into small pieces across a frequency channel. A redundant bit pattern (known as a chipping code) is generated for each bit transmitted. Generally, the longer the chipping code, the more likely it is that the original transmitted data will be properly received. DSSS technology uses more bandwidth than FHSS, but DSSS is considered more reliable and resists interference. Because of the chipping code, data can still be recovered without retransmission of the signal, even in the case of damaged data bits. U.S. Robotics wireless networking products utilize DSSS technology.
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4.0 Types of WLAN
The 802.11 specification defines two types of operational modes: ad hoc (peer-to-peer) mode and infrastructure mode. In ad hoc mode, the wireless network is relatively simple and consists of 802.11 network interface cards (NICs). The networked computers communicate directly with one another without the use of an access point. In infrastructure mode, the wireless network is composed of a wireless access point(s) and 802.11 network interface cards (NICs). The access point acts as a base station in an 802.11 network and all communications from all of the wireless clients go through the access point. The access point also provides for increased wireless range, growth of the number of wireless users, and additional network security Ad Hoc Mode In ad hoc mode, also known as Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS) or peer-to-peer mode, all of the computers and workstations connected with a wireless NIC (network interface card) can communicate with each other via radio waves without an access point. Each computer in the LAN is configured at the same radio channel to enable peer-to-peer networking. Ad hoc mode is convenient for quickly setting up a wireless network in a meeting room, hotel conference center, or anywhere else sufficient wired infrastructure does not exist.
Figure 1 Ad hoc mode source securities of wireless LAN
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Infrastructure Mode Infrastructure WLAN consists of wireless stations and access points. Access Points combined with a distribution system (such as Ethernet) support the creation of multiple radio cells that enable roaming throughout a facility. The access points not only provide communications with the wired network but also mediate wireless network traffic in the immediate neighborhood. This network configuration satisfies the need of large-scale networks arbitrary coverage size and complexities. There are two infrastructure modes: (i) Basic Service Set (BSS): The communication devices that create a BSS are mobile clients using a single access point to connect to each other or to wire network resources. The Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) is the Layer 2 MAC address of the BSS access points radio card. While the BSS is the single building block for wireless topology and the BSS access point is uniquely identified through a BSSID, the wireless network itself is advertised through a SSID, which announces the availability of the wireless network to mobile clients. The SSID is a wireless network name that is user configurable and can be made up of as many as 32 case-sensitive characters.
(ii) Extended Services Set (ESS): The wireless topology is extended with two or more BSSs connected by a distribution system (DS) or a wired infrastructure. An ESS generally includes a common SSID to allow roaming from access point to access point without requiring client configuration.
Figure 2: Infrastructure mode (source : Wireless LAN technology)
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4.1 WLAN standards
Several standards for WLAN hardware exist: WLAN standard 802.11a
Pros

Cons
Faster data transfer rates (up to 54Mbps)
Short range (60-100 feet) Less able to penetrate physical barriers
Supports more simultaneous connections
Less
susceptible
to
interference 802.11b
Better at penetrating physical barriers
Slower data transfer rates (up to 11Mbps)
Longest range (70-150 feet) Hardware expensive is usually less
Doesn't
support
as
many
simultaneous connections

More susceptible to interference More susceptible to interference
802.11g
Faster data transfer rates (up to 54Mbps)
Better range than 802.11b (65120 feet)
802.11n
The 802.11n standard was recently ratified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), as compared to the previous three standards. Though specifications may change, it is expected to allow data transfer rates up to 600Mbps, and may offer larger ranges.
5.0 Advantages and Disadvantages of WLANs

WLANs have advantages and disadvantages when compared with wired LANs. A WLAN will make it simple to add or move workstations and to install access points to provide connectivity in areas where it is difficult to lay cable. Temporary or semi permanent buildings that are in range of an access point can be wirelessly connected to a LAN to give these buildings connectivity. Where computer labs are used in schools, the computers
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(laptops) could be put on a mobile cart and wheeled from classroom to classroom, provided they are in range of access points. Wired network points would be needed for each of the access points. A WLAN has some specific advantages:

It is easier to add or move workstations. It is easier to provide connectivity in areas where it is difficult to lay cable. Installation is fast and easy, and it can eliminate the need to pull cable through walls and
ceilings.

Access to the network can be from anywhere within range of an access point. Portable or semi permanent buildings can be connected using a WLAN. Although the initial investment required for WLAN hardware can be similar to the cost of
wired LAN hardware, installation expenses can be significantly lower.
When a facility is located on more than one site (such as on two sides of a road), a
directional antenna can be used to avoid digging trenches under roads to connect the sites.
In historic buildings where traditional cabling would compromise the faade, a WLAN can
avoid the need to drill holes in walls.
Long-term cost benefits can be found in dynamic environments requiring frequent moves
and changes.
Moreover, WLANs also have some disadvantages:
As the number of computers using the network increases, the data transfer rate to each
computer will decrease accordingly.

As standards change, it may be necessary to replace wireless cards and/or access points. Lower wireless bandwidth means some applications such as video streaming will be more
effective on a wired LAN.
Security is more difficult to guarantee and requires configuration.
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Devices will only operate at a limited distance from an access point, with the distance
determined by the standard used and buildings and other obstacles between the access point and the user.
A wired LAN is most likely to be required to provide a backbone to the WLAN;
a WLAN should be a supplement to a wired LAN and not a complete solution.
Long-term cost benefits are harder to achieve in static environments that require few
moves and changes.
6.0 What are Benefits of a Wireless Network?

Wireless LANs offer the following productivity, convenience, and cost advantages over wired networks:
Mobility: Wireless LAN systems can provide LAN users with access to real-time
information anywhere in their organization. This mobility supports productivity and service opportunities not possible with wired networks. There are now thousands of universities, hotels and public places with public wireless connection. These free you from having to be at home or at work to access the Internet.
Installation Speed and Simplicity: Installing a wireless LAN system can be fast and easy
and can eliminate the need to pull cable through walls and ceilings.
Reduced Cost-of-Ownership: While the initial investment required for wireless LAN
hardware can be higher than the cost of wired LAN hardware, overall installation expenses and life-cycle costs can be significantly lower. Long-term cost benefits are greatest in dynamic environments requiring frequent moves and changes.
Scalability: Wireless LAN systems can be configured in a variety of topologies to meet
the needs of specific applications and installations. Configurations are easily changed and range from peer-to-peer networks suitable for a small number of users to full infrastructure networks of thousands of users that enable roaming over a broad area.
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7.0 Technology of WLAN
WLAN links two or more devices together using some wireless distribution method and usually providing a connection through an access point (device that links a wireless network to a wired LAN) to the wider internet. This gives users the mobility to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network. WLAN uses radio signals instead of traditional network cabling. Using radio frequency (RF) technology, wireless LANs transmit and receive data over the air, thereby minimizing the need for wired connections. Most modern WLANs are based on IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 802.11 standards, marketed under the Wi-Fi brand name which is the industry name for wireless LAN communication technology.
Examples 1: For WLANs that connect to the Internet, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) technology allows Web content to be more easily downloaded to a WLAN and rendered on wireless clients like cell phones and PDAs. (WLAN)
(wireless networking) Figure 3: WLAN networking 10 | P a g e
Example 2: WLANs are most often used on mobile systems as an extension to a wired LAN, as illustrated in Figure 4. (Source: wireless LAN pdf)
8.0 Wireless LAN applications in business fields

It can be said that in the past few years, wireless LANs have come to occupy a significant niche in the local area network market. As a result, organizations are finding that wireless LANs are an indispensable adjunct to traditional wired LANs, to satisfy requirements for mobility, relocation, ad hoc networking, and coverage of locations difficult to wire. As the name suggests, a wireless LAN is one that makes use of a wireless transmission medium. It can be said that wireless LANs were little used. The reasons for this included high prices, low data rates, occupational safety concerns, and licensing requirements. As these problems have been addressed, the popularity of wireless LANs has grown rapidly.
Wireless LANs Applications In the past, wireless LAN products, were introduced in the late 1980s, and they were marketed as substitutes for traditional wired LANs. A wireless LAN saves the cost of the installation of LAN cabling and eases the task of relocation and other modifications to
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network structure. In a number of environments, there is a role for the wireless LAN as an alternative to a wired LAN. Examples include:
1) Inventory Control Many businesses profit from using wireless LANs when managing their manufacturing processes at work. Thus this will lower the operating costs as the connections between the manufacturing equipment and main control systems are wireless. Therefore, the company can reconfigure the assembly process at anytime from anywhere, saving time and money. Through the use of a wireless LAN, a company can track and update inventory in real time, enabling efficiency and accuracy to increase radically. For instance, in a retail environment, as soon as a clerk purchases a product, a wireless management solution can update the inventory. 2) Health Care More and more hospitals are adopting wireless networks to improve operational efficiency and convenience. In most cases, it is implementing in high patient-traffic areas including emergency rooms, critical care wards, nursing stations, as well as in doctor's offices and patient waiting areas. Thus, through this way, hospital staff can use mobile computer devices to increase efficiency and accuracy when caring for patients. As a result, health-care centers must maintain accurate records to ensure quality patient care. A simple mistake can cost someone's life. As a result, doctors and nurses must carefully record test results, physical data, pharmaceutical orders, and surgical procedures. This paperwork often overwhelms health-care staff, taking 50-70 percent of their time. This improvement is possible by providing each nurse and doctor with a wireless pen-based computer, such as a tablet or PDA, coupled with a wireless network to databases that store critical medical information about the patients.
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3) Education Many colleges and basic schools are finding beneficial reasons to install wireless LANs, mostly to provide mobile network applications to their students by using the existence of wireless LAN access as a competitive advantage. By doing so, these schools are focusing on the growing number of students with laptops and expectations of accessing the Internet and school resources from anywhere on campus, such as classrooms, libraries, quads, and dormitories. Students are able to readily check e-mail, surf the Web, access specialized school applications, check grades, and view transcripts. As a result, students make better use of their time.
4) Field Service Field service personnel spend most of their time on the road installing and maintaining systems or inspecting facilities under construction and as to complete their jobs, these individuals need access to product documentation and procedures. In some cases, the field person might not be able to take all the documents to a job site, causing delay while obtaining the proper information. Thus, with the help of wireless LAN field service personnel can get access to documentation. A field service employee, for example, can carry a portable computer that connects to the office LAN that contains accurate documentation of all applicable information.
5) Vending Beverage and snack companies place vending machines in hotels, airports, and office buildings to improve the sales of their products. Vending machines get rid of the need for a human salesclerk. However, these companies must send employees around to stock the machines occasionally. Nevertheless, machines might become empty before the restocking occurs as the company has no way of knowing when the machine runs out of a particular product.
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A wireless LAN can support the monitoring of stock levels by transporting applicable data from each of the vending machines to a central database that can be easily viewed by company personnel from a single location.
9.0 Range of coverage and cost aspects of WLAN

9.1 Range of coverage
The distance over which RF (radio frequency) and IR (infrared) waves can communicate depends on product design (including transmitted power and receiver design) and the propagation path, especially in indoor environments. Interactions with typical building objects, such as walls, metal, and even people, can affect the propagation of energy, and thus also the range and coverage of the system. IR is blocked by solid objects, which provides additional limitations. Most wireless LAN systems use RF, because radio waves can penetrate many indoor walls and surfaces. The range of a typical WLAN node is about 100 m. Coverage can be extended, and true freedom of mobility achieved via roaming. This means using access points to cover an area in such a way that their coverages overlap each other. Thereby the user can wander around and move from the coverage area of one access point to another without even knowing he has, and at the same time seamlessly maintain the connection between his node and an access point.
9.2 Cost aspects
Finally, the cost of installing and maintaining a WLAN is on average lower than the cost of installing and maintaining a traditional wired LAN, for two reasons. First, WLAN eliminates the direct costs of cabling and the labor associated with installing and repairing it. Second, because WLANs simplify moving, additions, and changes, the indirect costs of user downtime and administrative overhead are reduced.
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Figure 6: Traditional wired LAN and WLAN (source: understanding wireless LAN pdf)
10.0 Security issues and challenges

10.1 Wireless LAN Security Threats
With the lower costs of IEEE 802.11b/g systems, it is predictable that hackers have many more unsecured WLANs from which to choose. A survey had been conducted by people using numerous open source applications to collect and exploit vulnerabilities in the IEEE 802.11 standard security mechanism, Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Wireless sniffers enable network engineers to passively capture data packets so that they can be examined to correct system problems. These same sniffers can be used by hackers to exploit known security weaknesses.
10.2 Mitigating Security Threats
To secure a WLAN, the following components are required:
1) Authentication 802.11 specify two authentication mechanisms: a) Open system authentication b) Shared key authentication
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Open system authentication A client needs an SSID (Service Set Identifier) for successful Association. Any new client that comes in an EBSS area is provided with an SSID. This is equivalent to no security.
Fig 7: Open System Authentication (source: wireless LAN security pdf)
Shared system authentication The client cannot authenticate himself if he doesn't have the WEP shared secret key. WEP protocol is used for encryption.
2) Association An SSID is used to differentiate two networks logically. To successfully associate to a WS, one must have the SSID of the other WS. This was not intended to be a security feature, and in fact SSID is sent in open in the beacon frame of the AP (access point).
3) Encryption and Decryption-The WEP Protocol The WLAN administrator has an option (if the administrator decides to send the packets unencrypted) to make all the communication over the air encrypted, i.e. every frame that is below the Ethernet Header is encrypted using the WEP protocol.
Fig 7.2: Encryption & Decryption on WEP (source: wireless LAN security pdf) 16 | P a g e

10.3 Attacks on WEP
WEP is considered to be very susceptible to attackers. Any attacker sitting in the parking lot of a building can attack the building's WLAN security. This is unlike the wired case whereby the attacker needs a physical access to the wires. The following known attacks have been employed on WEP.
Type of Attacks The following known attacks are known to be effective: 1) Passive Attacks Passive threats do not require an opponent to do anything other than sit back and take advantage of what is already in place and being used.
Passive threats include but are not limited to exploits such as the following: tapping of communications links (wire line, RF); exploitation of software vulnerabilities; or traffic analysis.
2) Active attacks An active threat requires an adversary to initiate a sequence of events to attempt to exploit vulnerability. During an active attack, the adversary attempts to probe the system, or cause mischief or upsets in order to compromise the system(s).
As with other networks, the active attacks are riskier but provide greater powers to the attacker. Passive Attacks No risk involved Riskier No need to be the part of networks, because the WLAN cards support monitor mode, whereby one can listen to the communication without being a part of the network The attacker can only listen to whatever is going on. He cannot fiddle with the network Active attacks Riskier The attacker has to first get into the network, before doing damages
The attacker can interrupt, hijack and
control the network at his will
Passive attacks v/s active attacks (source: securities and solution WLAN pdf) 17 | P a g e

11.0 Conclusion
Wireless LAN security has a long way to go. Current Implementation of WEP has proved to be flawed. Further initiatives to come up with a standard that is robust and provides adequate security are urgently needed. Like most advances, wireless LANs poses both opportunities and risks. The technology can represent a powerful complement to an organizations networking capabilities, enabling increased employee productivity and reducing IT costs. To minimize the attendant risks, IT administrators can implement a range of measures, including establishment of wireless security policies and practices, as well as implementation of various LAN design and implementation measures. Achieving this balance of opportunity and risk allows enterprises to confidently implement wireless LANs and realize the benefits this increasingly viable technology offers.
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12.0 References
Stallings, W. (2001, April 27). Wireless LANs. informIT- the trusted yechnology learning source , pp. 14. Wireless LAN Networking. . Retrieved 11 mon, 2012, from u.s robotics: http://www.usr.com/download/whitepapers/wireless-wp.pdf wireless networking. Retrieved 11 mon, 2012, from http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/wlan.html WLAN. Retrieved 11 mon, 2012, from http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/wirelessproducts/g/bldef_wlan.htm
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MANAGING INFORMATION SYSTEM