Building Secure Wireless Networks with 802.11 [Paperback]

Jahanzeb Khan (Author), Anis Khwaja (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 27, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0471237159 | ISBN-13: 978-0471237150 | Edition: 1

• Provides a step-by-step approach for planning and implementing a wireless LAN based on 802.11 Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) technology
• Authors are Wi-Fi security experts who are able to address the firestorm of concerns about security for 802.11b networks
• Offers a clear perspective of interoperability with related wireless standards like 802.11a, HomeRF, and Bluetooth
• Explains how to achieve the same performance as a wired Ethernet connection and deliver flexibility and high speed

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

An implementer's guide to setting up, configuring, and managing a secure wireless network

Whether you're creating wireless networks for the home, small office, or enterprise, this innovative book presents a step-by-step approach to successfully building a wireless LAN that meets all of your security needs. Beginning with a comprehensive introduction and overview of 802.11b technology, this book takes you through the planning and design guidelines for implementing wireless LANs. While emphasizing the proper security measures for you to take, the authors will help you develop a wireless LAN, choose the right equipment for your deployment scenario, and implement the steps for thorough provisioning of equipment. You'll also find critical information on how to maintain and troubleshoot your wireless LAN to keep it up and running.

Written by Wi-Fi security experts, this book gives you the tools to plan and implement a secure wireless LAN based on 802.11 Wi-Fi technology. The authors:
* Address the concerns about security for 802.11b networks and describe effective solutions
* Discuss the benefits, deployment scenarios, costs, and security of wireless LANs
* Offer a clear perspective of interoperability with related wireless standards like 802.11a, HomeRF, and Bluetooth
* Present the most common practices that are used to ensure security of a LAN
* Explain how to connect a wireless LAN with a remote network using virtual private networks (VPNs)

About the Author

JAHANZEB KHAN is Principal Engineer with RSA Security, Inc., where he is responsible for the research and development of encryption, Public Key Infrastructure, and wireless LAN Security standards. He is active in the 802.11b community and is a member of IEEE International.
ANIS KHWAJA works in the IT department of a leading financial services firm. Khwaja has more than fifteen years of experience in networking and is currently involved in deployment of 802.11b (Wi-Fi) networks.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (January 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471237159
• ISBN-13: 978-0471237150
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,355,765 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Falls short as a wireless security reference, March 1, 2004

By 

Ben Rothke "Author of 'Computer Security: 20 ... (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Building Secure Wireless Networks with 802.11 (Paperback)

Wireless networking is the hottest technological innovation of the past few years, but the unpleasant fact is that security is its greatest weakness. In a crowded market of computer security titles, a niche exists for a book that lays out wireless security problems and couples them with solutions.

Unfortunately, this is not that book. While well written, the book is thin on security matters; security is only first dealt with in chapter six. That coverage is interrupted by five chapters on building wireless networks. Discussion of security doesn't resume until chapter twelve.

Despite its title, the book is more about setting up, configuring, and managing wireless networks, with occasional digressions into security issues. Only about 35 pages of this 320-page book directly deal with wireless security. The book would make a good introduction for designing wireless networks, but it falls short as a security reference.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book with deployment and security focus., February 18, 2003

By 

"crazy4u72" (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Building Secure Wireless Networks with 802.11 (Paperback)

The book is easy to follow and doesn't include unnecessary information or page fillers. The book walks you through details of 802.11 deployment issues and security concerns. I was able to install a wireless LAN by following this book in about 2 days and was able to convince people at my work about the security concerns. The book also deals with 802.1x which I really needed to know (note: the review by publisher doesn't say anything about it). The best things I like about this book is that authors have presented facts and they have not taken any sides.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Little Dated, But Good Source of Information, February 6, 2005

By 

Tony Bradley "s3kur3" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Building Secure Wireless Networks with 802.11 (Paperback)

The authors of this book have extensive first-hand knowledge of the technology and concepts they write about. Recently, wireless networks have exploded onto the home and business markets. The ability to network computers without having to string cables across your home or hire a 3rd-party company to wire new network jacks is very appealing.

The problem is that if your network traffic is flying through the air to your wireless networked computers, it can also be intercepted by unintended recipients. If you are going to delve into the world of wireless networking, it is important that you read this book to learn how to do so securely.

(...)