[ale] wireless security

[Daniel Howard]

James P. Kinney III wrote:
> It's a total waste of time trying to secure wireless connections with
> out the use of VPN software. If the badies want in, they will get in.
> Drop a totally open high gain antenna WAP in the network outside the
> firewall and secure the stuff on the network. If sniffing data is deemed
> bad, require VPN connections.
> 
> http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/03/2116239
> 
The slashdot link refers only to WEP, which is the old security standard 
for WiFi well known to be easily cracked.  The new WiFi standard, 
802.11i/WPA2 in non-personal mode requires an 802.1X authentication 
server, although in personal mode I agree it could still be hackable 
especially if the users enter simple passphrases.  So what is the 
difference in security between  802.11i in non personal mode, with an 
authentication server, with and without a VPN?


-- 
Daniel Howard
President and CEO
Georgia Open Source Education Foundation