BN303 Wireless Networks and Security: Secured WLAN Design Report

This report details the design and implementation of a secured wireless LAN for a small university campus. It analyzes the current network infrastructure, proposes a canopy wireless design, and evaluates its justification, highlighting its interference tolerance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. The report addresses wireless network security techniques, including firmware updates and firewall implementation, and recommends future upgrades like fiber optic access points. It also covers the history of WLAN, network components, and the application of WPA2 security, while also exploring the 802.1X authentication mechanism. The analysis includes discussions on WPA2 vulnerabilities and alternative security measures. The report aims to provide a secure, high-speed, and reliable wireless network for the campus, considering factors such as data speed, network coverage, and the increasing number of wireless users.

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WIRELESS NETWORKS AND SECURITY
Name
Instructor
Institution
Course
City
Date

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Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
History of WLAN........................................................................................................................3
Network components...................................................................................................................4
Outline of the report.....................................................................................................................4
Analyze............................................................................................................................................4
Design..............................................................................................................................................5
Campus Overview........................................................................................................................5
Proposed wireless design.............................................................................................................6
Evaluation/Justification...................................................................................................................8
Wireless network security techniques.............................................................................................9
Future recommendations...............................................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

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Abstract
In the current 21st century wireless network have impacted the world significantly. The
network has continued to develop which have resulted to a significant growth of wireless
networks. Android phones is currently under huge wireless network systems as people use
mobile phones on daily basis to exchange information and to communicate with each other. In
Jan 2019, wireless network have started to be used for positioning as well, so as to enable the
provision of location oriented services to the computer end-users. In addition to this, complex
attacks have emerged against wireless network which have resulted to having a difficulty in
managing wireless networks. Some companies such as Cisco have introduced a number of
security practices and also illustrated the need of implementing security tools which is under
WLAN. The major aim of this paper is to implement IEEE 802.1X standard over wireless and
the best way of deploying this standard is through several considerations which will be discussed
in this project paper. This will result to secured wireless LAN for students use.
Introduction
One of the universities in Australia want to install WLAN services in a small campus
with limited number of users. The institution want to extend internet services from the current
wired network using several access points installed in various locations. The major
considerations is to have a high data speed between wireless network and wired network. The
university proposes to have the best tools like WPA3 for providing high quality network
security. These tools assist someone to protect the organization network with high-speed data
transmission and large network coverage.

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History of WLAN
The first wireless network was developed in 1970 by the University of Hawaii. It was
until 1991 when the IEEE started discussing the WLAN technologies. In 1997 the IEEE the
ratified the initial 802.11 standard and in 1999 the IEEE introduced the first wireless network
which was referred to as nice to have with major ratifications of 802.11a and 802.11 b. It was
then in 2003 when mobile devices started utilizing Wi-Fi. Later 802.11g was ratified to
delivering up to 54Mbps.
Network components
There are various wireless components which are used in wireless networks. The major
components used are routers, switches, and Cisco access points. The access points which will be
greatly utilized in this project contains radio card which communicates with other wireless
devices. The router is specifically used to choose the best link to send packets [1].
Outline of the report
This paper will have three major parts which are designing a WLAN design for a campus.
In here the paper will also state how to secure the network using WPA2 technique. Second the
paper will list the security requirements for wireless network for campus stated in the case study.
Lastly, the paper will provide 802.1x authentication mechanism which is required for wireless
network. The diagram was developed using Ms visio 2013. For a good wireless design, this
paper went for canopy design.
Analyze
Wireless network security is the prevention of unauthorized access of organization data
or damage to computers which also include Wi-Fi networks. To start with wireless standard was
developed in September 1999 to offer the same level of security as wired network. Nevertheless,

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there was a lot of well-known security issues which was very hard to configure and very easy to
break. This resulted to the development of 802.11i wireless security standard which was known
as WPA but still it was vulnerable to intrusion. This resulted to the development of WPA2
security standard. This wireless security standard is considered the most secure protocols. Even
though WPA2 is secure, it has several problems when employed as a means of providing security
to the above campus network. To start with WPA2 was developed for better future
interoperability. One of the main advantages that WPA2 adopts encryption algorithm and
advanced encryption standard (AES). Specifically, this has two modes of security which are
enterprise and personal or home use. Usually a pre-shared secret key is usually used in the home
user to protect unauthorized network access by utilizing what network engineers refer to as a set-
up password. On the other hand enterprise usually relies on 802.1x to verify network users. One
of the issue with WPA2 as means pf protecting a campus network is what is known as de-
authentication attacks. This is a type of denial of service attack which targets the communication
between the user and access point; this contains de-authentication frame where it sends frame
from the access point to a station with a spoofed address for the victim. Another common issue
is password related attacks which amounts to brute-force attack. This is based on WPA
password cracking attack on a Wi-Fi user with WPA2 enabled. This type of attack starts with de-
authentication attack so as they can disconnect the user from their legitimate base station and
then it mount to a man-in-the-middle attack so as to collect passwords supplied by what network
engineers refer to as unwitting user. Another common attack is Karma related network attacks.
This is a tool which has been implemented widely by network hackers to sniff and probe Wi-Fi
networks using MITM method. Due to the combination of MITM method it is now known as
karmatasploit [2].

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Design
Campus Overview
The current campus LAN design is made of two major layers which are the core layer
and access layer. It provides LAN connectivity, high performance, and centralized management.
The campus is currently using a Fiber Optic Backbone which provides a high transmission speed
and high bandwidth. In addition, there a potential network growth, greater data security and also
supports multi-gigabit and Gigabit protocols [3].
Proposed wireless design
This can only be supported by implementing what network engineers refer to as canopy
wireless backbone design which is an option to interconnect the campus LAN. This is a type of
design which has been implemented by several organizations such as Motorola. The design
provides both microwave solutions and wireless broad solution for various organizations and
even mobile service providers. This is as shown by figure below

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To deploy canopy wireless network design one needs to first review into detail the
current LAN design and also analyze the readiness of the organization in deploying the wireless
network. This analysis should include the current network devices in use, the LAN design in use,
and the logical design which have been implemented. The organization should go ahead to
document the gaps of the current wireless network so as to analyze the readiness of the
organization in supporting a canopy wireless network. One should then go ahead state the
devices needed if not there. This type of technology is best suited with GPON type of design.
This is because, canopy wireless network supports a fiber optic backbone so as to provide a high
transmission speed and high bandwidth [4].
Evaluation/Justification
One of the reasons as to why this paper has gone for canopy wireless type of design is
because is offer interference tolerant, voice and video applications and it is scalable. In addition,
it has consistent and predictable throughput meaning that it speeds internet users’ experience.
Also, the design is offered at a low cost, low maintenance infrastructure, and low complexity;
with most institutions in Australia having installed the application and have shown return on
investment. Forth, this type of design out-performs other Wi-Fi-based systems due to its
reliability and security. Fifth, this type of design offers what is known as adaptive wireless
intrusion prevention systems; this enables one to protect their network from wireless threats with
the solution being designed to optimize RF performance and coverage. Seventh the design
deploys a cost-effective and secure out-door wireless solution which is able to integrate data,
voice, and video applications [5].
Other reasons as to why the campus needs to for this type of design is that;

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 It quickly responds to the changing organization requirements by validating the needs for
the wireless LAN infrastructure.
 It optimizes the availability, security, and performance of the organization wireless
network infrastructure.
 Provides secure internet access to the organization critical applications with what is
known as integrated wireless design which delivers reliability and high performance
 It also deploy a rich collaboration with the current technologies such as GPON
technology and current wireless network tools so as to support high-bandwidth
 Canopy design reduces the risk of service disruption which is caused by communication
and facility interference
 IT offers the current security features such as WPA2 which scale connectivity to diverse
devices with the next-generation of wireless network design
 It broadens and at the same time deepens the organization wireless LAN design via
knowledge transfer [6].
Wireless network security techniques
A shown from figure one above , traffic flows from radio wave mounted on the data center
and connects directly to the access points, meaning that it can be somehow easily for network
attackers to monitor the campus network. These means that the campus needs to employ some
ethical wireless security techniques. Some of them are always updating the organization
firmware, activating and installing the latest version of firewall. Also the organization needs to
employ the first generating security standard for wireless network [7].

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Future recommendations
It is evident that wireless network is the first choice of any organization as it offers great
speed and good internet access to satisfy customer requirements. Since the current wireless are
day by day facing increased number of users, the institution needs to consider in future to install
in future a fiber Optic access point instead of the current cisco access point. This type of access
point will provide a 5.8GHz mesh backhaul [8].
Conclusion
One major reasons as to why this paper adopted this type of design is because the design
has a greater bandwidth as compared with other types of design; it has a bandwidth capacity of
60 megabits and has the ability of covering up to a 10 km radius. One of the outcomes of this
paper is a detailed over view of wireless canopy design and brief overview of WPA2 security. As
highlighted from the paper, the design proposed has the ability to provide a secure wireless
internet access and also access to the university services and a lower operational cost as
compared to other design such as hierarchical wireless design and a successful scale connectivity
even to the proliferation of diverse mobile devices.

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References
[1] Y. Xiao, X. Shen and D. Du, Wireless network security, New York: Springer Press, 2015.
[2] M. D. Ciampa, CWSP guide to wireless security, Chicago: Springer Press, 2017.
[3] InformationResourcesManagementAssociation, Wireless Technologies, tools,and concepts, London:
Information Science Reference Press, 2014.
[4] M. Miller, Wireless Networking with windows seven, Chicago: Indianapolis Presss, 2016.
[5] T. Bradley, Essential Computer Security : Everyone's Guide to Email, Internet, and Wireless Security,
Rockland: Elsevier Science, 2016.
[6] M.-T. Zhou, Y. Zhang and L. T. Yang, Wireless Technologies, New York: Springer Press, 2017.
[7] R. Temple and J. Regnault, "Internet and wireless security," Wireless networks, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 34-
90, 2017.
[8] P. &. K. Gupta, "The capacity of wireless networks," IEEE Transactions on information theory, vol. 2,
no. 3, pp. 388-404, 2018.
[9] F. Dowla, The handbook of Wireless Tehcnologies, Chicago: Springer Press, 2015.