|
Wireless Computer Networks: The Future is Now
By Terrence A. Weadock
Many small businesses have considered connecting computers and other devices to their corporate network via wireless (WiFi) connections, and a brave few have actually done so. Many of these early networks required that wireless devices be carefully placed within the building so that the wireless signal reached all intended recipients. Typically, these networks lacked adequate security features, which left them vulnerable to information and resource theft by unauthorized persons. These two problems have now been largely solved, meaning that it may be time for more small businesses to look into the potential advantages a wireless network can offer.
Wireless Networking Basics
Building a wireless network requires two distinct types of hardware components, wireless access points, and wireless access cards. The wireless access point is a device, which is attached to an existing computer network via a standard Ethernet cable. It has an antenna on it, which allows it to broadcast and receive signals from PCs and other devices. Each device wishing to communicate with the access point needs a wireless access card, which also contains an antenna. The current wireless standard, called 802.11g, allows for up to 54 megabits of data per second to be transmitted between the desired access point and the access card. While not quite as fast as wired networks, which typically run at 100 megabits to 1000 megabits per second, wireless networks offer more flexibility, and can be less expensive to install. This is especially true for older buildings where installing cable can become cost prohibitive.
Cutting Corners
Wireless networks use radio frequency waves to transmit information, and thus they are susceptible to being blocked by walls and other obstructions in a building. These obstructions can cause "dead zones" where the radio waves are unable to reach their intended recipients. Microwave ovens and other radio frequency emitting devices can also wreak havoc on wireless signals. The solution is to place your wireless access points strategically around your building so that interference is minimized. When the distance from a wireless access point to the wireless device is more than a few dozen meters, wireless repeaters can be installed to boost the signal. These repeaters can also be placed so that the wireless signals can be accessible from all corners of the building.
Wireless Network Security Solved
Installing a simple wireless network is pretty straightforward, but installing a secure wireless network can be substantially more difficult. However, an Ann Arbor company called Interlink Networks now offers their LucidLink products, which make installing comprehensive wireless network security a snap. Before LucidLink became available, an organization wishing to lock down their wireless network would need to hire expensive network security consultants to install and manage the wireless portion of the network. LucidLink packages all of this expertise into a software add-on that is so easy to use that even a small company's office manager can easily take control over who is accessing the company network via wireless. It goes above and beyond simple address authentication (standard with most wireless routers), and implements what is called a RADIUS server. RADIUS servers are what large organizations spend thousands of dollars installing and maintaining in order to secure their large (1000+ node) wireless networks. Until now, installing a RADIUS server was out of the price range for all but the largest companies. In contrast, LucidLink's product can be purchased for as little as $99 for a 3 user Home Office Edition, $449 for a 10 user version, and goes up to $3995 for a 250 user version.
Summary
While there are still issues with making sure that all areas of a building are covered, the current WiFi
standard (802.11g) has a more powerful signal, meaning less
emphasis needs to be placed on the locations of attached
devices. However, it is still recommended that a professional
site survey be done to verify that all required areas of the
building can be reached by the wireless signal. Meanwhile,
Interlink Networks has finally solved the security problem at a
price that is affordable for small and medium sized business.
Terrence A. Weadock is the President and Founder of Dominant
Systems Corporation, an Ann Arbor-based computer network
solutions provider.
(as published on page 10 of the Ann Arbor Area Business Monthly Vol. 1,
issue #1 March, 2005)
How to find a good computer support company for your needs
1. Experience. How many years of experience do they have? Certifications? References? Expertise with your specific network environment, your industry?
Some employee turnover is unavoidable. But in general, you will get better service from a company that keeps its personnel. They will have more familiarity with your company, and can give you more tailored advice. A wide variety of experience at the company is best, because your network needs may change as your company grows. You want a company that can work alongside you, rather than be outgrown. Certifications are good, but not the same as experience. Weigh the two carefully – a fistful of degrees won’t compensate for only 2 months work experience. The more networks they have worked with, the more they will have learned general trouble-shooting techniques – and have better resources to turn to when they get stumped too. References are also good, because you can find out more about how the company is to work with, and if their methods will fit smoothly into your environment.
2. Consulting versus Box Pushing. When you talk to them on the phone, do they immediately start quoting prices? Or do they take the time to come out and meet with you, study your individual situation first, take a look at the whole picture before quoting?
Be wary of a company that prices out what you ask for, rather than asking you what your needs are, and then using their expertise to help come up with solutions. A doctor should ask you questions before prescribing medicine. So should a company diagnose your situation before recommending solutions. Be open-minded – let their expertise save you time and money. Do they have an opinion? They should steer you away from bad choices, even if it means avoiding a quick sale. If they only quote items, rather than giving you their recommendations, you’re not fully utilizing their expertise. Why pay for their expert consulting (through the markup on their products) if you aren’t making use of it?
3. Availability. How many techs do they have? What is their availability and response time?
The dangers of a company with only one or two techs, is whether they will be able to handle your needs in an emergency – think about the blackout, or major virus outbreaks. Will they be able to help you, or will they be overwhelmed with other customers? What about if their people are away on vacation/at training? What if it’s an after-hours crisis? Or a weekend or holiday? Response time is critical too: how long does it take them to respond in an emergency? Make sure they are able to handle your emergency needs in addition to your regular projects.
4. Information Sharing. Does their team work together, so that if your regular tech is not available, they can still help you? Do they have notes on your systems so they can look up warranty info, and quote things that will integrate well with your network? Do they keep track of when your licenses need to be renewed, to keep up to date on support?
They should help you stay on top of maintenance, to get the full benefit and reliability of your equipment. Also ask them to help you make a full inventory of your computer equipment (if you don’t already have one). An inventory will help you identify areas that need to be improved, and target your resources more effectively. It will also make support much smoother, for you and your support company.
Dominant Systems Standard Network Recommendations
1. Servers and desktops need professional-grade operating systems. If you are running old versions of Windows (98/ME or below on the desktops, NT or below on the servers), we recommend you upgrade for the reliability and security of the latest operating systems. You will see productivity increases from minimizing reboots, and you will be less vulnerable to hackers too. Plus many old versions are no longer supported by Microsoft, which means that patches are no longer being written to fix new security holes. The same recommendation applies for old versions of Netware, Unix, and Linux too. We do not generally recommend the Small Business versions of various server operating systems – we have found them to be full of bugs, and easy to outgrow. It is better to purchase the full version up-front, than to be stuck with all your data on an inadequate system a year later that needs to be completely replaced.
2. Servers and desktops must be regularly updated with operating system patches and bug fixes. This will help protect your network from being hacked, plus keep your servers and desktops performing reliably. Go to Windows Update regularly (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/) for Windows desktop and server operating system updates (take special note of the critical updates and service packs). For other vendors, check their websites for patch updates. If you are running Office on your PCs, don’t forget Office Update (http://office.microsoft.com/OfficeUpdate/). There are several patches available, for security and stability fixes.
3. Servers and desktops need professional-grade hardware. Name brand equipment is easier to support (easier to get manufacturer-recommended parts to ensure compatibility, easier to get support on warranty or non-warranty issues too) and maintain, and more reliable too. We also recommend RAID (multiple hard drives) for a server, since the hard drive is the most likely part of your server to fail. This way your server will keep running, and you may be able to replace the hard drive without needing to take down the server too. If your server model allows for redundant power supplies and fans, we recommend them too – each will help decrease the possibility of downtime over the long haul. Invest the extra money in purchasing the right equipment, and the returns will be measured in the reliability of your network over time.
4. Servers and desktops always need to be protected by a UPS. Power surges and drops can lead to data corruption and eventual server failure. We recommend UPSes for desktops too, because data corruption can spread to the network if PCs become unstable through crashes. If your UPS comes with the appropriate cable and software, you can even set it to automatically shut down the server or desktop during a prolonged power outage.
5. Servers and desktops always need to be protected with updated antivirus software. The latest viruses are often spread through email or by visiting infected websites. Even if your systems are not connected to the internet, viruses can be passed on through infected floppy disks, zip disks and other recordable media. Old antivirus versions may work fine (although we recommend the latest for the bug fixes and for support), but the definitions absolutely must be up to date. We recommend updating nightly, since new viruses and worms can spread very fast over the internet.
6. Servers must be backed up reliably. We recommend tape as the most cost-effective method. One advantage of tape is that you can take a set of tapes off-site every week (which we recommend), so that fires or floods (or theft!) will not destroy your data along with your server. We recommend using specialized backup software too, since the built-in backup software with most operating systems is woefully inadequate (missing any files left open during the time of the backup, and quite often missing system files too). If you are running applications on your server, make sure their data is backed up too – often via special agents or options.
7. Shared internet connections must be protected – by a router doing NAT (network address translation) on the low-end, to dedicated firewalls on the high end. If you open your network to the internet, you must make sure it’s not accessible to hackers and worms from the outside. Don’t forget to keep up the maintenance on your firewall, since new exploits do come out all the time.
|
