Each NIC has a unique media access control (MAC) address burned into it at manufacture, to uniquely identify it; it also contains a small radio device and an antenna. However, the NIC must be compatible with the AP before communication can occur. For example, an 802.11b card needs an 802.11b AP.
Published in Chapter:
Security Issues with Wi-Fi Networks
Kevin Curran (University of Ulster, Ireland) and Elaine Smyth (University of Ulster, Ireland)
Copyright: © 2008
|Pages: 7
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-59140-993-9.ch070
Abstract
On the surface, WLANs act the same as their wired counterparts, transporting data between network devices. However, there is one fundamental, and quite significant, difference: WLANs are based upon radio communications technology as an alternative to structured wiring and cables. Data is transmitted between devices through the air by utilizing radio waves. Devices that participate in a WLAN must have a network interface card (NIC) with wireless capabilities. This essentially means that the card contains a small radio device that allows it to communicate with other wireless devices within the defined range for that card, for example, the 2.4-2.4853 GHz range. For a device to participate in a wireless network, it must firs be permitted to communicate with the devices in that network and, second, it must be within the transmission range of the devices in that network. To communicate, radio-based devices take advantage of electromagnetic waves and their ability to be altered in such a manner that they can carry information, known as modulation (Vines, 2002). Here we discuss wireless security mechanisms.