Wireless Network Types
- Ad hoc Mode
- Function: Directly connects two or more clients without an access point.
- Use Case: Temporary network setups, such as direct peer-to-peer communication.
- Infrastructure Mode
- Function: Connects endpoints to a central network through an access point.
- Requirements: Needs an access point and wireless clients.
- Use Case: Common in home and enterprise Wi-Fi networks for structured connectivity.
- Stand-alone Mode
- Function: An isolated system without any connection to a broader network.
- Use Case: Special-purpose networks, such as secure environments where isolation is necessary.
Security Protocols
- WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)
- Encryption: Uses RC4.
- Weakness: Can be cracked in seconds due to vulnerabilities in RC4, common key use, and limited initialization vectors.
- Status: Considered obsolete and insecure; not recommended for use.
- WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)
- Encryption: Uses TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) with RC4.
- Security: Improved over WEP but still considered weaker than WPA2.
- WPA2
- Standard: Based on 802.11i.
- Encryption: Uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard).
- Features: Includes CCMP, key management, replay attack protection, and data integrity.
- Security: Most secure, with an enterprise mode using RADIUS for authentication and account lockout mechanisms.
- TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol)
- Encryption: Uses RC4, designed to work with existing WEP hardware.
- Use: Part of WPA; considered a transitional security solution.
- LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol)
- Origin: Cisco proprietary protocol.
- Purpose: Designed to address issues with TKIP and WEP.
- Weakness: Known security issues, making it less secure than WPA2.
This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the types of wireless networks and the security protocols associated with them, highlighting their use cases, strengths, and weaknesses.