Introduction

Introduction

Welcome to Deploying Secure 802.11 Wireless Networks with Microsoft Windows, your complete source for the information you need to design and deploy 802.11-based wireless networks for Microsoft Windows wireless clients using Windows 2000 based or Windows Server 2003 based servers for the authentication infrastructure. This book includes overview explanations of the various technologies involved in deploying a secure wireless solution, step-by-step instructions about how to deploy various types of wireless configurations for both the enterprise organization and the Small Office/Home Office (SOHO), and discussions of troubleshooting tools and common connectivity and authentication problems.

In today s world, the term security needs to be defined. Here is a definition that you should use when thinking about secure wireless connections:

Security is not binary. It is not a switch or even a series of switches. It cannot be ex-pressed in absolute terms. Do not believe anyone who tries to convince you otherwise. Security is relative there is only more secure and less secure. Furthermore, security is dynamic people, process, and technology all change. The bottom line is that all of these factors make managing security difficult.

Ben Smith and Brian Komar, Microsoft Windows Security Resource Kit, Microsoft Press, 2003.

Deploying Secure 802.11 Wireless Networks with Microsoft Windows describes the combination of technologies in Windows that supports the strongest set of industry standards for secure wireless access that were available at the time of the writing of this book.