Authentication Solutions

How do you administer better security? You add a number of very carefully
tailored authentication solutions so that only authorized wireless
network users can access your WLAN

Authentication solutions are built primarily on creating more secure:


Usernames/passwords

Biometrics

Smart cards

PKI

Most solutions rely on a combination of these technologies to provide
the most effective method of authentication. For example, when your
only means of authentication relies on using just usernames/passwords,
then it is extremely important to have a policy that designates some
critical criteria:


Minimum password length

Specification of alpha or numeric characters in the password (i.e.,
Joe324Frog)

Password should not contain either a name or dictionary term (in contrast
to the example above, your username should be something like:
J34D46Glop)

Username/password expiration times (forces the user to change the
password so it doesn’t become stale or intercepted)

Personal smart cards

Biometric devices (so you know exactly who can access your network)

Public key infrastructure (uses a criterion where only the sender can
encrypt transmission data in a specific way, so that you know who is
sending you information)