Lisa Phifer

When 802.11 pioneer Bob O’Hara retired from Cisco this February, he planned to kick back and enjoy some well-deserved time off. After 16 years in the WLAN industry, O’Hara looked forward to surfing the Web from the comfort of his couch and dabbling in charitable activities. But a phone call from a former Airespace colleague […]

In parts one and two of this series, we illustrated safety measures that individuals and businesses can use to protect themselves from Wi-Fi hotspot threats. Of course, the more secure the hotspot, the better for everyone. Here in part three, we recommend security best practices for Wi-Fi hotspot administrators.Indecent exposure Hotspot operators often take a […]

Vendors urged conference attendees to cut the cord this week at Interop Las Vegas, where a new wave of increasingly innovative 802.11n products made their debut. According to a study announced by Motorola, enterprises providing WLAN access to more than half their workforce grew 20 percent last year. “The technology is ready to evolve from […]

ZyXEL ZyWALL-2WGwww.zyxel.comPrice:$369.99 Pros: Unusually well-connected and versatile; plenty of bang for the buck.Cons: Lacks 802.11n or virtual AP support; a tad complex for SOHOs to configure. Wi-Fi routers are a dime a dozen these days, but products that can also deliver secure Internet access when wired broadband is down or altogether absent are rare. ZyXEL’s […]

Product: AirMagnet’s Ultra Mobile Solution: OQO Model 02/e2 UMPC, running AirMagnet Laptop Analyzer 7.6 and AirMagnet Survey 5.1Manufacturer’s URL: http://www.airmagnet.com/products/umpc Retail Price: $9,654 (PacketLogix, February 2008) Pros: Small but powerful – handier than notebook, hardier than PDA Cons: Pricey if UMPC not otherwise needed, limited real estate I am a long-time fan of AirMagnet’s Laptop and Handheld Analyzers, generally […]

The boon of finding free Wi-Fi access when traveling can come at a high price. A new airport Wi-Fi survey finds that high-risk APs and ad hocs are surprisingly common in terminals both in the U.S. and in Asia. In preparation for this week’s SpectraGuard SAFE release, AirTight Networks sniffed the airwaves at 14 airports […]

According to the “2008 New York City Retail Wireless Security Survey” published by AirDefense last week, retail Wi-Fi devices remain vulnerable despite measures mandated by the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS).   “We are not seeing retailers spending time and money, commensurate with risk,” said Dr. Amit Sinha, Vice President and Chief […]

Many consumers realize that hotspots can be risky, but fail to take even the most basic precautions. Why? Some underestimate the dangers, while others lack the financial and IT support enjoyed by corporate users. Fortunately, anyone can protect himself or herself by taking a few simple, cost-free steps.Don’t talk to strangers You rarely know anything […]

The flaws that make WEP vulnerable were documented back in 2001, prompting development of dozens of cracking tools. Until recently, those attacks focused on traffic captured from active networks, requiring proximity to the targeted business. But lately, focus has shifted to off-site clients that are not connected to any network. By exploiting driver flaws, exposed […]

Each fall, I spend a weekend touring the northern California wine country, enjoying the flurry of activity that comes with every new harvest. This year, I thought I’d try something a little different—an experiment that I hoped would combine my passion for wine with my insatiable curiosity about all things wireless. Like many Wi-Fi enthusiasts, […]

This week, AirTight Networks released a new version of SpectraGuard Enterprise, adding several features to facilitate large-scale WIPS deployment. As WLANs become mission critical and pervasive, enterprises still see security as their biggest challenge. “Version 5.5 improves threat detection while reducing cost and simplifying administration,” said Mike Baglietto, Director of Product Marketing.Leveraging WLAN investment For […]

Chicago was buzzing with WiMAX news last week, from live demonstrations to partnership announcements. One of the most talked-about initiatives at WiMAX World USA: Sprint’s 4G wireless broadband network service, Xohm.   For example, Montreal-based Trellia Networks announced that it had been selected to deliver connectivity and enterprise mobility management solutions for Xohm.  According to […]