Secure Roaming in 802.11 Networks

WLAN users want to remain connected to the network as they move from place to place in an office building, airport, library, etc. But the original 802.11 standard was not designed to support roaming. However, enhancements to the 802.11 now make it possible to add reliable, secure roaming capabilities to any 802.11-based WLAN. This thorough guide explains how WLAN roaming works and how to implement it. This book explains roaming techniques by using the well-known cellular roaming model as an example. It then discusses the various IEEE efforts to develop a roaming standard for WLANs, especially the 802.11r standards. There is also extensive treatment of roaming topics and concepts such as service set IDs (SSIDs), local roaming, nomadic roaming, and mobile IP addressing. The mechanism of how a 802.11 device can switch from one wireless access point to another is discussed in detail. There is also coverage of roaming WLAN security, including user authentication techniques and a discussion of roaming WLAN vulnerabilities. And youll also find coverage of these essential topics: *General principles of roaming within WLANs *User authentication and verification issues *Security issues and mechanisms *The 802.11r and 802.11k standards and their application to roaming *Roaming between 802.11 networks and other wireless networks such as Bluetooth, WiMax, etc *Proprietary approaches to security Clearly written and profusely illustrated, this book is an essential reference for any network or IT professional who needs to understand how to add roaming capabilities to their WLANs.Greenlaw, Raymond is the author of 'Secure Roaming in 802.11 Networks ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780750682114 and ISBN 0750682116.