Security in a Community Wireless Network

One of the inherent features of wireless technology is that the RF signals don’t stop at your walls. From an enterprise perspective, this is viewed as a weakness. However, from a community wireless networking perspective, this is viewed as our primary advantage and benefit. RF signals know no boundaries.We can’t see them, but they’re everywhere.This means that the wireless network that provides bandwidth to users in a community also has some inherent security risks that need to be considered.

Every Computer Needs to Be Protected

Firewalls placed between the DSL/Cable connection and the community wireless network can be configured to block typical attacks coming from the “outside world.” For example, the wireless network can be protected from port scanning, worm attacks, and other malicious activity coming from the Internet by enabling a firewall at the point of entry of the DSL/Cable connection.