As a small business it is imperative that you have a secure wireless network. Setting up a good wireless network can be a complicated process; this is especially true when you have to configure each network component. Understanding these encryption protocols is important, but you only have to worry about so much when you work with a Honolulu IT support service.
One place to start is with your wireless router. This is the system that connected your local area network, or LAN, to the Internet. A router will make it possible for you to encrypt your information as it goes out of your system and back into your network. This encryption through the router will make it difficult to read. This process helps to prevent hackers from stealing information or manipulating information.
Hawaii network support can help you to create a secure wireless network and for most small businesses this means picking the data encryption protocol that you want to use. Picking an encryption protocol is going to depend on many factors, the first being, what is best for your network.
WPA is the Wi-Fi Protected Access encryption protocol. This system was first created in 1999 due to serious flaws being in the original wireless encryption systems; which was known as WEP, or Wired Equivalent Protocol. Many wireless routers still use this protocol, but it should not be used as network support for a business.
After WPA, several other protocols were introduced. There are known as WPA2 and WPA2-PSK. The ‘PSK’ stands for pre-shared key. The WPA2 is considered even more secure than the WPA and it uses AES, which stands for Advanced Encryption Standard. This is government grade encryption program that is one of the most secure out there.
There are also a few more encryption programs like WPA2-ENT. With these IT support systems additional security features for your router aren’t needed. They are often easier to set up and work really good for the average Hawaii small business. Most of them work with a simple Windows Server; which means you probably already have the programming that you need to make it work.
Encryption protocol is really only the first step in router security. For your small business you also need to consider VPN support, firewalls, and other prevention services. Working with an IT support services company you will be able to determine which services your company really needs and get the support on how to get them set up.