How to plug encryption into the wireless security effort

Securing wireless networks and devices often requires a range of solutions and tools, from plugging in virtual private networks to boosting user knowledge of the dangers of hooking up to unsecured access points. A solid tool that many enterprises are turning to these days is encryption, and given the enterprise migration to Windows XP, many IT leaders and network managers are likely working on making it happen. The first step is to make sure you have the right security updates installed, such as SP2, then determine what encryption the access point/route will support. There are three potential options at this point: Wire equivalency privacy (WEP) in 64-bit and 128-bit versions; WiFi protected access (WPA), which is viewed as more secure; and the next level up, WPA2, which was ratified as the 802.11i standard two years ago. Find out what you need to know about each, the level of protection provided and what potential integration and networking hurdles you might discover before you start rolling out that all-important encryption feature. Article