Building a Virtual Wireless Network

Any computer network of devices that is built on virtual networking hardware and functions as a single entity is referred to as a virtual wireless network. Utilizing network virtualization techniques, it is realized. Use of protocol-based virtual networks (such VPN, VLAN, and VPLSs) and those based on virtual devices are a few of these techniques (examples include hypervisors and virtual machines).

The fact that virtual networks share the same MAC address and channel is a unique feature of them (Westcott & Coleman, 2014). Building wireless virtual networks is expensive, and some companies rent them out. However, there are ways in which one can minimize the cost of construction of these networks, effectively eliminating them.

Modern laptops come with a wireless access components that may be activated using appropriate networking software. Such software are used to set up wireless hotspots thus creating a virtual wireless device at no cost. Some of such software include MyPublicWiFi and Virtual Router, which operate on the Microsoft Windows Operating Systems. One may also use the netsh commands on the Windows terminal to allow the setting up of a hotspot on a network-enabled laptop or computer (Franiatte, 2014, p. 61). These methods are costless and efficient. An ad-hoc network could be created to allow computers to use the same resource such as the Internet on a shared MAC and IP address.

One may also use a hypervisor to connect to a virtual network. It is a computer software that creates and runs virtual machines. Some examples of virtual machines that are obtainable at little or no cost include Oracle VM Server for x86, VMWare, and VirtualBox among many others. These are software products that are obtainable from their official websites online.

Types of Networking Topologies, WLAN Protection Mechanisms and their Flaws. Importance of 802.11 Medium Access.

Network Topologies

Network topology is an arrangement of different elements of a computer network in either logical or physical structure. There are various types of network topologies in existence. The basic categorization of these structures are the physical and logical topologies. The former relates to the physical connection of devices while the latter refers to the structure in which the signal flows across the network. The basic network topologies are eight in number. They are: Star, point-to-point, bus, mesh, circular or ring, tree, daisy chain and hybrid. Logical and physical topologies may be related. For instance, a token ring network is categorized as a logical ring topology. However, it qualifies under the physical star topology.

WLAN Protection Mechanisms and their Flaws

Wireless networks have the advantage of flexible scalability, cheaper implementation, and mobility. However, their security must be high in order to prevent unauthorized access of private information from one device to another. Three main protection mechanisms have been devised. They are WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and WPA2 (Barker & Wallace, 2015). WEP was the earliest of them all. It was discontinued because it was difficult to configure and its security is easily breakable. WPA was developed afterwards, bringing and boasted of pre-shared key that made access more secure. However, various breaching mechanisms have been discovered, thus making it less trusted. WPA2 adopted the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and is the most secure.

Importance of 802.11 Medium Access

The 802.11 is an IEEE standard defining protocols for the Wireless access of networks (Bianchi, Lyakhov, & Khorov, 2013).

References

Barker, K., & Wallace, K. (2015). CompTIA Network+ N10-006 Cert Guide. Pearson IT Certification.

Bianchi, G., Lyakhov, A., & Khorov, E. (2013). Wireless Access Flexibility: First International Workshop, WiFlex 2013, Kaliningrad, Russia, September 4-6, 2013, Proceedings. Springer.

Franiatte, M. (2014). Anti-Cheating Note and Solution: Being Competitive in Black Ops II Multiplayer. Michael Franiatte.

Westcott, D. A., & Coleman, D. D. (2014). Certified Wireless Network Administrator. John WIley & Sons.