Wireless Internet Broadband

Wireless Internet-Based Broadband

• Wireless technology uses the unlicensed radio spectrum for sending and receiving data.
• The unlicensed spectrum is accessible to anyone with wireless tech and a wireless router.
• Wireless access was initially limited by local transmission range, usually within 100 feet of a wireless router with a wired internet connection.
• Municipal Wi-Fi networks in cities often provide high-speed internet access for free or at a reduced cost.
• Some municipal Wi-Fi networks cater exclusively to city employees such as police and firefighters, enabling them to perform specific job functions remotely.
• Subscribers connect to municipal Wi-Fi using a wireless modem, which offers a more powerful radio and directional antenna compared to standard wireless adapters.
• Service providers may offer the required equipment at no cost or for a fee, similar to DSL or cable modems.
• Cellular service represents another wireless WAN technology used for connecting remote sites and users where other WAN access methods are unavailable.
• Users of smartphones and tablets can utilize cellular data for email, web browsing, app downloads, and video streaming.
• Various devices, including phones, computers, and routers, utilize radio waves to connect to the internet via cellular technology, communicating through nearby mobile phone towers.
• The provider's antenna is larger and situated on a tower within miles of the phone, while devices have smaller radio antennas.

3G/4G/5G Wireless Technologies

• These are abbreviations for 3rd, 4th, and the emerging 5th generation mobile wireless technologies, and they support wireless internet access.
• 4G bandwidths support download speeds of up to 450 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
• The emerging 5G standard is expected to deliver speeds from 100 Mbps to 10 Gbps and faster.

Long-Term Evolution (LTE)

• LTE represents a newer, faster technology as part of the fourth generation (4G) technology.

Satellite Internet

• Typically used in rural or remote locations where cable and DSL are unavailable.
• Satellite internet access necessitates a satellite dish, two modems (uplink and downlink), and coaxial cables connecting the dish and modem.
• A router links to a satellite dish directed toward a service provider satellite, positioned in geosynchronous orbit in space.
• Signals travel approximately 35,786 kilometers (22,236 miles) to the satellite and back.
• A clear view towards the equator, where most orbiting satellites are located, is a primary installation requirement due to potential signal interference from trees and heavy rain.
• Satellite internet provides two-way data communication for uploads and downloads.
• Upload speeds are about one-tenth of download speeds, which range from 5 Mbps to 25 Mbps.

WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)

• Emerging recently and defined by IEEE standard 802.16.
• WiMAX offers high-speed broadband service with wireless access, delivering extensive coverage akin to a cellular network rather than localized Wi-Fi hotspots.
• WiMAX functions similarly to Wi-Fi but faster, spanning greater distances, and serving more users.
• Users must subscribe to an ISP with a WiMAX tower within 30 miles of their location to access a WiMAX network.
• This also involves acquiring a WiMAX receiver along with a specific encryption code to gain access to the base station.
• LTE, cable, or DSL for fixed access have largely replaced WiMAX for mobile access.

VPN Technology

• Security concerns emerge when remote office workers or teleworkers utilize broadband services to access the corporate WAN through the internet.
• Broadband services offer Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections to a network device at the corporate site to address these concerns.
• A VPN is an encrypted connection between private networks via a public network.
• Instead of a dedicated Layer 2, VPNs use virtual connections known as VPN tunnels.
• VPN tunnels are routed through the internet, connecting the company’s private network with the remote user or site.

Benefits of using VPN

• Cost savings: VPNs enable organizations to connect remote offices and remote users to the main corporate site using the global internet, eliminating the need for dedicated WAN links and modem banks.
• Security: VPNs offer high security using advanced encryption and authentication protocols, safeguarding data from unauthorized access.
• Scalability: VPNs utilize the internet infrastructure within ISPs and devices, enabling easy addition of new users and large amount corporations can add large amounts of capacity without adding significant infrastructure.
• Compatibility with broadband: VPN technology is supported by broadband services like DSL and cable, enabling mobile workers and telecommuters to use their high-speed home internet to access corporate networks.
• Cost effective: High-speed broadband connections of business-grade offer a cost-effective solution for connecting remote offices.
• Site-to-site VPNs: VPN settings configured on routers with clients unaware their data is encrypted.
• Remote Access: User initiates remote access with HTTPS or VPN client software.

ISP Connectivity Options

Single-Homed ISP Connectivity

• Organizations use in cases where internet access is not crucial to their operations.
• Employs a single link, providing no redundancy, making it the least expensive option.

Dual-Homed ISP Connectivity

• Dual-homed ISP connectivity: organizations use in situations where internet access is somewhat crucial.
• The client connects to the same ISP using two links, providing both redundancy and load balancing.
• In case of one link failing, the remaining link carries the traffic.
• When both links are functional, traffic load is balanced between them.
• The organization loses internet connectivity if the ISP experiences an outage.

Multihomed ISP Connectivity

• It is used by organizations when internet access is crucial.
• The client connects to two different ISPs.
• It increases redundancy and enables load-balancing but can be expensive.

Dual-Multihomed ISP Connectivity

• It is the most resilient topology.
• The client connects with redundant links to multiple ISPs.
• Provides the most redundancy possible.
• It is the most expensive option.

Broadband Solutions Compared

• Fiber-optic cable: The ideal broadband solution that is directly connected to the client network,
• Locations may have only one option like cable or DSL, or broadband wireless.
• Cable: Shared bandwidth which results in slow upstream data rates during peak usage.
• DSL: Limited bandwidth with distance sensitivity; lower upload rate proportionately.
• Fiber-to-the-Home: Fiber installation directly installed at the home.
• Cellular/Mobile: Coverage issues and limited bandwidth in smaller offices.
• Municipal Wi-Fi: Most municipalities do not have a mesh Wi-Fi network
• Satellite: High costs and limited capacity per subscriber, suitable when no other options available.

Virtual Private Network

• To secure network traffic between sites and users, use virtual private networks (VPNs).
• Creates end-to-end private network connections.
• Transfers information within a private network but is transported through a public network encrypted to keep the data confidential.
• Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) firewall helps organizations provide secure, high-performance connectivity.
• VPNs and always-on access for remote branches and mobile users and SOHO (small office home office.
• VPNenabled router can provide VPN connectivity back to the corporate main site.
• Cisco AnyConnect is software that remote workers can use for VPN connection with the main site.

VPN Benefits

• Support encryption through Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPNs to secure network traffic between sites.
• Cost Savings: cost-effective, high-bandwidth technologies, organizations use VPNs to reduce connectivity costs while increasing remote connection bandwidth.
• Security: high-level security through encryption and authentication protocols protect data.
• Scalability: using the internet, making it easy to add new users and VPNs can be implemented across a wide variety of WAN link options.
• Site-to-Site VPN: VPN terminating devices, also called VPN gateways, are preconfigured with information to establish a secure tunnel VPN traffic is only encrypted between these devices.
• Remote-Access VPN: A remote-access VPN is dynamically created to establish a secure connection between a client and a VPN terminating device.

Enterprise and Service Provider VPNs

• Enterprise VPNs enterprise-managed are a common solution for securing enterprise traffic across the internet.
• Site-to-site and remote access VPNs are created and managed through IPsec and SSL VPNs.
• Service Provider VPNs provider services managed over provider network.
• The provider uses Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) at Layer 2 or Layer 3 to create secure channels between an enterprise’s sites effectively segregating traffic from other customers.

Remote Access VPNs

• Remote-access VPNs enable remote and mobile users to securely connect to the enterprise through an encrypted tunnel
• Replicate enterprise security access, including e-mail and network apps
• Allow contractors and partners limited access to servers, web pages, or files

Types of VPN Connections

Clientless VPN connection

• Secured using a web browser SSL connection.
• SSL protects HTTP traffic (HTTPS).
• Also protects email protocols such as IMAP and POP3.
• HTTPS employs HTTP using an SSL tunnel.
• HTTP data exchanged after SSL connection.

Client-based VPN connection

• VPN client software such as Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client (install on user’s device).
• Authentication to destination VPN gateway
• Authorized users access applications and corporate files.

SSL VPNs

• When connecting to VPN gateways use Transport Layer Security (TLS).
• TLS is newer version of SSL (expressed as SSL/TLS).
• SSL uses public key infrastructure and digital certificates to authenticate peers.
• Both IPsec and SSL VPN technologies accessing networks and resources and depend on access types of IT processes.

Comparing IPSec and SSL Remote Access

Applications Supported

• IPsec: Supports all IP-based applications.
• SSL: Limited to file sharing and web-based Apps.

Authentication strength

• IPsec: Strong with 2-way authentication via shared keys or digital certificates.
• SSL: Moderate using one- or two-way authentication.

Encryption Strength

• IPsec: Strong, with key lengths ranging from 56 to 256 bits.
• SSL: Moderate to Strong with key lengths ranging from 40 to 256 bits.

Connection Complexity

• IPsec: Medium, requires a preinstalled VPN client.
• SSL: Low, only requiring a web browser.

Site-to-Site IPsec VPNs

• Connect networks across an untrusted network, and hosts send/receive unencrypted TCP/IP traffic through terminating device (VPN gateway).
• A VPN gateway is a router or firewall.
• Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) is a standalone firewall.
• Combines firewall, VPN concentrator, intrusion prevention into software.
• VPN gateway encapsulates and encrypts outbound traffic sent through a VPN tunnel over the internet.

GRE over IPsec

• Generic Routing Encapsulation is a non-secure site-to-site VPN tunneling protocol that encapsulates various network layer protocols.
• Supports multicast and broadcast traffic for routing protocols, but lacks encryption.
• Standard IPsec VPN can only create secure tunnels for unicast traffic routing protocols; do not exchange routing information over an IPsec VPN.
• Tunnel terms include passenger protocol, carrier protocol, and transport protocol.
• Transport protocol forwards packaets.
• Passenger protocol is encapsulated by GRE.
• Carrier Protocol encapsulates the original packet