Wireless security: Moxa offers WPA2 Personal and Enterprise

Among wireless options, Moxa Technologies currently supports WPA2 Personal and Enterprise, good for security, the company says.

By Mark T. Hoske July 14, 2009

Get support for more IEEE 802.11 standards and higher security levels with the Moxa Technologies AWK-3121 wireless device, the company says .

Among wireless options, Moxa Technologies currently supports WPA2 Personal and Enterprise, explains Jim Toepper, Moxa Americas product marketing manager, Industrial Wireless and Connectivity Group. Toepper told Control Engineering :

-This level of encryption and authentication offers the best security commercially available for wireless connections. It is also considered best practice.

-Encryption method is AES, the government standard, and the authentication is IEEE 802.1x, which means it uses a Radius server; 802.1x means that only username and password can be communicated over the network until the client is granted access. Once access is granted, the client will have normal use of the network.

-Having authentication on the inside of the network lessens the likelihood of someone hacking into the network.

-WPA2 Personal mode or WPA2-PSK (Pre shared key) does the authentication at the edge of the network. This, by definition, is more risky because of the accessibility of the Wireless server.

For more information, there’s a Moxa Wi-Fi whitepaper, "Site Planning and Wireless Network Installation ," which explains why someone should choose wireless networking, site planning, which technologies match what application needs, distance, coverage, and antennae, site survey tools, and other tips.

See also in Control Engineering , System Integration: Wireless Standards .

– Mark T. Hoske, editor in chief, Control Engineering , www.controleng.com


Author Bio: Mark Hoske has been Control Engineering editor/content manager since 1994 and in a leadership role since 1999, covering all major areas: control systems, networking and information systems, control equipment and energy, and system integration, everything that comprises or facilitates the control loop. He has been writing about technology since 1987, writing professionally since 1982, and has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree from UW-Madison.