Network Validation, Everything You Need To Know

Firstly, what does Network Validation mean? This means, without the jargon that your secure wireless network is trustworthy. Ensuring you have network validation, allows you to predict any failures or faults before they occur before they do, understand the reasoning behind any that may happen and diagnose any unexpected or unusual network behaviour. Many IT departments are relying on reactive behaviours when it comes to their managed network security and validation. They wait for a failure or fault to occur, source the solution, fix it and then leave the issue there. However, this isn’t enough and in today’s day and age where nearly everything is being held within your network, it’s best practice to ensure you’re acting proactively. Network validation allows you to do this, but to do so you need to have an understanding of everything about not just your business wireless network security, but about your overall network, who can access it, how etc... Afterall, who wouldn’t prefer to understand why the faults happened in the first place to prevent them from happening again. Acting proactively can also result in a more cost-effective solution for your business, saving you money in the long run.

But, we hear you asking, how do you get to this stage? Well, wireless network authentication methods are the first step in ensuring you can validate your network, ensuring you have confidence in your wireless network security. The three main methods used in authentication services in network security and are;

1. Open Authentication – This is the simplest method as it only requires the end device to be aware of the SSID. Essentially, as long as the device knows the SSID, then it will be allowed into the network. However, this method does have its draws backs, such as that the SSID is usually broadcast.
2. Shared Authentication – This method is often used with both small businesses and individuals alike. This method uses a shared key that gives both sides a connection, and only if they match is the device then allowed to connect to the network.
3. EAP (Extensive Authentication Protocol) authentication – This method is used frequently with large businesses and enterprises and is often considered to be the best method. The EAP method uses an authentication server that is queried for authentication by using a wide birth of credential options prior to allowing the device to connect to the network.

Ensuring you have network device authentication protocols in place is one of the vital steps to ensure data security in wireless networks. Open authentication is the most often used as it is simpler, shared authentication is used most commonly with individuals and small businesses and EAPs with enterprises. Here at network consultancy, we are able to discuss with you not just the simple matter of which authentication to use, but your VPN configuration, firewalls, and hardware installation and ensure that overall you have the best security for wireless networks available.

To ensure you are not only reactive with your home wireless network security, but it is also always beneficial to ensure that you conduct a network audit and this is something we can do for you. This is an analysis of all the ins and outs of your wireless network security. By doing this, we can identify where potential faults could stem from, and how to prevent them from happening. Acting proactively ensures less to no downtime with your network and allows you to conduct your business stress-free. 

With all of this said, a network audit is not the one-stop-shop solution to ensuring your network is validated, and that your business wireless network security won’t run into any faults. To ensure your network is continuously validated, your need to be continuously checking it. From the overall health of the network, software, and hardware, to even those who are using it. However, this can become a costly venture for a business. This is why reaching out to us, Network Consultancy can prove to be a cost-effective long-term solution.

So, get in touch today to find out more!