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WiFi Manager

WLAN Management
WiFi Manager is an integrated management & security solution for WLANs:
  • Multi-vendor/model access point monitoring and management
  • Easy and uniform configuration templates
  • Visually manage multi-site, distributed environments
  • Robust reporting abilitiess
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Rogue Access Point Detection

Rogue Access Point detection is a two step process starting with discovering the presence of an Access Point in the network and then proceeding to identify whether it is a rogue or not.

Step 1: Discovering the AP

Some of the very commonly used techniques for AP discovery are:

  • RF scanning
  • AP scanning
  • Using wired side inputs

RF scanning: Most WLAN IDS vendors follow this technique. Re-purposed access points that do only packet capture and analysis (a.k.a RF sensors) will be plugged all over the wired network. These sensors will be quick to detect any wireless device operating in the area and can alert the WLAN administrator. But the draw back of these sensors is the possibility of dead zones, which are not covered by the sensors. If a rogue Access Point finds its place in any of these dead zones, it might go unnoticed till more sensors are added.

AP Scanning: Few Access Point vendors have this functionality of detecting neighboring Access Points. If you deploy such Access Points in your WLAN it will automatically discover APs operating in the nearby area and expose the data through its web interface as well as its MIBs. Though it is a very useful the ability of the AP to scan neighboring devices is limited to a very short range. Rogue APs operating outside this coverage area will go unnoticed. Moreover this works only for those who deploy APs with such functionality.

Wired Side Inputs: Most network management software use this technique to discover Access Points. These software use multiple protocols to detect devices connected in the LAN, including SNMP, Telnet, CDP (Cisco Discovery Protocol – specific to Cisco devices) etc. This approach is very reliable and proven as it can detect an AP anywhere in the LAN irrespective of its physical location. Moreover, wireless NMSs can not only discover the AP but also constantly monitor it for health and availability. The bandwidth utilization of the AP over a period of time can be obtained and plotted in a graphical format. For ease of troubleshooting the operator can set thresholds on various AP parameters to get notified prior to the occurrence of a fault. The limitation with this method is that any AP that doesn’t support SNMP/Telnet etc., will go unnoticed by the network management software.

AP Discovery Method WLAN IDS Systems WLAN NMS
RF Scan
AP Scan
Wired Inputs

Step 2: Identifying whether the discovered AP is a rogue access point or not

Once an AP is discovered, the next step is to identify whether it is a rogue access point or not. One way to do this is to use pre-configured authorized list of APs. Any newly detected AP that falls outside the authorized list would be tagged rogue. Some of the different ways in which IT managers can populate the authorized list are:

  • Authorized MAC
  • Authorized SSID
  • Authorized Vendor
  • Authorized Media Type
  • Authorized Channel

Authorized MAC: IT administrators can import ACL settings to WiFi Manager or type in the MAC address of authorized Access Points in the network. This enables the rogue detection tool to alert WLAN administrators whenever AP with a different MAC is detected.

Authorized SSIDs: Enterprises would in most cases standardize on the authorized SSIDs that needs to be used. These SSIDs can be fed to the rogue detection tool so that it alerts WLAN administrators whenever an AP with a different SSID is detected.

Authorized Vendor: Many enterprises standardize their WLAN gear and prefer to add only those vendor devices as they grow. This enables the rogue detection tool to alert WLAN administrators whenever AP from a vendor other than the one standardized is detected.

Authorized Radio Media Type: Enterprises sometimes standardize on 802.11 a,b,g, or bg Access Points. This enables the rogue detection tool to alert WLAN administrators whenever AP with different radio media type is detected.

Authorized Channel: Sometimes enterprises may want their APs to operate on select channels. This enables the rogue detection tool to alert WLAN administrators whenever AP operating in a different channel is detected.