Two roads to wireless management

Opinions abound on how best to provide a secure, well-managed wireless network. Products can focus on security or management, from a perspective of users-in or infrastructure-out.

The latest offerings from Bluesocket and Wavelink exemplify various approaches and deployments. Bluesocket’s Wireless Gateway 2100 appliance sits between the wired and wireless networks, providing security through a variety of authentication and encryption techniques. The solution also boasts client-roaming across Bluesocket-connected subnets and impressive user management features, but it provides no real AP (access point) management capabilities.

Wavelink Mobile Manager 5.6.2 is wireless network management software that provides seamless native-interface management of a wide variety of access points, along with strong reporting and management alert features. Its security features don’t nearly match those of Bluesocket, however.

Bluesocket Wireless Gateway 2100

Bluesocket’s Wireless Gateway 2100 provides ample security in a single box, with multiple encryption types, multiple authentication methods, and a role-based user model that can cover situations ranging from factory floors to public hotspots. It would be nice if roaming between subnets was more seamless, but as a security system, Bluesocket is top-notch. However, if you want to manage APs, not just users, you’ll need to explore a different product.

Installing the 2100 begins simply, as the device is set to take an IP address from an available DHCP server. Blusocket doesn’t go out to discover access points. Instead, it immediately shows all users connected to any APs.

Administrators manage the 2100 via a browser interface. After the obligatory exchange of certificates, the software launches a straightforward tabbed interface through which administrators can establish users, groups, policies, VPNs, and other security parameters.

Building the parameters for users and groups is an uncomplicated process of filling in information within form boxes. The logical organization of Bluesocket’s security schemes revolve around roles, with varying levels of permissions, destinations, bandwidth, and services allotted to each role.

User authentication is achieved a number of ways: though local (Bluesocket) means, including MAC (media access control) address access lists or user name and log-in; through pass-through authentication to a central method, which might include RADIUS, LDAP, NTLM (NT LAN Manager), or 802.1x; or through a combination of local and pass-through methods. Local methods are established and tied to roles via the tabbed interface.

Bluesocket makes setting up VLANs easy with a fairly simple VLAN creation and management interface. Setting up, configuring, and installing certificates is complex and requires a number of steps, but Bluesocket’s documentation walks you through the process directly.

Bluesocket’s reports are simple but have the basic information an administrator would want. Some configuration is allowed, but the information is pretty basic.

Two or more Bluesocket devices can be set up on a single network to provide redundancy in the event of fail-over or to allow users to maintain a secure connection while roaming between subnets. Setting up the relationships is an easy, four-step process, and there is no discernable change in behavior within the gateways.