Wireless Network Security Spread Spectrum Techniques

Wireless LANs enable users to communicate without the need of wires. In this technology two or more devices use radio frequency to transfer and receive data over air. WLAN network uses a wireless Access Point (AP) to transmit and receive data from users. The major difference between wired LAN and WLAN is WLAN transmits data by using radio waves instead of transmitting electrical signals over a wire. Nowadays wireless networks are gaining popularity as one can use them in many areas such as in classrooms or in workplace due to flexibility and portability of wireless devices. Since wireless devices transmit radio signals over a wider area, so security become major concern. Anyone with proper Wi-Fi device and wireless NIC can intercept radio signals from the nearby wireless network. Therefore, it is important to enhance the network security in order to protect the information of the network. Many security protocols have been designed to protect the wireless networks. But later it has been found that theses protocols were not able to provide complete security. In this paper some of threats that can be made at physical layer and countermeasure using spread spectrum techniques are discussed.