Because wireless networks are particularly vulnerable to attacks, security is a primary concern. Wireless networks can be hacked by “war drivers“—who cruise around looking for a wireless signal to exploit. Usually war drivers are just looking for free Internet access, but sometimes they’re looking for confidential information such as credit card numbers.

Although a wireless network can never be totally secure, there are important steps you can take to minimize the risk:

1. Know how far your signal extends.
When you install a wireless network near public areas, it’s very important to know where your signal is going. If it’s easily picked up outside your business—perhaps from a parked car across the street or from the building next door—then you’ve got a security problem. If you send a strong wireless signal into the coffee house next door to your business, chances are someone is going to try to take advantage of it.

A wireless analyzer can help you map exactly where your access points are sending their signals. This can help you arrange the access points in your network in order to minimize signals in public areas and maximize signals to your users. A wireless analyzer can also spot unauthorized wireless access points attached to your network as well as other wireless networks broadcasting in your area. A wireless analyzer may be a freestanding application or may be part of a wireless management suite. Newer wireless mesh products often feature cloud-based management that includes wireless analysis.

2. Separate your wired network from your wireless network.
To add a layer of security to your wireless network, separate it from your wired network by gathering all your wireless access points into a separate LAN connected to the DMZ port of your firewall. This makes the wireless network accessible, yet safely outside of your main wired LAN. Once you separate the wireless from the wired network, insist that anything that needs to be kept secure stay on the wired network. This includes confidential data such as credit card numbers, sensitive financial data, or corporate secrets of any kind. You can, however, freely use the wireless network for less-sensitive applications such as notebook computers for taking notes at meetings, PCs for temporary workers, computer hookups for trade show booths, and bar-code readers for inventory.

3. Use encryption to lock out unauthorized users.
Any wireless signal, no matter how heavily encrypted, can be broken into eventually. Encryption isn’t perfect, but it can go a long way towards discouraging the casual hacker—the trick is to make breaking into your network so difficult that the hackers don’t bother. Be sure to use encryption and, rather than easily hacked WEP, use higher-level encryption schemes such as Extensible Authentication Protocol-Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS).

4. Have a security plan and implement it. Seriously.
With a wireless network, as in any other network, it’s important to have a security plan and then implement it. The biggest security problem with wireless security is that network administrators often fail to take even the simplest of steps to ensure security, do not activate encryption at all, or fail to change the default passwords. When you fail to take these basic precautions, you leave your wireless network extremely vulnerable to casual hacking.

Yes, a wireless network is less secure than a wired network, but if you pay attention to your wireless network and implement a sensible security plan, you won’t find yourself blindsided by its vulnerabilities.

Headsets are ideal for all types of environments. Our entire inbound and outbound our sales team uses them, and when you’re on the phone for hours at a time, the last thing you want is a crick in your neck. Also, more and more states are prohibiting drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving (to see if your state is on the list check out the Governors Highway Safety Association State Cell Phone and Texting Laws).

Choosing the right headset depends on your needs.

For the office
First, do you need a monaural, binaural, or stereo headset? Monaural headsets have only one earpiece, making it easy to have over-the-phone conversations as well as face-to-face interactions, such as in a busy call center setting (see models HS402A or 64338-31). Binaural headsets have two earpieces, which are on the same audio channel (2009-820-105). They are great when a user needs to have long, over-the-phone conversations. Stereo headpieces also have two earpieces, but operate on distinct audio channels. These last types of earpieces are best for listening to music on your iPod® or other MP3 player.

Secondly, comfort is a big factor, especially if you have to wear a headset all day. Do you want an over-the-head model? Or would you prefer to wear your headset behind the ear? Headsets with two earpieces are almost always over-the-head models. For long-wear applications and optimum sound quality, these are a good choice. Over-the-ear models are better for in-office interactions, or for when you are on and off the phone all day (26089-11 or M140). The sound quality is still excellent, but they enable you to also be aware of your environment.

Thirdly, choose an amplifier that matches your telephone and the way you work. The Two-Prong Carbon Amplifier (HS101A) is designed for phones that have a two-prong headset port.

It’s always great to research headsets that are noise-canceling models, so they reduce background sounds. They are ideal for busy office environments.

For the car

Why not have the best of both worlds? Perfect for mobile professionals, the Plantronics Voyager™ 510SL Bluetooth Headset System gives you the ability to receive phone calls on either your Bluetooth mobile phone or your desktop phone.

You have fast and easy access to both cellular calls and callers on your main office line—without having to switch headsets. “Smart” technology knows which device you’re using and enables you to take calls from either device at the touch of a button. No need to switch headsets!

Lastly, it’s always great to research headsets that are noise-canceling models, so they reduce background sounds. See our entire line of headsets; including Bluetooth, by going to the Voice Communications section of BlackBox.com.

When VGA (Video Graphics Array) was introduced by IBM® in 1987 for PC video display, it was a huge improvement over the earlier EGA DB9 connector. VGA, the basic format, supports resolutions up to 640 x 480 with 256 colors. You can find it on many video cards and computer monitors.

SVGA (Super VGA), EGA, and later formats continued the drive to provide ever-sharper images and greater color depth. Plus, over the years, VESA standards have brought structure and interoperability to a market that was becoming a mixture of often incompatible SVGA graphics cards.

Later formats supported even higher resolutions—oftentimes, rivaling those of digital 1080i and 1080p displays. These later formats include SXGA (1280 x 1024), UXGA (1600 x 1200) and WUXGA (1920 x 1200).

Other analog video connectors:

Composite video—Typically presented as a yellow RCA connector, the analog Composite interface has been the standard interface for consumer TV equipment. As its name suggests, Composite video has the luminance (black and white), chrominance (color) and sync pulses combined in one signal.

S-Video—Also called Y/C video, S-Video was introduced to overcome some shortfalls associated with Composite video. It’s a less encoded video format, transmitting color (C) and luminance (Y) information separately to produce a sharper image.

Component video—This YCbCr connector separates the signal more than S-Video for less interference and improved video. In addition to Y (luminance) signals, it transmits color information as two signals: B-Y (Blue minus luminance, also called Cb or Pb) and R-Y (Red minus luminance, also called Cr or Pr).

Go Long! Alternatives to analog video cable extension

Extending video long distances isn’t often possible or practical using standard VGA or coax cabling. With Composite, Component, and other analog video cabling, frequency losses result in deteriorated video quality. Generally, with these cables, the shorter distance the better.

Extenders that extend analog video over UTP copper or fiber optic cable solve this problem, enabling you to use backbone or horizontal wiring for your long-distance extensions. Depending on the extender model, video input can be VGA, Component, S-Video, Composite, or BNC coax. They’re a great alternative to using analog video or coax cables, which often can’t be easily pulled through tight conduits and can be more difficult to terminate. What’s really nice is, in most buildings, copper or fiber cabling is already installed to service data communications.

Fiber-based extenders provide higher bandwidth and interference-free extensions at distances much farther than copper-type CATx extenders. But there’s the matter of cost. CATx extenders that use cabling and connectors cost considerably less than fiber cabling components.

Another thing to consider: Coax- or VGA-cabled extension installations usually require a separate RS-232 or other line for transmitting the control signal for the display—yet another cable to fit into the conduit. CATx cable, however, delivers both the video and control signals through a single transmission medium.

But what if you have long runs of coax installed? An extender like the MediaCento RF that uses low-cost RF cabling to broadcast video to remote HDTV screens may be the answer. Supporting both VGA and Component video source input, the MediaCentro RF encodes and modulates signals for single-channel RF transmission over existing coax wiring. The QAM tuner at the screen enables the reception of the high-definition MediaCentro RF channel, so no set-up box or other piece of hardware is required.

Resources

Buyer’s Guide: Analog Extenders