Objectives

• Understand wireless modes of connection, including:

• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth

• Explain the need for Wireless Access Points to

create wireless hotspots
• Understand how encryption is used to secure data
across network connections
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Starter
• How are wireless technologies used by people and
electronic devices today?
• Name at least six different products they are used in
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Starter
• Wi-Fi
• Laptops, some desktops, tablets, smartphones, many IoT
devices such as smart speakers and smart lights
• Bluetooth
• Wireless headphones, connecting phones to car
entertainment systems, keyboards
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Bluetooth
• Bluetooth is a wireless method of
connecting devices together over a
short distance
• It uses radio waves at 2.4 GHz
• Devices are typically within
10 metres of each other
• Devices need to be paired
to connect them together
• What does this mean?
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Pairing
• Pairing Bluetooth devices means the following:
• A persistent link is made between the two devices
• A device can ask for a passkey in order to pair to it – this
gives a layer of security like a password
• Passkeys only need to be entered once and will be
remembered by devices that are paired
• When a paired device is close enough to
communicate it will say that it is connected
• This means that data can be communicated between
the devices
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Wireless transmission
• Commonly uses radio waves for communication
• Susceptible to interference from objects and other
nearby electronic or radio devices
• How does your wireless signal strength vary throughout your
own home or school?
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Wireless NICs
• Built into every networked device capable of
connecting to a wireless network
• These include:
• PCs
• Smart phones
• Wireless speakers

• What does a
wireless NIC connect to?
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Wireless access point

• A wireless Access Point (AP) is a device
that allows wireless devices to connect to
a wired network using Wi-Fi
• The AP usually connects to a router
via a wired network
• Home Wi-Fi routers often combine the functions
of switch, router and wireless access point in
one box
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

802.11 standards
• 802.11b/g/n uses the 2.4GHz frequency
• 802.11a/n/ac uses the 5GHz frequency

Advantages Disadvantages

More interference from other

Greater range and
2.4GHz devices as this is a crowded
coverage
frequency

Less crowded space

with 23 non-overlapping Less able to penetrate
5GHz
channels with higher through walls
data transmission rates
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Intercepting data
• Data that is transmitted over a
network can be intercepted
• Any intercepted data can be
read and understood unless
measures are taken to
prevent it from
being interpreted
• These measures are
known as encryption
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Worksheet 3
• Complete Task 1 on Worksheet 3
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Encryption
• Encryption is the encoding of data so that it can no
longer be easily understood
• A simple shift cipher might encode “Box345” as
follows:
Encryption algorithm
“Box345”   “Dqz567”
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Encryption terminology
• Plaintext: the original message to be encrypted
• Ciphertext: the encrypted message
• Encryption: the process of converting plaintext into
ciphertext
• Key: a sequence of numbers used to encrypt or
decrypt, often data using a mathematical formula
• Encryption algorithm: the formula for encrypting the
plaintext
• Two inputs: plaintext and a secret key
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Encryption techniques
• Private key (Symmetric encryption)
• A single key is used to encrypt and decrypt a message and
must be given to the recipient of your message to decrypt
the data
• Public key (Asymmetric encryption)
• Two keys are used - one (public key) to encrypt and the other
(private key) to decrypt data
• This is more secure as it means that you never have to send
or reveal your decryption key
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Caesar shift cipher

• The earliest known substitution cipher
was invented by Julius Caesar
• Each letter is replaced by a letter
n positions further on in the alphabet
• n is the key and is used to encrypt
and decrypt the
message
• This is an example
of symmetric
encryption
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Caesar cipher
• The Caesar cipher is most basic type of encryption
and the most insecure
• Letters of the alphabet are shifted by a given number
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Deciphering the code

• Key = Shift  3
• Decode “DWWDFN DW GDZQ”

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O

D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R

• Using a different key, crack the code for ‘PCRPCYR’

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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Symmetric encryption
• Same key used to encrypt and decrypt a message
Ciphertext sent
to recipient

Plaintext Ciphertext Message Message

produced deciphered

Key shared with recipient separately

Key Key
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Public key (Asymmetric)

encryption
• Two keys are used: a public key known to everyone
for encrypting and a private key for decrypting
Recipient’s public key
(made publicly available)

Plaintext Message

Ciphertext sent
Message to recipient Message
encoded deciphered

Recipient’s own
private key
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Encryption in networks
• Wi-Fi is particularly vulnerable to eavesdroppers as
the signal can be listened to from a distance
• Wired connections such as Ethernet and fibre optic
are also vulnerable
• What methods of encryption are used when using
wireless networks?
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Wireless encryption standards

• The most common wireless security standards are:
• WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and
• WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)

• The WEP method of encryption is older and can be

cracked in seconds
• As such this standard should no longer be used to protect
your home router
• Instead you should use WPA or preferably the newer WPA2
encryption methods
• HTTPS should be used for websites as it encrypts
data sent to and received from the site
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Strong and weak encryption

• These terms are relative, but:
• Encryption can be considered to be ‘strong’ when the useful
lifetime of the encrypted data is less than the time taken to
break the code
• With weak encryption, the code may be broken in time to use
the information, but it wouldn’t be worth the effort trying
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Worksheet 3
• Complete Task 2 on Worksheet 3
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Plenary
• Discuss in a pair or threes how you use, or could
use wireless networks and network security in your
home, school and life. Make sure to use the
following words at least once:

• Wireless • WEP
• Wi-Fi • WPA / WPA2
• Bluetooth • HTTPS
• Wireless Access Point • Router
• Encryption • Switch
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Unit 3 Networks, connections and protocols

Plenary
• Possible answer:
• We use a wireless router at home. This contains a switch,
router and modem all in one box. All our mobile devices
connect to the wireless access point with Wi-Fi. It is
encrypted with WPA2. We don’t use WEP as it is insecure.
Where possible we try to connect to websites using HTTPS
as this makes all data transmitted secure. Our TV and
soundbar are connected to the box using Ethernet cables.
Bluetooth is used to connect our headphone to smartphones.
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