TECHNOLOGY
FOR SECURITY: SEPARATE
YOUR NETWORKS
By Robert Hessel
company. Save the hassle and potential
hack fodder by creating a separate network
with an arbitrary security key.
This probably goes without saying, but
your private network provides access to
private data – a user just has to know how
to find it. When you forgo the separation
of private and public data streams, you
are giving up an entire layer of security.
Think of your company’s private
network like your personal home. You
wouldn’t give out a copy of your house
key to just anyone. You have personal
possessions and valuables in your home,
and not everyone that you meet will be
trustworthy enough to gain access to your
private possessions. In fact, very few people
will meet those standards. Likewise, keep
your private network private in an effort
to protect your company’s information.
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 141
Networking is a subset of
information technologies
that proves to be a
complicated topic for
even tech-savvy individuals.
When it comes to networks and
access points, there are two main
types: guest networks and private
networks.
Aside from the fact that private
networks are private and intended
for only those that work for the
company (perhaps maybe only
management), private networks
are also secured with a password
or other type of security key.
These types of networks are
entirely separate from their
public counterparts, often
utilizing separate access points
and connections entirely; it all
depends on how much separation
your business requires from the
guest access point and how heavy
a load your private needs require.
Guest networks, aka public
networks, are intended for
individuals that shouldn’t have
permissions for your organization’s data.
If you have sensitive information on your
private network (or if you want to deter
access to your network in general), a guest
network is a must. You can have a rotating
password that changes weekly, or you can
provide single sign-on access for maximum
security. Most businesses prefer to provide
unfettered access to the guest network, but
limit the bandwidth of it for personal use.
If you only have one network stream, and
it’s password protected (we recommend
that every access point be password
protected, regardless of its type), you run
the risk of accidentally divulging sensitive
information when sharing your network
key. People tend to use similar passwords
across multiple platforms – which is also
not recommended. This leads to potential
hints for passwords in other areas of your
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When you initiated your
business’s network, you probably
took into consideration how much
bandwidth you might need on a
heavy load day. While your current
internet plan and network settings
might handle the bandwidth load
for you right now, you cannot
guarantee that it will be able to
handle the additional load if a
group of college students wants
to work (or play) on their laptops
while they wait for something
in your store. Having a separate
network connection ensures that
work and play stay separate – for
employees, too.
Depending on the extent to
which you want to mask your
private information you have
a few different options when it
comes to setting up a separate
guest network connection. Most
routers will allow you to split the
bandwidth between two or more
channels (and even load balance
depending on activity). However,
make sure that firewall settings
on each channel are appropriate for the
channel’s needs. For example, you may
want to only allow access to simple, safe
websites on the public network. If you
allow uninhibited access, you run the risk
of spyware, malware, and adware making
their way into other areas of your network.
Network security setup can be a
complicated and convoluted issue; it’s
recommended that you speak with a
professional network expert or managed
service provider (MSP) that has network
specialists on staff. In this case, all you’ll
need to do is explain your goals, and the
specialist or MSP will help you get exactly
what you need. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Robert Hessel at Source 1
Solutions can be contacted at (727) 538-4114
or by visiting source1solutions.com.
/source1solutions.com
