WEP – Is the first and lowest standard for wireless security. You will hear security experts say that WEP can be cracked in 5 minutes; this is true, only once you have sniffed enough network traffic for weak IV’s. Collecting enough wireless traffic will take at least a couple hours under ideal conditions. WEP can be cracked because it uses the same key for each data frame; so with enough traffic you can capture the whole key. WEP is getting harder to crack because firmware upgrades are helping prevent the transmission of weak data packets.
WPA(Wi-Fi Protected Access) – Is the upgraded version of WEP. WPA’s main answer to the flaw of WEP is that instead of using the same key for each data frame it changes the keys. This rotation of keys makes in vastly more difficult for a cracker to capture the whole shared key. WPA also helps wireless clients roam from access point to access point while working in an enterprise environment more efficiently.
WPA uses two different types of encryption, TKIP( Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) and AES(Advanced Encryption Standard). AES is the more advance form of encryption over TKIP. Some wireless adapters may not support AES encryption so you need to take that into account when planning your wireless network.
WPA2 – Further improves upon the ability for the wireless client to roam from access point to access point. There are different ways to implement WPA and WPA2:
WPA-PSK with TKIP – PSK Stands for Pre Shared Key. The client and the access point or wireless router will each share a passphrase which is encrypted with TKIP.
WPA-PSK with AES – This is the same as the above but you will use AES encryption. Remember you will have to monitor your wireless network because you might have more dropped packets with AES if your firmware is not up to date on your access point or wireless adapter.
WPA2-PSK + Mixed – This solution still uses the shared key but will accept either TKIP or AES encryption clients. This option is only available if you are using WPA2
WPA-Radius- This is the most secure wireless solution at this time. WPA rotates the keys, TKIP or AES encrypts the keys, and the RADIUS server authenticates the user. Authenticating the user is very important because with out a RADIUS server you really don’t know who is using your wireless network. A RADIUS server is basically a database of user names with passwords. If your PSK is leaked to the wrong person or stolen somehow, you don’t have any control of who is accessing your network. If you are using a RAIDUS server you have complete control over who enters your wireless network. RADIUS servers can create policies which limit what network resources the wireless user has available. A great policy to implement with a radius server is limiting the times and days your users can access the network. If your business hours are only during the day you won’t want people using it at night. Also, you can use a RADIUS server to run a wireless hot spot which will take care of billing and customer portal.
Home users will want to use at least WPA with either TKIP or AES to protect your network. If you are more tech savy you should use WPA2, this requires you to down load the WPA2 patch for Windows XP from Microsoft and update your wireless adapters driver. Some older adapters do not support WPA or WPA2 so make sure you know what your buying.
Business users will want to use WPA-RADIUS or WPA2-RADIUS. To use RADIUS you need to install a RADIUS server. Microsoft windows 2003 server can be used as a RADIUS server or you can use one of the many open source RADIUS servers which are free on the internet, such as Free RADIUS.
Just remember that if you use WPA2 you will have to down load the patch from Microsoft and update your wireless adapters driver.
Keep your wireless network Simple and Secure.
By: Eric Meyer
Wireless Network Encryption Standards
by adminChicken Soup for the Network Marketer’s Soul – Book Review
by admin
Just released! Chicken Soup for the Network Marketer’s Soul!
The buzz has just begun with this book. The initial release has just hit the network marketing market and it won’t be sold on Amazon or in the major book stores. Chicken Soup for the Network Marketer’s Soul will be marketed the good old fashioned network marketing way – word of mouth and sharing with others.
In my opinion, any book that changes ones thinking is a book worth reading and this Chicken Soup book does just that. Even though I have been in network marketing for over 9 years and have been very successful as a network marketer, this book really changed my thinking about my business.
I was fortunate enough (and I mean very fortunate enough) to be able to read the stories and even the manuscript to the Chicken Soup for the Network Marketer’s Soul book before it went to print. And why I say fortunate is because even before the book was launched, I personally experienced the benefits of this wonderful read.
What I realized by reading the stories in this book is how much I was limiting my prospecting base – this even after 9 years of successfully recruiting thousands of people, I realized I was limiting who I was inviting into my business. I had been speaking to people just like me and taking for granted the many other individuals who may want to join network marketing for many varied reasons!
The stories in this book come from a wide range of individuals: doctors, moms, dads, blue collar workers, business professionals and even individuals who were previously homeless!
Not only that I found the book more inspirational than any I have read on network marketing – why? Because frankly some of these stories made me ask my self some personal questions such as “What am I worried about?” and “What am I complaining about?” Some of the individuals in this book went through life changing, life threatening situations that I will never have to experience and they still succeeded at network marketing.
For anyone new in network marketing this book is a must read!
In Michael Losier’s book The Law of Attraction, he states that “the opposite of doubt is proof” and this book gives anyone looking at or already in network marketing – proof! Proof that it works and proof that network marketing can be for everyone for different reasons and that it’s a real industry for real people. It’s a great gift for anyone in network marketing or looking at network marketing.
I also believe that this book is powerful for the existing, for the doubtful, and for the seasoned. Anyone in network marketing knows that the business has its up days and down days like any other business. I’ve found that this book is one of those reads that one can pick up on days when they’re feeling down, read a story or two and back to work it is!
Another big challenge in network marketing is explaining to those who are not in the industry how great it can be once you get on the “inside”. I like that finally there’s a book on the market that brings together many network marketer’s in an intimate, connected, big picture way so that everyone can get a feel for what it’s all about.
Personally what I love about the network marketing industry is the people and the stories and it’s still one of my favorite parts about network marketing. Now many of those stories are in one place from many different sources with a very credible name attached. It’s all good Chicken Soup for anyone’s soul.
By: Signe Nichols
Women and Network Marketing – 6 Trends of Influence
by admin
It’s no secret that women make up the majority of the network marketing industry (about 82% according to the Direct Selling Association). But it’s not always clear just how big that influence is since it’s the guys who are often the ones in the spotlight.
So just how do women influence the network marketing industry? Here’s some of the major trends that I’ve been noticing over the past few years that clearly show the powerful influence that women wield in the $30.47 Billion plus network marketing industry.
Trend #1 – Explosion of New Products and Services
The huge explosion in new network marketing companies is a reflection of our niche-based society, but it’s also driven by the fact that women make most of the buying decisions in their families. And they like having choices – and lots of them. They want products and services that fit their interests and fast-paced lifestyles. And the emergence of so many new products and services in the network marketing industry is a direct response to what these women want to buy.
As a result, more companies now see network marketing sales as a viable way to offer their products and services, prompting more retail companies to start using network marketing sales to reach new markets. As an added benefit, more women, and in particular young women have been attracted to network marketing, bringing new growth and opportunities to the industry.
Trend #2 – Focus on Customers, Not Recruiting
The success of the network marketing industry depends on sales – and customers equal sales. In the past, many successful network marketers trained their downlines to focus primarily on recruiting and not retail sales, which generated a lot of negative criticism for the industry. But women have generally rejected this practice, instead choosing to focus on their customers and building a retail sales base as the foundation of their business. Women have found that recruiting from within their customer base is a much more stable and positive way of bringing people into their business, rather then the old method of recruiting everyone and waiting to see who sticks.
Trend #3 – Social Networking Is HOT!
Social networking is all the rage right now, and Party Plan companies are back big time because of it. Why? Because women love to socialize and build relationships, not just sell. And Party Plan companies are enjoying a new renaissance because of this and are changing with the times by offering an easy startup, low-cost business option to women. The Party Plan concept is very appealing to younger women (especially single moms), who need a part-time income, but want more flexibility and a less restrictive option to a regular 8 to 5 office job.
Party Plan selling also offers women the convenience of buying quality products in a fun, relaxed environment – it’s what social marketing is all about. And best of all, party plan sales generate immediate income for women (a huge plus!) — there’s no waiting for a minuscule commission check that’s in the mail.
Trend #4 – Part-time Business Income
Many women only want a part-time business with part-time income, they don’t want to build a million dollar business and the huge time commitment it takes to generate that kind of income. And the industry is moving towards favoring these part-time women who make up the majority of the industry. As a result, more companies (if they are smart) are offering better compensation plans that reward the part-time seller and not just the full-time heavy hitters. Also more companies are offering all their representatives the chance to get health care benefits, a big selling point for many women who have no coverage elsewhere.
Trend #5 – Just the Facts
Women love to do research before they buy something. They want to get the details, facts, and opinions about a product or service first before making a decision. This need has helped drive the profusion of information now available online and off about the network marketing industry and its products and services. We now have magazines, videos, blogs, podcasts, teleconferences, web conferences, web sites, search engines, newspapers and the media providing information about networking marketing companies at an unprecedented pace. Having all this information readily available has also helped to broaden the appeal of the network marketing industry, which brings us to our final trend.
Trend #6 – Network Marketing Goes Mainstream
The Network Marketing Industry has finally caught the positive attention of the mainstream media and women have a lot to do with it. From morning talk shows to local newspapers, the media have been focusing on all types of women in network marketing — moms who work from home, women who start network marketing or party plan companies, women starting a business after retirement etc. For example, CBS’s Early Show recently did an interview with moms making money at home and only featured moms in direct selling companies like Pampered Chef and Creative Memories. This kind of positive publicity from the media is a huge leap for the industry and women are leading the way.
I think it’s abundantly clear from these trends that women have had a huge positive influence on both the image and the substance of the network marketing industry and that they will continue to do so in the future.
By: Linda Locke
Network Marketing Training – The Upgrade to an Effective Internet Network Marketing Platform
by admin
In today’s industry, the ability to create a branded platform is proving to be more crucial to real success in the network marketing arena than the old traditional MLM training of the past. Methods of the past have worked through the use of powerful word-of-mouth marketing, but one major medium has proven to work much faster when used properly. That major medium is the internet.
Never before have we been part of a technology that has introduced us to major opportunities in both networking and marketing. As a matter of fact, we now are at a global reach from the very comfort of our own homes. Just a few feet away from our computer screens and we have the ability to communicate with anyone around the world. But in order to reap the rewards that the internet has to offer, one must graduate into an effective internet network marketer…an internet entrepreneur.
In order to be an effective internet entrepreneur, one must understand the importance of having a personal branded platform, a personal web presence, building a list in your database, and utilizing the funded proposal concept. Keep in mind that the following concepts I am about to discuss are rarely, if ever, taught by any network marketing company. It’s no wonder why many distributors have such a difficult time trying to gain leverage in their pursuit to residual income… financial freedom.
The Four Pillars To Effective Online Networking & Marketing
Pillar #1: Personal Branded Platform.
The first topic I want to discuss with you is the importance of having a personal branded platform. What this means is that YOU are the platform in your MLM business. It’s not your company, not your products, not your tools and services, it’s YOU. To gain an advantage in this industry, you must realize that branding yourself is much bigger than just your company, product and service. They are not the real business here…YOU are.
Once you get it, you will experience one of the true unfair advantages left in the network marketing business today…a cost-effective way to function in this industry. Realize that the one thing you have going for you is that no one can duplicate YOU. By branding yourself, you attach your personality to your business and in return, it will make it grow faster and create more profits for you. You also position yourself as an authentic leader and an informed expert instead of positioning yourself as a pushy salesman…which is what all companies teach their distributors to become.
Because network marketing is a people business, the more you learn about people (their needs, wants, and desires and the technologies to stay connected) the more successful you will become. And when you have the right tools and technology to brand yourself and to market more effectively, you will automatically increase your value to yourself, your business, and to your prospects, customers, and loyal followers.
Pillar #2: Personal Web Presence.
The second topic I want to discuss is what I’ve learned to be the ultimate secret weapon that you could possible own to catapult you into MLM stardom. Why would I say this? Because I’ve been studying the internet for the past 6 years and I’ve been able to watch its transformation take place from Web 1.0 to the massive world of Web 2.0.
You see, back then, the internet consisted of what I consider one-point marketing. This term simply refers to marketing performed with an interruption style manner in which the primary focus was on selling. If the customer/prospect didn’t buy right there and then, they were passed over onto the next one until a sale was made. This approach was clearly a numbers game, and unfortunately, it became the major trend amongst internet marketers & network marketers. Can you blame them? This approach clearly was a mirror image of Big Corporate America.
Fast forward to today’s evolved internet, we now have in our hands a high tech/high touch phenomena. Customers/prospects are no longer tolerating interruption style marketing. Look around and take notice of the transformations taking place. People no longer want to be interrupted with commercials and multiple ads to buy a product or service.
Because of the evolved state of the internet, people have now become empowered with the ability to focus their attention on selective information that meets their needs, wants, and desires. Customers/prospects are now positioned to buy when they are well informed and educated. Statistics speak for themselves…How many customers/prospects perform a search on search engines before they buy anything? Over 50% and this rate keeps rising incredibly fast everyday.
What does this mean to you and your MLM business? It means it’s no longer “business as usual.” Interruption style marketing is no longer at the forefront of marketing. We have graduated into the world of permission marketing where influence is what you’ll need to turn strangers into friends and friends into customers and customers into loyal fans. And this process begins with the ability to build relationships and trust with your ideal customer/prospect.
In order to accomplish a personal connection with your ideal customer/prospect, you must brand yourself through your very own web presence. You cannot accomplish a personal connection with a replicated website from your company. You must build a separate business from your company so that you function as a “True Independent Distributor.”
Pillar #3: Building A List In Your Database.
Now that you understand the importance of building your personal brand with your personal web presence, let’s discuss your most important MLM business asset…building your list.
This is the most important aspect of being an effective internet network marketer. Without it, you’re left talking to strangers and unqualified leads that will slow down and even freeze your MLM business. Why would you want to continue talking to strangers and unqualified leads when you don’t have to?
Your home business will require you to invest your precious time into your qualified leads who are interested in you. By creating your personal brand with your web presence, you’ll automatically start to build your list of qualified leads that can turn into friends, customers, and loyal fans for life.
Pillar #4: The Funded Proposal Concept.
This last discussion primarily deals with the foundation of profits…the funded proposal concept. This idea stems from a direct marketing platform which was introduced heavily in the mlm industry by Mike Dillard. In so doing, he revolutionized the network marketing industry forever.
What is a funded proposal? It’s the fuel behind you MLM business system. The formula to profit from people who will never join your home business. A funded proposal is simply this…a product or multiple products you sell at the beginning (front-end) of your marketing to immediately gain a profit (cash flow). This process will allow you to build loyal customers who will later want to buy more expensive products from you in the back-end, or perhaps join your business. This process helps fuel your marketing campaign so that your business doesn’t lose money and can grow. Plus, your expert status increases exponentially.
By using a “retail now, recruit later” approach, you get a chance to educate, inspire, and help transform qualified leads into customers and/or business partners. And by having the right network marketing training, you can begin your upgrade to an effective internet network marketing platform.
By: Dr. Ricardo Lalama
