When it comes to connecting internet of things (IoT) devices, there is a wide variety of networks to choose from, each with its own set of capabilities, advantages and disadvantages, and ideal use cases. Good ol’ Wi-Fi is often seen as a default networking choice, available in many places, but of limited range and not particularly suited for IoT implementations.
According to Aerohive Networks, however, Wi-Fi is “evolving to help IT address security complexities and challenges associated with IoT devices.” Aerohive sells cloud-managed networking solutions and was acquired recently by software-defined networking company Extreme Networks for some $272 million. And Aerohive’s director of product marketing, Mathew Edwards, told me via email that Wi-Fi brings a number of security advantages compared to other IoT networking choices.
It’s not a trivial problem. According to Gartner, in just the last three years, approximately one in five organizations have been subject to an IoT-based attack. And as more and more IoT devices come on line, the attack surface continues to grow quickly.
What makes Wi-Fi more secure for IoT?
What exactly are Wi-Fi’s IoT security benefits? Some of it is simply 20 years of technological maturity, Edwards said.