A Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) installs and configures wireless equipment, troubleshoots problems, designs and installs wireless network systems, and secures networks from attacks and outages. They work in various settings and need to have knowledge of theoretical concepts and practical applications of wireless networking.
A Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) holds related professional technology certification and has a wide range of knowledge in the theoretical concepts and practical applications of wireless networking. It can work in a variety of settings where wireless networking is useful, such as hospitals, government agencies, educational institutions, businesses and homes. It chooses and installs a variety of wireless equipment, configures network devices and client computers, troubleshoots problems that affect hardware or an entire network, and protects the network from attacks and outages.
A large part of a certified wireless network administrator’s job is to design and install wireless network systems that best meet an organization’s infrastructure needs. Some examples include local area networks for businesses, wide area networks that span a large geographic area, wireless tracking systems for warehouses, and cordless phone systems. Some administrators may also set up small home and office networks or create systems for wireless Internet access for homes in remote locations. The planning and installation process consists of choosing wireless access points, bridges, controllers, access cards and handhelds, if applicable. After equipment is installed, a certified wireless network administrator configures all equipment to work together properly and securely.
With the many problems that occur in wireless networks, troubleshooting is another important part of a certified wireless network administrator’s job. The administrator will look for and fix issues arising from interference, weather issues, noise from nearby radio devices, channel conflicts, and suboptimal system throughput. Coverage issues can occur when a wireless access point and another device are too far apart, and this can also degrade network performance. A CWNA is also responsible for knowing how to troubleshoot problems that occur with specific brands and models of networking hardware; therefore, it may need additional training as newer devices are added to the network.
Securing a wireless network is essential, and a certified wireless network administrator is responsible for preventing unauthorized network access, network attacks, and privacy violations. The wireless network is especially susceptible to snooping, spoofing, and denial of service attacks; therefore, the wireless network administrator usually implements encryption and uses monitoring software that can detect these issues. Some types of wireless network monitoring software allow a CWNA to specify an action that will take place when the software detects an attack; therefore, certified wireless network administrators generally have strong security planning skills.
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