Even if you do not have a wireless network (WLAN), you need to watch out for Rogue APs on your LAN.

If you are responsible for provisioning, operating or managing a Wireless LAN (a WLAN), it is imperative that you proactively be on a look out for Rogue APs and unauthorized Wireless Routers/Bridges or Repeaters that someone may have sneaked within (or in close proximity of) your wireless network.

Considering that a large majority of Rogue APs are found to be consumer-grade (cheap) unmanaged devices, they are particularly difficult to discover -especially if your own network is built using similar (cheap, unmanaged) networking devices. If your network has been properly designed (to be security-centric), and has been implemented using enterprise grade (managed) networking hardware, detecting uninvited/rogue devices within your networking space is not very difficult.

Preventing Rogue APs from joining (having an unauthorized access to) your personal or corporate networks is not easy, and there is no single solution that guarantees 100% success.

However, you would have a reasonable degree of success in keeping those uninvited pests off your network if you follow some the suggestions outlined below.

Please be advised that the following list is not an all-inclusive one-size-fits-all cure for all your Rogue AP Blues. A lot is going to depend on how your network is designed, setup, and managed; the quality (or lack thereof) of various networking devices used on your network, and how proactive you (or your network administrators) are in monitoring your network usage and in enforcing your network security policies.

Having said that, here is a list of things you can do to improve your chances of keeping rogue APs off your network: