Hi all,
I think it’s about time we posted the wireless protection methods and what they do.
If you have anything else to add, please do.
Happy Reading,
Brett.
**Wireless Security levels - Wireless Protection methods**
WEP - Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
Is a method to secure wireless networks. Wireless network broadcasts messages using radio 802.11, it is particularly susceptible to hackers. WEP was intended to provide security to a traditional wired network, and doesn't protect users of the network from each other. Several serious weaknesses were identified and WEP was superseded by Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) in 2003. Despite the weaknesses, WEP provides a level of security that can deter casual snooping.
WPA - Wi-Fi Protected Access
Is a class of systems to secure wireless computer
networks. It was created in response to several serious weaknesses found in WEP. WPA is designed to work with all wireless network cards. WPA provides good security, with two significant issues:
• WPA must be enabled and chosen in preference to WEP. WEP is usually presented as the first security choice in most installation instructions.
• in the "Personal" mode, the most likely choice for homes and small offices, a pass phrase is required that, for full security, must be longer than the typical 6 to 8 character passwords users are taught to employ.
EyeTstore generally uses the longest most difficult encryption keys possible, for the maximum security of the network.
WPA-PSK - Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-shared key mode
(PSK, also known as personal mode) is designed for home and small office networks. Each user must enter a pass phrase to access the network. The pass phrase may be from eight to 63 ASCII characters or 64 hexadecimal digits (256 bits). If you choose to use the ASCII characters, a hash function reduces it from 504 bits (63 characters * 8 bits/character) to 256 bits (using also the SSID). The passphrase may be stored on the user's computer at their discretion under most operating systems to avoid re-entry. The pass phrase must remain stored in the Wi-Fi access point.
WPA2 - No one can describe this one better than WikiPedia. So we will let them handle this one.
IEEE 802.11i, also known as WPA2, is an amendment to the 802.11 standard specifying security mechanisms for wireless networks. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) had previously been introduced by the Wi-Fi Alliance as an intermediate solution to WEP insecurities. WPA implemented a subset of 802.11i. The Wi-Fi Alliance refers to their approved, interoperable implementation of the full 802.11i as WPA2. 802.11i makes use of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) block cipher; WEP and WPA use the RC4 stream cipher.
The 802.11i architecture contains the following components: 802.1X for authentication (entailing the use of EAP and an authentication server), RSN for keeping track of associations, and AES-based CCMP to provide confidentiality, integrity and origin authentication.
Get all that? If you are interested in knowing more about WPA2, and trust us when we say that this is only touching the surface, have a look at the full article on WikiPedia,
MAC Address Filtering
Its my belief that this is now useless in wireless networks, however, if you are setting up AP’s in Point-to-Point mode, MAC Address association is a good idea.
I hope you all found this interesting,
And once again, feel free to add more/comment.
Good Day from Down under.
Brett.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NSW, Australia
(Unless you want to pay for our trip?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think it’s about time we posted the wireless protection methods and what they do.
If you have anything else to add, please do.
Happy Reading,
Brett.
**Wireless Security levels - Wireless Protection methods**
WEP - Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
Is a method to secure wireless networks. Wireless network broadcasts messages using radio 802.11, it is particularly susceptible to hackers. WEP was intended to provide security to a traditional wired network, and doesn't protect users of the network from each other. Several serious weaknesses were identified and WEP was superseded by Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) in 2003. Despite the weaknesses, WEP provides a level of security that can deter casual snooping.
WPA - Wi-Fi Protected Access
Is a class of systems to secure wireless computer
networks. It was created in response to several serious weaknesses found in WEP. WPA is designed to work with all wireless network cards. WPA provides good security, with two significant issues:
• WPA must be enabled and chosen in preference to WEP. WEP is usually presented as the first security choice in most installation instructions.
• in the "Personal" mode, the most likely choice for homes and small offices, a pass phrase is required that, for full security, must be longer than the typical 6 to 8 character passwords users are taught to employ.
EyeTstore generally uses the longest most difficult encryption keys possible, for the maximum security of the network.
WPA-PSK - Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-shared key mode
(PSK, also known as personal mode) is designed for home and small office networks. Each user must enter a pass phrase to access the network. The pass phrase may be from eight to 63 ASCII characters or 64 hexadecimal digits (256 bits). If you choose to use the ASCII characters, a hash function reduces it from 504 bits (63 characters * 8 bits/character) to 256 bits (using also the SSID). The passphrase may be stored on the user's computer at their discretion under most operating systems to avoid re-entry. The pass phrase must remain stored in the Wi-Fi access point.
WPA2 - No one can describe this one better than WikiPedia. So we will let them handle this one.
IEEE 802.11i, also known as WPA2, is an amendment to the 802.11 standard specifying security mechanisms for wireless networks. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) had previously been introduced by the Wi-Fi Alliance as an intermediate solution to WEP insecurities. WPA implemented a subset of 802.11i. The Wi-Fi Alliance refers to their approved, interoperable implementation of the full 802.11i as WPA2. 802.11i makes use of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) block cipher; WEP and WPA use the RC4 stream cipher.
The 802.11i architecture contains the following components: 802.1X for authentication (entailing the use of EAP and an authentication server), RSN for keeping track of associations, and AES-based CCMP to provide confidentiality, integrity and origin authentication.
Get all that? If you are interested in knowing more about WPA2, and trust us when we say that this is only touching the surface, have a look at the full article on WikiPedia,
MAC Address Filtering
Its my belief that this is now useless in wireless networks, however, if you are setting up AP’s in Point-to-Point mode, MAC Address association is a good idea.
I hope you all found this interesting,
And once again, feel free to add more/comment.
Good Day from Down under.
Brett.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NSW, Australia
(Unless you want to pay for our trip?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
