Securing Your Wi-Fi Network - Belkin F6D301 User Manual

Using the Belkin Wireless Network Utility

Securing your Wi-Fi Network

Here are a few different ways to maximize the security of your wireless
network and protect your data from unwanted intrusion. This section is
intended for the home, home office, and small office user. At the time of
publication, three encryption methods are available.
Encryption Methods:
Name 64-bit Wired
Equivalent Privacy
Acronym 64-bit WEP
Security Good
Features Static keys
Encryption keys
based on RC4
algorithm (typically
40-bit keys)
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
WEP is a common protocol that adds security to all Wi-Fi-compliant
wireless products. WEP gives wireless networks the equivalent level of
privacy protection as a comparable wired network.
1. 64-Bit WEP
64-bit WEP was first introduced with 64-bit encryption, which
includes a key length of 40 bits plus 24 additional bits of system
generated data (64 bits total). Some hardware manufacturers
refer to 64-bit as 40-bit encryption. Shortly after the technology
was introduced, researchers found that 64-bit encryption was too
easy to decode.
2. 128-Bit Encryption
As a result of 64-bit WEP's potential security weaknesses, a
more secure method of 128-bit encryption was developed.
128-bit encryption includes a key length of 104 bits plus 24
128-bit Wi-Fi
Encryption Protected
Access
128-bit WEP WPA-TKIP
Better Best
Static keys Dynamic key
encryption
and mutual
authentication
Added security TKIP (temporal
over 64-bit key integrity
WEP using a protocol)
key length of added so
104 bits, plus that keys are
24 additional rotated and
bits of system- encryption is
generated data strengthened
19 19
Wi-Fi
Protected
Access
WPA-AES
Best
Dynamic key
encryption
and mutual
authentication
AES
(Advanced
Encryption
Standard)
does not
cause any
throughput
loss
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