Wired Equivalency Privacy (Wep); How The Access Point Works - Nortel BayStack 650 User Manual

Wired Equivalency Privacy (WEP)

You can improve the security of your Wireless LAN using Wired Equivalency
Privacy (WEP), an encryption mechanism. WEP provides encryption of the
wireless link between the BayStack 650 Access Point and the BayStack 650 PC
Card. Go to
You must set up a WEP to enable encryption on all access points and wireless
workstations. The following encryption options are available:
• Authentication sequence between wireless workstations and access points
• Data packets exchanged between wireless workstations and access points
Encryption keys must be set to the same values on all access points and wireless
workstations. There are four key values. You must designate one of those values
as the Active Key, and use the same key number (0, 1, 2, or 3) on all wireless
workstations and access points.
If you choose to encrypt data packets, you must enable encryption on both the
workstation and the access point.
Note: Performance of the wireless LAN, such as packet throughput, is
reduced when WEP is enabled for data packets.

How the Access Point Works

When a BayStack 650 Access Point is connected to a LAN and plugged into an
AC outlet, it creates a BSA for access to the LAN. A laptop computer in the
service area equipped with a BayStack 650 PC Card reads the SSID setting of the
PC card and listens for a BayStack access point configured for the same SSID.
When the access point responds with a signal, the two devices communicate,
allowing the laptop computer to access the network resources.
A laptop computer with a BayStack 650 PC Card that connects to a Wireless LAN
through a BayStack 650 Access Point acts as any other workstation on the LAN.
The network protocol (for example, TCP/IP or NetWare) required is identical to
that used for workstations connected by cable to the LAN.
203282-B
"Setting WEP" on page 4-19 for WEP configuration information.
Introduction
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