Wep Encryption - NETGEAR DGND3700 User Manual

N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit ADSL2+ Modem Router DGND3700

WEP Encryption

WEP uses an old encryption method and can be easily decoded with today's powerful
computers. Use this mode only when you have a very old legacy wireless client that does not
support WPA-PSK. The Wi-Fi alliance highly recommends against using WEP and plans to
make it obsolete. If you do decide to use WEP, see Set WEP Encryption and Passphrase: on
page 46 for the procedure.
WPA Encryption
WPA encryption is built into all hardware that has the Wi-Fi-certified seal. This seal means
the product is authorized by the Wi-Fi Alliance (http://www.wi-fi.org/) because it complies with
the worldwide single standard for high-speed wireless local area networking. For information
about how to use the WPA home options, see Change WPA Security Option and
Passphrase: on page 46.
WPA-PSK uses a much stronger encryption algorithm than WEP so it is harder to decode.
This option uses a passphrase to perform the authentication and generate the initial data
encryption keys. Then it dynamically varies the encryption key. WPA-PSK uses Temporal Key
Integrity Protocol (TKIP) data encryption, implements most of the IEEE 802.11i standard, and
is designed to work with all wireless network interface cards, but not all wireless access
points. It is superseded by WPA2-PSK.
WPA2-PSK is the strongest. It is advertised to be theoretically indecipherable due to the
greater degree of randomness in encryption keys that it generates. WPA2-PSK gets higher
speed because it is usually implemented through hardware, while WPA-PSK is usually
implemented through software. WPA2-PSK uses a passphrase to authenticate and generate
the initial data encryption keys. Then it dynamically varies the encryption key.
WPS-PSK + WPA2-PSK mixed mode is the preconfigured security mode on the wireless
modem router. NETGEAR recommends mixed mode because it provides broader support for
all wireless clients. WPA2-PSK clients get higher speed and security, and WPA-PSK clients
get decent speed and security. The product documentation for your wireless adapter and
WPA client software should have instructions about configuring their WPA settings.
WPA-802.1x is enterprise-level security and requires an authentication server to recognize
and authorize client access. The authentication server is called Remote Authentication Dial
In User Service (RADIUS). Every wireless client has a user login on the RADIUS server, and
the wireless modem router has a client login on the RADIUS server. Data transmissions are
encrypted with an automatically generated key. For information about how to use the WPA
enterprise option, see Set WPA-802.1x Server and Passphrase: on page 46.
Wireless Settings
39