Configuring Wpa-Psk, Wpa2-Psk, Or Wpa-Psk+Wpa2-Psk Wireless Security - NETGEAR WNDR3300 - RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router Wireless Reference Manual

NETGEAR RangeMax™ Dual Band Wireless-N Router WNDR3300 Reference Manual
4. You can manually or automatically program the four data encryption keys. These values must
be identical on all computers and access points in your network.
• Automatic. In the Passphrase field, enter a word or group of printable characters, and
click Generate. The passphrase is case-sensitive. For example, NETGEAR is not the
same as nETgear. The four key fields are automatically populated with key values.
• Manual. Enter 10 hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0–9, a–f, or A–F). These
entries are not case-sensitive. For example, AA is the same as aa.
Select which of the four keys to activate.
5. Click Apply to save your settings.
Configuring WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, or WPA-PSK+WPA2-PSK
Wireless Security
Wi-Fi Protected Access with Pre-Shared Key (WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK) data encryption
provides extremely strong data security, very effectively blocking eavesdropping. Because WPA
and WPA2 are relatively new standards, older wireless adapters and devices might not support
them. Check whether newer drivers are available from the manufacturer.
WPA–Pre-Shared Key does perform authentication. WPA-PSK uses TKIP (Temporal Key
Integrity Protocol) data encryption, and WPA2-PSK uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)
data encryption. Both methods dynamically change the encryption keys making them nearly
impossible to circumvent.
Mixed mode allows clients using either WPA-PSK (TKIP) or WPA2-PSK (AES). This provides
the most reliable security, and is easiest to implement, but it might not be compatible with older
adapters.
Note: Not all wireless adapters support WPA. Furthermore, client software is also
required. Windows XP with Service Pack 2 does include WPA support.
Nevertheless, the wireless adapter hardware and driver must also support WPA.
For instructions on configuring wireless computers or PDAs (personal digital
assistants) for WPA-PSK security, consult the documentation for the product you
are using.
To configure WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK or WPA-PSK+WPA2-PSK:
1. Select Wireless Settings under Setup in the main menu.
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v1.0, February 2008
Safeguarding Your Network