HP M210 Configuration And Administration Manual page 38

Key type
Select the format used to specify the encryption key. The definition for the encryption key must
be the same on the M210 and all wireless clients.
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ASCII: ASCII keys are much weaker than carefully chosen hexadecimal keys. You can
include ASCII characters from 32 to 126, inclusive, in the key, which includes upper and
lower case alphabetic letters, the numeric digits, and special symbols such as @ and #.
However, note that not all wireless clients support non-alphanumeric characters such as
spaces, punctuation, or special symbols in the key.
•
Hex: Your keys should only include the following hexadecimal characters: 0–9, a–f, A–F.
Key 1 to Key 4
Specify the key as ASCII or hexadecimal characters.
Authentication
The authentication algorithm defines the method used to determine whether a client is allowed
to associate with an AP using WEP.
Choose one of the following options:
•
Open system: This method allows any client to associate with the AP whether or not that
client has the correct WEP key. It does not ensure, however, that an associated client can
exchange traffic with the AP. A client must have the correct WEP key to be able to
successfully access and decrypt data from an AP, and to transmit readable data to it.
•
Shared key: This method requires the client to have the correct WEP key to associate with
the AP. A client with an incorrect WEP key will not be able to associate with the AP.
•
Open system and shared key. This is the default selection. When selected:
Note
Open system authentication or shared key authentication can be used by the client to
authenticate with the AP when the AP is configured for 802.1 1 open authentication. When the
AP is configured for 802.1 1 shared key authentication, however, 802.1 1 shared key
authentication must be used by the client to authenticate with the AP.
38 Working with wireless communities and authentication
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Wireless clients configured to use WEP in shared key mode must have a valid WEP key
to associate with the AP.
•
Wireless clients configured to use WEP as an open system mode (shared key mode not
enabled) can associate with the AP even if they do not have the correct WEP key.