Wireless Security Configuration; Wireless Security Overview; Encryption; Restricted Access - ZyXEL Communications NWA-3160 Series User Manual

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Wireless Security Configuration

This chapter describes how to use the Security and RADIUS screens to configure wireless
security on your ZyXEL Device.

7.1 Wireless Security Overview

Wireless security is vital to your network to protect wireless communication between wireless
stations, access points and the wired network.
Wireless security methods available on the ZyXEL Device are data encryption, wireless client
authentication, restricting access by MAC address and hiding the ZyXEL Device's identity.

7.1.1 Encryption

• Use WPA(2) security if you have WPA(2)-aware wireless clients. WPA(2) uses either an
external RADIUS server or the internal authentication server. WPA has user
authentication and improved data encryption over WEP.
• Use WPA(2)-PSK if you have WPA(2)-aware wireless clients but no RADIUS server, or
do not want to use the internal authentication server.
• If you don't have WPA(2)-aware wireless clients, then use WEP key encrypting. A higher
bit key offers better security. You can manually enter 64-bit, 128-bit or 152-bit WEP keys.

7.1.2 Restricted Access

The MAC Filter screen allows you to configure the AP to give exclusive access to devices
(Allow Association) or exclude them from accessing the AP (Deny Association).

7.1.3 Hide Identity

If you hide the SSID, then the ZyXEL Device cannot be seen when a wireless client scans for
local APs. The trade-off for the extra security of "hiding" the ZyXEL Device may be
inconvenience for some valid WLAN clients.

7.1.4 WEP Encryption

WEP encryption scrambles the data transmitted between the wireless stations and the access
points to keep network communications private. It encrypts unicast and multicast
communications in a network. Both the wireless stations and the access points must use the
same WEP key.
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