ZyXEL Communications NWA Series User Manual page 145

Chapter 13 AP Profile
WEP
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption scrambles all data packets transmitted between the AP and
the wireless stations associated with it in order to keep network communications private. Both the
wireless stations and the access points must use the same WEP key for data encryption and decryption.
WPA2
WPA2 (IEEE 802.11i) is a WiFi security standard that defines stronger encryption, authentication and key
management than WPA. Key differences between WPA2 and WEP are improved data encryption and
user authentication.
WPA3
WPA3 is a WiFi security standard based on IEEE 802.11i, with security improvements like adopting
enhanced PSK (Pre-Shared Key) authentication mechanism.
Personal vs Enterprise
A secure WiFi connection relies on WiFi encryption and authentication. There are two authentication
modes: Personal and Enterprise.
Personal mode requires a password called Pre-Shared Key (PSK). Users enter the same PSK to connect to
the WiFi network.
Enterprise mode requires an external RADIUS server for authentication. Authentication of user identity is
required to connect to the WiFi network.
IEEE 802.1X
The IEEE 802.1X standard outlines enhanced security methods for both the authentication of wireless
stations and encryption key management. Authentication is done using an external RADIUS server.
IEEE 802.11k/v Assisted Roaming
IEEE 802.11k is a standard for radio resource management of wireless LANs, which allows clients to
request neighbor lists from the connected AP and discover the best available AP when roaming. An
802.11k neighbor list can contain up to six BSSIDs with the highest RCPI (Received Channel Power
Indicator) value in both bands (5 GHz and 2.4 GHz, in the ratio of 4:2).
The IEEE 802.11v BSS Transition Management feature lets an AP automatically provide load information
of the neighbor APs to clients. It helps the Zyxel Device steer clients to a suitable AP for better
performance or load balancing.
WiFi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax)
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) is a WiFi standard that supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands and brings
the following major improvements:
Higher Data Transmission Speed
WiFi 6 provides faster transmission data rate than its previous WiFi standards with the following features:
NWA/WAC/WAX Series User's Guide
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