Linksys WAP54GPE - Wireless-G Exterior Access Point User Manual page 57

Wireless-G Exterior Access Point
too, can change those settings. So, make it harder for a hacker to get that information. Change the
administrator's password regularly.
SSID. There are several things to keep in mind about the SSID:
1. Disable Broadcast
2. Make it unique
3. Change it often
Most wireless networking devices will give you the option of broadcasting the SSID. While this option may
be more convenient, it allows anyone to log into your wireless network. This includes hackers. So, don't
broadcast the SSID.
Wireless networking products come with a default SSID set by the factory. (The Linksys default SSID is
"linksys".) Hackers know these defaults and can check these against your network. Change your SSID to
something unique and not something related to your company or the networking products you use.
Change your SSID regularly so that any hackers who have gained access to your wireless network will have
to start from the beginning in trying to break in.
MAC Addresses. Enable MAC Address filtering. MAC Address filtering will allow you to provide access
to only those wireless nodes with certain MAC Addresses. This makes it harder for a hacker to access your
network with a random MAC Address.
WEP Encryption. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is often looked upon as a cure-all for wireless security
concerns. This is overstating WEP's ability. Again, this can only provide enough security to make a hacker's
job more difficult.
There are several ways that WEP can be maximized:
1. Use the highest level of encryption possible
2. Use "Shared Key" authentication
3. Change your WEP key regularly
WPA. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is the newest and best available standard in Wi-Fi security. Two
modes are available: Enterprise and RADIUS. Enterprise gives you a choice of two encryption methods:
TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol), which utilizes a stronger encryption method and incorporates
Message Integrity Code (MIC) to provide protection against hackers, and AES (Advanced Encryption
Appendix B: Wireless Security
Security Threats Facing Wireless Networks
Important: Always remember that each
device in your wireless network MUST use
the same encryption method and encryption
key or your wireless network will not
function properly.
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