Encryption; Configuring Wpa Encryption - 3Com OfficeConnect 3CRWE53172 User Manual

Encryption

Configuring WPA
Encryption
3Com recommends that you install your wireless network with this
feature enabled and then disable it once you have set up the Gateway
and wireless clients.
When setting up wireless networks, it is important to remember that with
encryption disabled, anyone with a Wireless PC can eavesdrop on your
network. 3Com recommends that you get the network working with
encryption disabled first and then enable it as the last step. This will
simplify setting up your network.
The Gateway supports two types of encryption:
WPA — Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a 256 bit encryption method
with keys that change over time.
WEP — Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is a 64 bit or 128 bit
encryption method with user configurable fixed keys.
WPA provides a higher level of security, provided by its longer key and
dynamic changes made to the key over time. 3Com recommends that
you use WPA with any clients which support it.
If you enable encryption on the Gateway, you must reconfigure your
wireless PCs to use exactly the same Encryption Type and Keys otherwise
the devices will not understand each other.
The encryption methods used by the Gateway secure data transmitted
through wireless communications between the Gateway and its wireless
clients. Enabling encryption has no security effect on data transmitted
through wired (Ethernet) connections or through your connections to the
Internet.
The only configuration that is needed for WPA is to enter the pre-shared
key. This key is used to start the dialog between the Gateway and the
client. During this dialog, a new key is agreed, making it more difficult to
eavesdrop on wireless networks encrypted using WPA, than those
encrypted using WEP. The pre-shared key can be entered as a 256 bit
series of hexadecimal digits or as a pass-phrase.
Wireless Settings 49