Shared Key Authentication - NETGEAR WG102 - ProSafe Wireless Access Point Reference Manual

Reference Manual for the NETGEAR ProSafe 802.11g Wireless Access Point WG102
The access point authenticates the station.
2.
The station associates with the access point and joins the network.
3.
This process is illustrated below.
Figure B-1: Open system authentication

Shared Key Authentication

The following steps occur when two devices use Shared Key Authentication:
The station sends an authentication request to the access point.
1.
The access point sends challenge text to the station.
2.
The station uses its configured 64-bit or 128-bit default key to encrypt the challenge text, and
3.
sends the encrypted text to the access point.
The access point decrypts the encrypted text using its configured WEP Key that corresponds
4.
to the station's default key. The access point compares the decrypted text with the original
challenge text. If the decrypted text matches the original challenge text, then the access point
and the station share the same WEP Key and the access point authenticates the station.
The station connects to the network.
5.
If the decrypted text does not match the original challenge text (the access point and station do not
share the same WEP Key), then the access point will refuse to authenticate the station and the
station will be unable to communicate with either the 802.11 network or Ethernet network.
B-4
202-10064-02, June 2005
Wireless Networking Basics