Securing Your Wi-Fi Network - Belkin Wireless G Desktop User Manual

Using the Belkin Wireless Utility
Securing your Wi-Fi
Here are a few different ways to maximize the security of your
wireless network and protect your data from unwanted intrusion. This
section is intended for the home, home office, and small office user.
At the time of publication, three encryption methods are available.
Encryption Methods:
Name 64-bit Wired
Equivalent Privacy
Acronym 64-bit WEP
Security Good
Features Static keys
Encryption keys
based on RC4
algorithm (typically
40-bit keys)
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)
WEP is a common protocol that adds security to all Wi-Fi-
compliant wireless products. WEP gives wireless networks the
equivalent level of privacy protection as a comparable wired
network.
64-Bit WEP
64-bit WEP was first introduced with 64-bit encryption, which
includes a key length of 40 bits plus 24 additional bits of
system-generated data (64 bits total). Some hardware
manufacturers refer to 64-bit as 40-bit encryption. Shortly after
the technology was introduced, researchers found that 64-bit
encryption was too easy to decode.
®
Network
128-bit Wi-Fi
Encryption Protected
Access
128-bit WPA-TKIP
Better Best
Static keys Dynamic key
encryption
and mutual
authentication
Added security TKIP (temporal
over 64-bit key integrity
WEP using a protocol)
key length of added so
104 bits, plus that keys are
24 additional rotated and
bits of system- encryption is
generated data strengthened
16 16
Wi-Fi
Protected
Access
WPA-AES
Best
Dynamic key
encryption
and mutual
authentication
AES
(Advanced
Encryption
Standard)
does not
cause any
throughput
loss.