ZyXEL Communications M-302 - Manual (Page 32)

M-302 User’s Guide
32 Chapter 3 Wireless LAN Network
• Every device in the same wireless network must use security compatible with the AP or
peer computer.
Security stops unauthorized devices from using the wireless network. It can also protect
the information that is sent in the wireless network.
3.2 Wireless LAN Security
Wireless LAN security is vital to your network to protect wireless communications.
Configure the wireless LAN security using the Profile Security Settings screen. If you do not
enable any wireless security on your M-302, the M-302’s wireless communications are
accessible to any wireless networking device that is in the coverage area.See the appendices
for more detailed information about wireless security.
3.2.1 User Authentication and Encryption
User authentication is when every user must log in to the wireless network before they can use
it. However, every wireless client in the wireless network has to support IEEE 802.1x to do
this.
Wireless networks can use encryption to protect the information that is sent in the wireless
network. Encryption is like a secret code. If you do not know the secret code, you cannot
understand the message.
3.2.1.1 WEP
3.2.1.1.1 Data Encryption
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption scrambles all data packets transmitted between
the M-302 and the AP or other wireless stations to keep network communications private.
Both the wireless stations and the access points must use the same WEP key for data
encryption and decryption.
There are two ways to create WEP keys in your M-302.
• Automatic WEP key generation based on a “password phrase” called a passphrase. The
passphrase is case sensitive. You must use the same passphrase for all WLAN adapters
with this feature in the same WLAN.
For WLAN adapters without the passphrase feature, you can still take advantage of this
feature by writing down the four automatically generated WEP keys from the Security
Settings screen of the ZyXEL utility and entering them manually as the WEP keys in the
other WLAN adapter(s).
• Enter the WEP keys manually.
Your M-302 allows you to configure up to four 64-bit, 128-bit or 256-bit WEP keys and
only one key is used as the default key at any one time.