Shared key authentication – NETGEAR ME103 User Manual

Page 74

Advertising
background image

Reference Manual for the ME103 802.11b ProSafe Wireless Access Point

B-4

Wireless Networking Basics

August 2003

Figure 6-1: 802.11 open system authentication

Shared Key Authentication

The following steps occur when two devices use Shared Key Authentication:

1.

The station sends an authentication request to the access point.

2.

The access point sends challenge text to the station.

3.

The station uses its configured 64-bit or 128-bit default key to encrypt the challenge text, and
sends the encrypted text to the access point.

4.

The access point decrypts the encrypted text using its configured WEP Key that corresponds
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.

5.

The station connects to the network.

If the decrypted text does not match the original challenge text (i.e., 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.

This process is illustrated in below.

I N TER N ET

LO C A L

ACT

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

LNK

LNK/ACT

100

Cable/DSL

ProSafe Wireless VPN Security Firewall

MODEL

FVM318

PWR

TEST

W LA N

Enable

Access Point

1) Authentication request sent to AP

2) AP authenticates

3) Client connects to network

802.11b Authentication

Open System Steps

Cable or

DLS modem

Client
attempting
to connect

Advertising