Belkin DESKTOP CARD F5D7001 - Manual (Page 17)

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Using the Belkin Wireless Setup Utility
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Securing your Wi-Fi ® Network
Here are a few different ways to maximize the security of your wireless
network and protect your data from unwanted intrusions. 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:
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.
128-Bit WEP
As a result of 64-bit WEP’s potential security weaknesses, a more
secure method of 128-bit encryption was developed. 128-bit
encryption includes a key length of 104 bits plus 24 additional
Name 64-bit Wired
Equivalent Privacy 128-bit
Encryption Wi-Fi
Protected
Access Wi-Fi
Protected
Access
Acronym 64-bit WEP 128-bit WPA-TKIP WPA-AES
Security Good Better Best Best
Features Static keys Static keys Dynamic key
encryption
and mutual
authentication Dynamic key
encryption
and mutual
authentication
Encryption keys
based on RC4
algorithm (typically
40-bit keys) Added security
over 64-bit
WEP using a
key length of
104 bits, plus
24 additional
bits of system-
generated data TKIP (temporal
key integrity
protocol)
added so
that keys are
rotated and
encryption is
strengthened AES
(Advanced
Encryption
Standard)
does not
cause any
throughput
loss.