Cisco Systems CB21AG manual Overview of Security Features, Profile Management Security Window

Chapter 5 Configuring the Client Adapter

Setting Security Parameters

Figure 5-4 Profile Management (Security) Window

This window is different from the other Profile Management windows in that it includes many security features, each of which involves a number of steps. In addition, the security features themselves are complex and need to be understood before they are implemented. Therefore, this section provides an overview of the security features as well as procedures for enabling them.

Overview of Security Features

You can protect your data as it is transmitted through your wireless network by encrypting it through the use of wired equivalent privacy (WEP) encryption keys. With WEP encryption, the transmitting device encrypts each packet with a WEP key, and the receiving device uses that same key to decrypt each packet.

The WEP keys used to encrypt and decrypt transmitted data can be statically associated with your adapter or dynamically created as part of the EAP authentication process. The information in the “Static WEP Keys” and “EAP (with Dynamic WEP Keys)” sections below can help you to decide which type of WEP keys you want to use. Dynamic WEP keys with EAP offer a higher degree of security than static WEP keys.

WEP keys, whether static or dynamic, are either 40 or 128 bits in length. 128-bit WEP keys offer a greater level of security than 40-bit WEP keys.

Note Refer to the “Additional WEP Key Security Features” section on page 5-20for information on three security features that can make your WEP keys even more secure.

Cisco Aironet 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN Client Adapters (CB21AG and PI21AG) Installation and Configuration Guide

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