NETGEAR WG102 manual WPA Wireless Security

Reference Manual for the NETGEAR WG102 ProSafe 802.11g Wireless Access Point

Table B-2:	802.11b/g Radio Frequency Channels
Channel	Center Frequency	Frequency Spread
4	2427 MHz	2414.5 MHz - 2439.5 MHz
5	2432 MHz	2419.5 MHz - 2444.5 MHz
6	2437 MHz	2424.5 MHz - 2449.5 MHz
7	2442 MHz	2429.5 MHz - 2454.5 MHz
8	2447 MHz	2434.5 MHz - 2459.5 MHz
9	2452 MHz	2439.5 MHz - 2464.5 MHz
10	2457 MHz	2444.5 MHz - 2469.5 MHz
11	2462 MHz	2449.5 MHz - 2474.5 MHz
12	2467 MHz	2454.5 MHz - 2479.5 MHz
13	2472 MHz	2459.5 MHz - 2484.5 MHz

Note: The available channels supported by the wireless products in various countries are different. For example, Channels 1 to 11 are supported in the U.S. and Canada, and Channels 1 to 13 are supported in Europe and Australia.

The preferred channel separation between the channels in neighboring wireless networks is 25 MHz (5 channels). This means that you can apply up to three different channels within your wireless network. There are only 11 usable wireless channels in the United States. It is recommended that you start using channel 1 and grow to use channel 6, and 11 when necessary, as these three channels do not overlap.

WPA Wireless Security

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a specification of standards-based, interoperable security enhancements that increase the level of data protection and access control for existing and future wireless LAN systems.

The IEEE introduced the WEP as an optional security measure to secure 802.11b (Wi-Fi) WLANs, but inherent weaknesses in the standard soon became obvious. In response to this situation, the Wi-Fi Alliance announced a new security architecture in October 2002 that remedies the shortcomings of WEP. This standard, formerly known as Safe Secure Network (SSN), is designed to work with existing 802.11 products and offers forward compatibility with 802.11i, the new wireless security architecture being defined in the IEEE.

B-8 Wireless Networking Basics

October 2004