Belkin PM01110 user manual Securing your Wi-FiNetwork, Wired Equivalent Privacy WEP, Bit WEP

Using the Web-Based Advanced User Interface

Table of Contents sections 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Securing your Wi-Fi®Network

Here are a few different ways you can maximize the security of your wireless network and protect your data from prying eyes and ears. This section is intended for the home, home office, and small office user.

At the time of this User Manual’s publication, there are four encryption methods available.

	64-Bit Wired	128-Bit Wired	Wi-Fi Protected	Wi-Fi Protected
Name	Equivalent	Equivalent
			Access-TKIP	Access 2
	Privacy	Privacy
Acronym	64-bit WEP	128-bit WEP	WPA-TKIP/AES (or	WPA2-AES (or just
			just WPA)	WPA2)
Security	Good	Better	Best	Best
			Dynamic key	Dynamic key
Features	Static keys	Static keys	encryption	encryption
			and mutual	and mutual
			authentication	authentication
		More secure
		than 64-bit	TKIP (Temporal
	Encryption	WEP using a	Key Integrity	AES (Advanced
	keys based on	key length of	Protocol) added	Encryption
	RC4 algorithm	104 bits plus	so that keys	Standard) does
	(typically	24 additional	are rotated and	not cause any
	40-bit keys)	bits of system-	encryption is	throughput loss
		generated	strengthened
		data

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)

WEP is a common protocol that adds security to all Wi-Fi-compliant wireless products. WEP was designed to give 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 bits of system- generated data (128 bits total). Some hardware manufacturers refer to 128-bit as 104-bit encryption.

Most of the new wireless equipment in the market today supports both 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption, but you might have older equipment that only supports 64-bit WEP. All Belkin wireless products will support both 64-bit and 128-bit WEP.

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