NETGEAR RangeMax™ NEXT Wireless Router WNR854T User Manual
Safeguarding Your Network 3-5
v1.1, January 2007
• Security Options
These options are the wireless security features you can enable. Tabl e 3-1 identifies the basic
wireless security options. For a detailed explanation of these standards, see “Wireless
Communications” in AppendixB .
Balancing performance factors (throughput, latency, battery consumption, and equipment
compatibility) against the value of information on your network, select an appropriate security
level. As a minimum, NETGEAR recommends using WEP with Shared Key authentication.
Note: The Security Options displayed in this menu may change depending on the current
selection of Wireless Mode.
Table3-1. Basic Wireless Security Options
Field Description
None No wireless security. Only recommended for troubleshooting wireless connectivity.
WEP WEP offers the following options:
• Open System
With Open Network authentication and 64- or 128-bit WEP Data Encryption, the WNR854T
does perform data encryption but does not perform any authentication. Anyone can join the
network. This setting provides very little practical wireless security.
• Shared Key
With Shared Key authentication, a wireless device must know the WEP key in order to join
the network. Choose the Encryption Strength (64- or 128-bit data encryption). Manually
enter the key values or enter a word or group of printable characters in the Passphrase box.
Manually entered keys are not case sensitive but passphrase characters are case sensitive.
Note: Not all wireless adapter configuration utilities support passphrase key generation.
•Auto
The wireless router automatically detects whether Open System or Shared Key is used.
WPA-PSK
WPA2-PSK WPA-Pre-shared Key does perform authentication. WPA-PSK uses TKIP (Temporal Key
Integrity Protocol) data encryption and WPA2-PSK uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)
data encryption. Both methods dynamically change the encryption keys making them nearly
impossible to circumvent.
Enter a word or group of printable characters in the Password Phrase box. These characters
are case sensitive.
Note: Not all wireless adapter configuration utilities support WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK.
Furthermore, client software is required on the client. Windows XP Service Pack 2 and
Windows XP Service Pack 1 with WPA patch do include the client software that supports WPA.
However, the wireless adapter hardware and driver must also support WPA.