User Manual for the NETGEAR RangeMax™ Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter WPN111

For 802.11, WEP encryption is optional. For WPA, encryption using Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) is required. TKIP replaces WEP with a new encryption algorithm that is stronger than the WEP algorithm, but that uses the calculation facilities present on existing wireless devices to perform encryption operations. TKIP provides important data encryption enhancements including a per-packet key mixing function, a message integrity check (MIC) named Michael, an extended initialization vector (IV) with sequencing rules, and a re-keying mechanism. Through these enhancements, TKIP addresses all of known WEP vulnerabilities.

How Does WPA Compare to IEEE 802.11i?

WPA will be forward compatible with the IEEE 802.11i security specification currently under development. WPA is a subset of the current 802.11i draft and uses certain pieces of the 802.11i draft that are ready to bring to market today, such as 802.1x and TKIP. The main pieces of the 802.11i draft that are not included in WPA are secure IBSS (Ad-Hoc mode), secure fast handoff (for specialized 802.11 VoIP phones), as well as enhanced encryption protocols such as AES-CCMP. These features are either not yet ready for market or will require hardware upgrades to implement.

What are the Key Features of WPA Security?

The following security features are included in the WPA standard:

WPA Authentication

WPA Encryption Key Management

Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP)

Michael message integrity code (M I C )

AES Support

Support for a Mixture of WPA and WEP Wireless Clients

These features are discussed below.

WPA addresses most of the known WEP vulnerabilities and is primarily intended for wireless infrastructure networks as found in the enterprise. This infrastructure includes stations, access points, and authentication servers (typically RADIUS servers). The RADIUS server holds (or has access to) user credentials (e.g., user names and passwords) and authenticates wireless users before they gain access to the network.

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NETGEAR WPN111 user manual How Does WPA Compare to Ieee 802.11i?, What are the Key Features of WPA Security?