NETGEAR WPN802 manual Implementing Appropriate Wireless Security, Wireless Data Security Options

Reference Manual for the NETGEAR RangeMax™ Wireless Access Point WPN802

Implementing Appropriate Wireless Security

Note: Indoors, computers can connect over 802.11b/g wireless networks at ranges of up to 300 feet. Such distances can allow for others outside of your immediate area to access your network.

Unlike wired network data, your wireless data transmissions can be received well beyond your walls by anyone with a compatible adapter. For this reason, use the security features of your wireless equipment. The WPN802 Access Point provides highly effective security features which are covered in detail in this chapter. Deploy the security features appropriate to your needs.

4

Wireless Data

Security Options

Range: Up to 300 Foot Radius

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Figure 4-4: WPN802 wireless data security options

There are several ways you can enhance the security of your wireless network.

•Restrict Access Based on MAC address. You can restrict access to only trusted computers so that unknown computers cannot wirelessly connect to the WPN802. MAC address filtering adds an obstacle against unwanted access to your network, but the data broadcast over the wireless link is fully exposed.

•Turn Off the Broadcast of the Wireless Network Name SSID. If you disable broadcast of the SSID, only devices that have the correct SSID can connect. This nullifies the wireless network ‘discovery’ feature of some products such as Windows XP, but the data is still fully exposed to a determined snoop using specialized test equipment like wireless sniffers.

•WEP. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption provides data security. WEP Shared Key authentication and WEP data encryption will block all but the most determined eavesdropper.

Wireless Configuration 4-5

202-10101-01, 4 May 2005