SMC Networks SMC2555W-AG manual Security

System Configuration

Security

The SMC2555W-AG is configured by default as an “open system,” which broadcasts a beacon signal including the configured SSID. Wireless clients can read the SSID from the beacon, and automatically reset their SSID to allow immediate connection to the nearest access point.

To improve wireless network security, you have to implement two main functions:

•Authentication: It must be verified that clients attempting to connect to the network are authorized users.

•Traffic Encryption: Data passing between the access point and clients must be protected from interception and evesdropping.

For a more secure network, the access point can implement one or a combination of the following security mechanisms:

• Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)		page 5-52
•	IEEE 802.1x	page 5-16
• Wireless MAC address filtering		page 5-14
•	Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)	page 5-57

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