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Using Your VAIO Computer >
Using the Wireless LAN
Note on the data encryption
The WLAN standard includes the encryption methods: Wired Equiv alent Privacy (WEP), which is a security protocol, Wi-Fi
Protected Access 2 (WPA2), and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). Proposed jointl y by the IEEE and Wi-Fi Alliance, both WPA2
and WPA are specifications of standards based on interoperable s ecurity enhancements that increase the level of data
protection and access control for existing Wi-Fi networks. WPA is designed to be forward compatible with the IEEE 802.11i
specification. It utilizes the enhanced data encryption Te mporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) in addit ion to user authentication
using 802.1X and Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). Data encryption protects the vulnerable wireless link between
clients and access points. Besides that, there are other typical LAN s ecurity mechanisms to ensure privacy, such as:
password protection, end-to-end encryption, virtual private networks, and a uthentication. WPA2, the second generation of
WPA, provides stronger data protection and network access control and is also designed to secure all versions of 802.11
devices, including 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, and 802.11n standards, multi-band and multi-mode. In addition, based on the
ratified IEEE 802.11i standard, WPA2 provides government grade security by implementing the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) FIPS 140-2 compliant AES encry ption algorithm and 802.1X-based authentication. WPA2
is backward compatible with WPA.