P-661H/HW Series User’s Guide

For wireless networks, user names and passwords can be stored in a RADIUS server. This is a server used in businesses more than in homes. If you do not have a RADIUS server, you cannot set up user names and passwords for your users.

Unauthorized wireless devices can still see the information that is sent in the wireless network, even if they cannot use the wireless network. Furthermore, there are ways for unauthorized wireless users to get a valid user name and password. Then, they can use that user name and password to use the wireless network.

Local user databases also have an additional limitation that is explained in the next section.

6.2.4 Encryption

Wireless networks can use encryption to protect the information that is sent in the wireless network. Encryption is like a secret code. If you do not know the secret code, you cannot understand the message.

The types of encryption you can choose depend on the type of authentication. (See Section 6.2.3 on page 110 for information about this.)

Table 35 Types of Encryption for Each Type of Authentication

 

 

No Authentication

RADIUS Server

Weakest

No Security

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Static WEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WPA-PSK

WPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strongest

WPA2-PSK

WPA2

 

 

 

 

For example, if the wireless network has a RADIUS server, you can choose WPA or WPA2. If users do not log in to the wireless network, you can choose no encryption, Static WEP, WPA- PSK, or WPA2-PSK.

Usually, you should set up the strongest encryption that every device in the wireless network supports. For example, suppose you have a wireless network with the ZyXEL Device. The ZyXEL Device does not have a local user database, and you do not have a RADIUS server. Therefore, there is no authentication. Suppose the wireless network has two devices. Device A only supports WEP, and device B supports WEP and WPA. Therefore, you should set up Static WEP in the wireless network.

Note: It is recommended that wireless networks use WPA-PSK, WPA, or stronger encryption. IEEE 802.1x and WEP encryption are better than none at all, but it is still possible for unauthorized wireless devices to figure out the original information pretty quickly.

It is not possible to use WPA-PSK, WPA or stronger encryption with a local user database. In this case, it is better to set up stronger encryption with no authentication than to set up weaker encryption with the local user database.

Chapter 6 Wireless LAN

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