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Setting Up WEP Encryption and Authentication

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption and shared authentication provides protect for your data on the network. WEP uses an encryption key to encrypt data before transmitting it. Only computers using the same encryption key can access the network or decrypt the encrypted data transmitted by other computers. Authentication provides an additional validation process from the adapter to the access point.

Supported authentication schemes are Open and Shared-Key authentication:

Encryption Overview

Security in the WLAN can be achieved by enabling data encryption using WEP (Wireless Encryption Protocol). You can choose a 64 or 128 bit level encryption. Also, the data can then be encrypted with a key. Another parameter called the key index is provides the option to create multiple keys for that profile. However, only one key can be used at a time. You can also choose to password protect the profile to ensure privacy.

The pass phrase is used to generate a WEP key automatically. You have the option of either using a pass phrase or entering a WEP key manually. Using 64-bit encryption, the pass phrase is 5 characters long and you can choose to enter any arbitrary and easy to remember phrase like Acme1 or enter 10 Hexadecimal numbers for the WEP key corresponding to the network the user wants to connect to. For 128-bit encryption, the pass phrase is 13 characters long or you can enter a 26 hexadecimal numbers for the WEP key to get connected to the appropriate network.


Note: You must use the same encryption type, key index number, and WEP key as other devices on your wireless network. Also, if 802.1x authentication is being used, WEP encryption must be disabled.

To enable 64-bit (40-bit) or 128-bit encryption with authentication:

  1. Select the wireless adapter in the left-side pane.
  2. From the General page, click the Networks tab.
  3. Select the profile from the Profile List and click the Edit button or click the Add button if you are using the Profile Wizard.
  4. Click the Security tab. Select Security Settings, the third dialog if using the Profile Wizard.
  5. Select Shared from the Network Authentication drop-down box.
  6. Select 64-bit or 128-bit from the Encryption Level drop-down box.
  7. Select a key index number 1, 2, 3, or 4 from the Encrypt data with key index drop-down box to use for encryption. Key selection corresponds to the WEP encryption pass phrase or WEP key.
  8. Select either of the following:
  • Pass phrase: Click Use Pass Phrase to enable it. Enter a text phrase, up to five (using 64-bit) or 13 (using 128-bit) alphanumeric characters (0-9, a-z or A-Z), in the pass phrase field.
  • WEP key: Click Use WEP Keys to enable it. Enter up to ten (using 64-bit) alphanumeric characters, 0-9, A-F, or twenty-six (using 128-bit) alphanumeric characters, 0-9, A-F in the WEP key field. 
  1. Click OK if editing a profile or Finish if in the Profile Wizard to save the settings.

 
NOTE: You must use the same encryption type, index number, and WEP key as other devices on your wireless network.  

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Copyright (c) 2003 Intel Corporation.