User's Manual

Appendix B: Wireless Technology
181
MVP-9000i Modero® Wireless Touch Panel with Intercom
To resolve problems with WEP, the WiFi Alliance released WPA (FIG. 104), which integrated 802.1x, TKIP
and MIC. Within the WPA specifications, the RC4 cipher engine was maintained from WEP. RC4 is widely
used in SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to protect internet traffic.
WPA2
Also know as IEEE 802.11i, this is an amendment to the 802.11 standard specifying security mechanisms for
wireless networks. The 802.11i scheme makes use of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) block cipher;
WEP and WPA use the RC4 stream cipher.
The 802.11i architecture contains the following components: 802.1X for authentication (entailing the use of
EAP and an authentication server), RSN for keeping track of associations, and AES-based CCMP to provide
confidentiality, integrity and origin authentication.
WPA2 implements the full standard, but will not work with some older network cards. Both provide good
security, with two significant issues:
either WPA or WPA2 must be enabled and chosen in preference to WEP.
WEP is usually presented as the first security choice in most installation instructions.
in the "Personal" mode, the most likely choice for homes and small offices, a passphrase is required
that, for full security, must be longer than the typical 6 to 8 character passwords users are taught to
employ.
With the RC4 released to the general public, the IEEE implemented the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
as the cipher engine for 802.11i, which the WiFi Alliance has branded as WPA2 (FIG. 105).
FIG. 104 WPA Overview
FIG. 105 WPA2 Overview