User's Manual Part 1

Wireless Settings 49
Encryption When setting up wireless networks, it is important to remember that with
encryption disabled, anyone with a Wireless PC can eavesdrop on your
network. 3Com recommends that you get the network working with
encryption disabled first and then enable it as the last step. This will
simplify setting up your network.
The Router supports two types of encryption:
■ WPA — Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a 256 bit encryption method
with keys that change over time.
■ WEP — Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is a 64 bit or 128 bit
encryption method with user configurable fixed keys.
WPA provides a higher level of security, provided by its longer key and
dynamic changes made to the key over time. 3Com recommends that
you use WPA with any clients which support it.
If you enable encryption on the Router, you must reconfigure your
wireless PCs to use exactly the same Encryption Type and Keys otherwise
the devices will not understand each other.
The encryption methods used by the Router secure data transmitted
through wireless communications between the Router and its wireless
clients. Enabling encryption has no security effect on data transmitted
through wired (Ethernet) connections or through your connections to the
Internet.
Configuring WPA
Encryption
The only configuration that is needed for WPA is to enter the pre-shared
key. This key is used to start the dialog between the Router and the client.
During this dialog, a new key is agreed, making it more difficult to
eavesdrop on wireless networks encrypted using WPA, than those
encrypted using WEP. The pre-shared key can be entered as a 256 bit
series of hexadecimal digits or as a pass-phrase.