User's Manual

LAN-Express IEEE 802.11 Wireless Adapter User Guide
Chapter 4 Wireless Client Utility Configuration 34
entered to enable security using a shared key. If more then one key is defined then click the
appropriate radio button to select a key as the default encryption key.
Key Length – The options for Key Length are
 64 bit encryption (10 digits in HEX mode)
 128 bit encryption (26 digits in HEX mode)
 152 bit encryption (32 digits in HEX mode)
The number of characters that may be entered in the encryption key field will be
automatically determined by the Key length setting.
Setting WPA PassPhrase Encryption
WPA is a new standard-based wireless security solution developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance.
WPA also supports the WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) security standard. Microsoft
provides a security patch called “Windows XP Support Patch for Wireless Protected Access”
on its website for free download and it works only with Windows XP. The WPA encryption is
supported on Windows
®
XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition.
There are two types of WPA security:
WPA-PSK (with no server) – it uses the so-called “pre-shared key” as the security key. A
pre-shared key is basically a password that is between eight and 63 characters long. It can be
any combination of letters, numbers, and other characters. This is the typical mode that is
used in a home environment. WPA-PSK is a lightweight 802.1x type authentication that uses
a shared secret ASCII based passphrase known by both the access point and station. To enable
WPA with a passphrase (WPA-PSK), select “WPA-PSK” from the Security Options list and
click OK to configure as shown in Figure 4-11.
WPA (with server) – it is a system where a RADIUS server distributes the keys to the clients
automatically. It is typically used in a business environment.