User`s guide

MN-700 Base Station Configuration Guide 18
The following sections describe the base station security features and how to customize them.
Be aware that changing security settings might affect whether the computers on your network are able to connect
to the base station and the Internet. You should not change the default security settings unless you are absolutely
clear about your objective in doing so.
Wireless Security
Wireless security helps to protect your network from unauthorized access. Because wireless networks use radio
signals, it is possible for wireless network devices outside your immediate area to pick up the signals broadcast by
your base station and either connect to your network and access your network resources or capture data as it is
being transmitted wirelessly. The Microsoft Broadband Networking Wireless Base Station uses Wired Equivalent
Privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) to help prevent unauthorized users from joining your network or
accessing data that is being transmitted wirelessly.
Both WEP and WPA use data encryption to help protect your network data. When data is encrypted, it is rendered
unreadable by a network key before being transmitted between wireless nodes. The data is readable only by
computers that have the key to decrypt the data. This prevents eavesdroppers from capturing your network data as
it is being transmitted.
In addition, WEP and WPA enforce one type of authentication for devices on your network. Before a device can join
your network, it must provide the WEP network key or WPA passphrase you establish. This prevents unauthorized
users from using your Internet connection or accessing shared network resources.
You can establish the wireless security settings for your base station from the Wireless Security page of the Base
Station Management Tool, shown in the following illustration. The following sections describe WEP and WPA in
more detail.
Note You cannot enable both WEP and WPA on your network. You must select either WEP or WPA. If you want to
enable WPA, make sure that all the computers on your network meet the system requirements necessary to use WPA.