User manual

8
www.modecom.eu
WEP Key
WEP provides for two levels of security encryption based on the length of bits in a key called a Shared Key. A
40-bit key (which is 5 characters) provides some security; this can be a key like “12345” or “MyLAN”. A 104-bit
key is also available and provides more robust security. A 13-character key is required for 104-bit security. Keys
can be in ASCII characters or Hexadecimal. ASCII characters are those used in computers and include all typew-
ritten characters including the alphabet and numbers, as well as */”()[] characters. Hexadecimal characters are
limited to the numbers 0-9 and the first 6 letters of the alphabet a-f.
Table 1 WEP Key Examples
Note: Every key has an added 24-bit provided by the card, which are set by the manufacturer and
not user modifiable. This manual uses the terms 40-bit and 104-bit to represent 64-bit and
128-bit keys respectively. This is the most commonly used terminology in the industry.
The WEP key for your wireless LAN network is another form of password. Like passwords, certain combinations
of passwords are not recommended for use (such as 01234, abcde, or publicly known information like your of-
fice phone number, dog’s name, etc.). Protect your WEP key as you would a password.
Note: If you access other networks with already predefined keys, always enter them exactly as
they appear taking note of lower and upper case letters.
Any computer accessing a wireless network with WEP enabled not only requires the same SSID but also the
same WEP key in order to have access.
With the above factors decided, physical placement of the components will be critical. The maximum range of
the wireless LAN will often be decided by the type of environment it is located in and, if in different rooms, by
how many obstacles are in the way which reduces the range of the wireless adapters. Often, Ad-Hoc mode will
require the wireless clients to be in closer range of each other than Infrastructure type networks. The Wireless
LAN Card can operate at up to 100m indoors and up to 300m outdoors, although the physical environment
(walls, floors, ceilings, etc.) will limit the range of wireless signals.
WEP Key size Number of Digits Example
40-bit (also called 64-bit) 5 (ASCII) 12345, MyLAN, 78E*5
10 (Hexadecimal) 1A37FB458C
104-bit (also called 128-bit) 13 (ASCII) 1234567890123,This_is_MyLAN
26 (Hexadecimal) 1A37FB458C12E34F8523E9FF76