User's Manual

Reference Manual for the Model CG814WG Wireless Cable Modem Gateway
B-14 Networks, Routing, and Firewall Basics
6. The station sends an association request to the access point.
7. The access point associates with the station.
8. The station can now communicate with the Ethernet network through the access point.
An access point must authenticate a station before the station can associate with the access point or
communicate with the network. The IEEE 802.11b standard defines two types of authentication:
Open System and Shared Key.
• Open System Authentication allows any device to join the network, assuming that the device
SSID matches the access point SSID. Alternatively, the device can use the “ANY” SSID
option to associate with any available Access Point within range, regardless of its SSID.
• Shared Key Authentication requires that the station and the access point have the same WEP
Key to authenticate. These two authentication procedures are described below.
Open System Authentication
The following steps occur when two devices use Open System Authentication:
1. The station sends an authentication request to the access point.
2. The access point authenticates the station.
3. The station associates with the access point and joins the network.
This process is illustrated in below.
Figure B-4: 802.11b open system authentication
INTERN ET LOCAL
ACT
123456 78
LNK
LNK/ACT
100
Cable/DSL
ProSafeWirelessVPN SecurityFirewall
MODEL
FVM318
PWR TEST
WLAN
Enable
Access Point
1) Authentication request sent to AP
2) AP authenticates
3) Client connects to network
802.11b Authentication
Open System Steps
Cable or
DLS modem
Client
attempting
to connect