Section 2
Installation
2-2 WN825
Small Office/Home Office Users
The access point that communicates with the WN825 has a pre-assigned network name
(SSID) that the WN825 recognizes upon startup.
If you are setting up a new wireless network with WEP security, the WN825 should use
the same network key you used for your network.
For more information on WEP security, see “Security Options”.
If you are connecting to an existing WEP enabled network, obtain the network key from
the access point.
If you are connecting to a WPA-enabled access point, obtain the WPA (Wi-Fi Protected
Access) wireless network key information (network authentication type, encryption type,
network key) from the access point.
Security Options
The WN825 is designed for both the home user and business. WPA (Wi-Fi Protected
Access) protocol is designed into the WN825. WPA is a powerful, standards-based,
interoperable security technology for wireless local area networks (the subset of the future
IEEE Std 802.11i standard) that encrypts data sent over radio waves.
The WPA protocol was developed to overcome the weaknesses of the WEP (Wired
Equivalent Privacy) protocol. Both protocols require the use of network key information, and
either protocol can be enabled or disabled, depending on the type of network connection
being made.
Various options are available for selecting network authentication and data encryption. It is
important for you to understand these options when deciding which (if any) security protocol
to use.
Security Example
If you want to use a more secure protocol, the wireless network to which you are
connecting must also support that protocol. For example, you decide to enable WPA-PSK
on your WN825, a good choice because of the robust security WPA-PSK offers. However,
the slightly older wireless network you want to connect to only supports WEP, which means
that you cannot use WPA (and should use WEP) because the security protocols must
match between the network adapter and the access point.