Installation Guide for the NETGEAR 54 Mbps Wireless PCI Adapter WG311 v2
B-4
Wireless Networking Basics
Figure 3-8: 802.11 open system authentication
Shared Key Authentication
The following steps occur when two devices use Shared Key Authentication:
1.
The station sends an authentication request to the access point.
2.
The access point sends challenge text to the station.
3.
The station uses its configured 64-bit or 128-bit default key to encrypt the challenge text, and
sends the encrypted text to the access point.
4.
The access point decrypts the encrypted text using its configured WEP Key that corresponds
to the station’s default key. The access point compares the decrypted text with the original
challenge text. If the decrypted text matches the original challenge text, then the access point
and the station share the same WEP Key and the access point authenticates the station.
5.
The station connects to the network.
If the decrypted text does not match the original challenge text (i.e., the access point and station do
not share the same WEP Key), then the access point will refuse to authenticate the station and the
station will be unable to communicate with either the 802.11 network or Ethernet network.
This process is illustrated in below.
I N TER N ET
LO C A L
ACT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
LNK
LNK/ACT
100
Cable/DSL
ProSafe Wireless VPN Security Firewall
MODEL
FVM318
PWR
TEST
W LA N
Enable
Access Point
1) Authentication request sent to AP
2) AP authenticates
3) Client connects to network
802.11b Authentication
Open System Steps
CSU/DSU
or DLS modem
Client
attempting
to connect
Summary of Contents for WG311 v2
Page 6: ...December 2003 vi...
Page 9: ...Contents ix Glossary List of Glossary Terms D 1 Index...
Page 10: ...x Contents...
Page 32: ...Installation Guide for the NETGEAR 54 Mbps Wireless PCI Adapter WG311 v2 2 16 Basic Setup...
Page 74: ...Installation Guide for the NETGEAR 54 Mbps Wireless PCI Adapter WG311 v2 6 Glossary...
