60
Using Your VAIO Computer >
Using the Wireless LAN
✍
In some countries, using WLAN products may be restricted by the local regulations (e.g. limited number of channels). Before activating the WLAN
function, read the wireless LAN regulations guide carefully.
WLAN uses the IEEE 802.11a
*
/b/g/n
*
standard, which specifies the type of technology used. The standard includes the encryption methods: Wired
Equivalent Privacy (WEP), which is a security protocol, Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2), and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). Proposed jointly by the
IEEE and Wi-Fi Alliance, both WPA2 and WPA are specifications of standards based on interoperable security enhancements that increase the level of
data protection and access control for existing Wi-Fi networks. WPA is designed to be forward compatible with the IEEE 802.11i specification. It utilizes
the enhanced data encryption Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) in addition to user authentication using 802.1X and Extensible Authentication
Protocol (EAP). Data encryption protects the vulnerable wireless link between clients and access points. Besides that, there are other typical LAN
security mechanisms to ensure privacy, such as: password protection, end-to-end encryption, virtual private networks, and authentication. WPA2, the
second generation of WPA, provides stronger data protection and network access control and is also designed to secure all versions of 802.11 devices,
including 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, and 802.11n standards, multi-band and multi-mode. In addition, based on the ratified IEEE 802.11i standard,
WPA2 provides government grade security by implementing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) FIPS 140-2 compliant AES
encryption algorithm and 802.1X-based authentication. WPA2 is backward compatible with WPA.
* See the specifications to find out about the configuration of your computer.
The IEEE 802.11b/g standard is a wireless LAN standard, using the 2.4 GHz band. The IEEE 802.11g standard provides higher-speed communications
than the IEEE 802.11b standard.
The IEEE 802.11a standard is a wireless LAN standard, using the 5 GHz band.
The IEEE 802.11n standard is a wireless LAN standard, using the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band.
Wireless LAN devices using the 2.4 GHz band cannot communicate with devices using the 5 GHz band because the frequencies are different.
The 2.4 GHz band used by wireless LAN compatible devices is also used by other various devices. Although technologies to minimize interference from
other devices that use the same band are employed on wireless LAN compatible devices, such interference may cause lower communication speed,
narrower communication range, or broken wireless connections.
