Chapter 9 Wireless
NBG7510 User’s Guide
122
The types of encryption you can choose depend on the type of authentication. (See
Section 9.9.3.3 on
page 121
for information about this.)
For example, if the WiFi network has a RADIUS server, you can choose
WPA
,
WPA2
, or
WPA3
. If users do
not log in to the WiFi network, you can choose no encryption,
WPA2-PSK
, or
WPA3-SAE
.
Note: It is recommended that WiFi networks use
WPA3-SAE
,
WPA2-PSK
, or stronger encryption.
The other types of encryption are better than none at all, but it is still possible for
unauthorized WiFi devices to figure out the original information pretty quickly.
Many types of encryption use a key to protect the information in the WiFi network. The longer the key,
the stronger the encryption. Every device in the WiFi network must have the same key.
9.9.4 Signal Problems
Because WiFi networks are radio networks, their signals are subject to limitations of distance, interference
and absorption.
Problems with distance occur when the two radios are too far apart. Problems with interference occur
when other radio waves interrupt the data signal. Interference may come from other radio
transmissions, such as military or air traffic control communications, or from machines that are
coincidental emitters such as electric motors or microwaves. Problems with absorption occur when
physical objects (such as thick walls) are between the two radios, muffling the signal.
9.9.5 WiFi Protected Setup (WPS)
Your Zyxel Device supports WiFi Protected Setup (WPS), which is an easy way to set up a secure WiFi
network. WPS is an industry standard specification, defined by the WiFi Alliance.
WPS allows you to quickly set up a WiFi network with strong security, without having to configure security
settings manually. Each WPS connection works between two devices. Both devices must support WPS
(check each device’s documentation to make sure).
Depending on the devices you have, you can either press a button (on the device itself, or in its
configuration utility) or enter a PIN (a unique Personal Identification Number that allows one device to
authenticate the other) in each of the two devices. When WPS is activated on a device, it has 2 minutes
to find another device that also has WPS activated. Then, the two devices connect and set up a secure
network by themselves.
9.9.5.1 Push Button Configuration
WPS Push Button Configuration (PBC) is initiated by pressing a button on each WPS-enabled device, and
allowing them to connect automatically. You do not need to enter any information.
Table 41 Types of Encryption for Each Type of Authentication
NO AUTHENTICATION
RADIUS SERVER
Weakest
No Security
WPA
WPA2
WPA-PSK
WPA2
Strongest
WPA3-SAE
WPA3 (server certificate validation)