ZyXEL Communications P-974H - V3.70, Manual

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Chapter 6 Wireless LAN
P-974H/HW Series User’s Guide
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• Every device in the same wireless network must use the same SSID.
The SSID is the name of the wireless network. It stands for Service Set
IDentity.
• If two wireless networks overlap, they should use a different channel.
Like radio stations or television channels, each wireless network uses a specific
channel, or frequency, to send and receive information.
• Every device in the same wireless network must use security compatible with
the AP.
Security stops unauthorized devices from using the wireless network. It can also
protect the information that is sent in the wireless network.
6.1.1 What You Need to Know
The following terms and concepts may help as you read through this chapter.
SSID
Normally, the ZyXEL Device acts like a beacon and regularly broadcasts the SSID
in the area. You can hide the SSID instead, in which case the ZyXEL Device does
not broadcast the SSID. In addition, you should change the default SSID to
something that is difficult to guess.
This type of security is fairly weak, however, because there are ways for
unauthorized wireless devices to get the SSID. In addition, unauthorized wireless
devices can still see the information that is sent in the wireless network.
MAC Address Filter
Every device that can use a wireless network has a unique identification number,
called a MAC address.
1
A MAC address is usually written using twelve hexadecimal
characters
2
; for example, 00A0C5000002 or 00:A0:C5:00:00:02. To get the MAC
address for each device in the wireless network, see the device’s User’s Guide or
other documentation.
You can use the Access Control screen to tell the ZyXEL Device which devices
are allowed or not allowed to use the wireless network. If a device is allowed to
use the wireless network, it still has to have the correct information (SSID,
channel, and security). If a device is not allowed to use the wireless network, it
does not matter if it has the correct information.
This type of security does not protect the information that is sent in the wireless
network. Furthermore, there are ways for unauthorized wireless devices to get the
1. Some wireless devices, such as scanners, can detect wireless networks but cannot use wireless networks.
These kinds of wireless devices might not have MAC addresses.
2. Hexadecimal characters are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, and F.