ZyXEL Communications WAP5705, User Manual

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Chapter 9 Wireless LAN
WAP5705 User’s Guide
75
You can use the MAC address filter to tell the AP which wireless clients are allowed or not allowed to
use the wireless network. If a wireless client is allowed to use the wireless network, it still has to
have the correct settings (SSID, channel, and security). If a wireless client is not allowed to use the
wireless network, it does not matter if it has the correct settings.
This type of security does not protect the information that is sent in the wireless network.
Furthermore, there are ways for unauthorized devices to get the MAC address of an authorized
wireless client. Then, they can use that MAC address to use the wireless network.
9.3.1.3 Encryption
Wireless networks can use encryption to protect the information that is sent in the wireless
network. Encryption is like a secret code. If you do not know the secret code, you cannot
understand the message.
The types of encryption you can choose depend on the type of user authentication.
Usually, you should set up the strongest encryption that every wireless client in the wireless
network supports. Suppose the wireless network has two wireless clients. Device A only supports
WEP, and device B supports WEP and WPA-PSK. Therefore, you should set up
WEP in the wireless
network.
Note: It is recommended that wireless networks use WPA-PSK or stronger encryption.
IEEE 802.1x and WEP encryption are better than none at all, but it is still possible
for unauthorized devices to figure out the original information pretty quickly.
When you select WPA2-PSK in your WAP5705, you can also select an option ( WPA Compatible )
to support WPA as well. In this case, if some wireless clients support WPA and some support WPA2,
you should set up
WPA2-PSK (depending on the type of wireless network login) and select the
WPA Compatible option in the WAP5705.
Many types of encryption use a key to protect the information in the wireless network. The longer
the key, the stronger the encryption. Every wireless client in the wireless network must have the
same key.
9.3.1.4 WPS
WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) is an industry standard specification, defined by the WiFi Alliance. WPS
allows you to quickly set up a wireless network with strong security, without having to configure
security settings manually. Depending on the devices in your network, you can either press a
button (on the device itself, or in its configuration utility) or enter a PIN (Personal Identification
Number) in the devices. Then, they connect and set up a secure network by themselves. See how
to set up a secure wireless network using WPS in the
Section 7.3 on page 53 .
Table 27
Types of Encryption for Each Type of Authentication
NO AUTHENTICATION
Weakest No Security
WEP
WPA-PSK
Strongest WPA2-PSK