Horizons 1500WR Wireless 4-Port Router
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ParkerVision
7.2.2 Authentication
Three different methods can be used to authenticate wireless stations to the network:
Open System
,
Shared Key
, and
Auto
. The following figure illustrates the steps involved.
Open system
authentication involves an unencrypted two-message procedure. A wireless station
sends an open system authentication request to the AP, which will then automatically accept and
connect the wireless station to the network. In effect, open system is not authentication at all as any
station can gain access to the network.
Shared key
authentication involves a four-message procedure. A wireless station sends a shared key
authentication request to the AP, which will then reply with a challenge text message. The wireless
station must then use the AP’s default WEP key to encrypt the challenge text and return it to the AP,
which attempts to decrypt the message using the AP’s default WEP key. If the decrypted message
matches the challenge text, the wireless station is authenticated.
When your 1500WR Wireless Router’s authentication method is set to open system, it will only accept
open system authentication requests. The same is true for shared key authentication. However, when
it is set to
auto authentication
, the 1500WR Wireless Router will accept either type of authentication
request and the 1500WR Wireless Router will fall back to use open authentication if the shared key
does not match.
