Netgear WG102 User Manual download pdf (Page 100)

Reference Manual for the NETGEAR ProSafe 802.11g Wireless Access Point WG102

B-16 Wireless Networking Basics

202-10064-02, June 2005

Product Support for WPA/WPA2

Starting in August, 2003, NETGEAR, Inc. wireless Wi-Fi certified products will support the WPA

standard. NETGEAR, Inc. wireless products that had their Wi-Fi certification approved before

August, 2003 will have one year to add WPA so as to maintain their Wi-Fi certification.

WPA/WPA2 requires software changes to the following:

• Wireless access points

• Wireless network adapters

• Wireless client programs

Supporting a Mixture of WPA, WPA2, and WEP Wireless Clients is Discouraged

To support the gradual transition of WEP-based wireless networks to WPA/WPA2, a wireless AP

can support both WEP and WPA/WPA2 clients at the same time. During the association, the

wireless AP determines which clients use WEP and which clients use WPA/WPA2. The

disadvantage to supporting a mixture of WEP and WPA/WPA2 clients is that the global encryption

key is not dynamic. This is because WEP-based clients cannot support it. All other benefits to the

WPA clients, such as integrity, are maintained.

However, a mixed mode supporting WPA/WPA2 and non-WPA/WPA2 clients would offer

network security that is no better than that obtained with a non-WPA/WPA2 network, and thus this

mode of operation is discouraged.

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Netgear WG102 User Manual Page 100