Netgear WGE111 User Manual download pdf (Page 72)

User Manual for the NETGEAR 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card WG511

C-10 Wireless Networking Basics

How Does WPA Compare to IEEE 802.11i?

WPA is a subset of the current 802.11i draft and uses certain pieces of the 802.11i draft that are

ready to bring to market today, such as 802.1x and TKIP. The main pieces of the 802.11i draft that

are not included in WPA are secure IBSS (Ad Hoc mode), secure fast handoff (for specialized

802.11 VoIP phones), as well as enhanced encryption protocols, such as AES-CCMP. These

features are either not yet ready for market or will require hardware upgrades to implement.

What are the Key Features of WPA Security?

The following security features are included in the WPA standard:

• WPA Authentication

• WPA Encryption Key Management

– Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP)

– Michael message integrity code (MIC)

– AES Support (to be phased in)

• Support for a Mixture of WPA and WEP Wireless Clients, but mixing WEP and WPA is

discouraged

These features are discussed below.

WPA addresses most of the known WEP vulnerabilities and is primarily intended for wireless

infrastructure networks as found in the enterprise. This infrastructure includes stations, access

points, and authentication servers (typically RADIUS servers). The RADIUS server holds (or has

access to) user credentials (for example, user names and passwords) and authenticates wireless

users before they gain access to the network.

The strength of WPA comes from an integrated sequence of operations that encompass 802.1X/

EAP authentication and sophisticated key management and encryption techniques. Its major

operations include:

• Network security capability determination. This occurs at the 802.11 level and is

communicated through WPA information elements in Beacon, Probe Response, and (Re)

Association Requests. Information in these elements includes the authentication method

(802.1X or Pre-shared key) and the preferred cipher suite (WEP, TKIP, or AES).

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Netgear WGE111 User Manual Page 72