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User Manual for the NETGEAR 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card WG511 v2
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).
The primary information conveyed in the Beacon frames is the authentication method and the
cipher suite. Possible authentication methods include 802.1X and Pre-shared key. Pre-shared
key is an authentication method that uses a statically configured pass phrase on both the
stations and the access point. This obviates the need for an authentication server, which in
many home and small office environments will not be available nor desirable. Possible cipher
suites include: WEP, TKIP, and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). We talk more about
TKIP and AES when addressing data privacy below.
B-10
June 2005
Wireless Networking Basics
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