ZyXEL Communications P-661H Series - Manual (Page 111)

P-661H/HW Series User’s Guide
Chapter 6 Wireless LAN 111
For wireless networks, user names and passwords can be stored in a RADIUS server. This is a
server used in businesses more than in homes. If you do not have a RADIUS server, you
cannot set up user names and passwords for your users.
Unauthorized wireless devices can still see the information that is sent in the wireless network,
even if they cannot use the wireless network. Furthermore, there are ways for unauthorized
wireless users to get a valid user name and password. Then, they can use that user name and
password to use the wireless network.
Local user databases also have an additional limitation that is explained in the next section.
6.2.4 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 authentication. (See Section
6.2.3 on page 110 for information about this.)
For example, if the wireless network has a RADIUS server, you can choose WPA or WPA2.
If users do not log in to the wireless network, you can choose no encryption, Static WEP,
WPA-PSK, or WPA2-PSK.
Usually, you should set up the strongest encryption that every device in the wireless network
supports. For example, suppose you have a wireless network with the ZyXEL Device. The
ZyXEL Device does not have a local user database, and you do not have a RADIUS server.
Therefore, there is no authentication. Suppose the wireless network has two devices. Device A
only supports WEP, and device B supports WEP and WPA. Therefore, you should set up
Static WEP in the wireless network.
Note: It is recommended that wireless networks use WPA-PSK, WPA, or stronger
encryption. IEEE 802.1x and WEP encryption are better than none at all, but it
is still possible for unauthorized wireless devices to figure out the original
information pretty quickly.
It is not possible to use WPA-PSK, WPA or stronger encryption with a local
user database. In this case, it is better to set up stronger encryption with no
authentication than to set up weaker encryption with the local user database.
Table 35 Types of Encryption for Each Type of Authentication
No Authentication RADIUS Server
Weakest No Security
WPA
Static WEP
WPA-PSK
Strongest WPA2-PSK WPA2