Manually configuring your router, Se ct io n – Belkin ADSL2+ Modem with Wireless G Router F5D7632uk4A User Manual

Page 29

Manually Configuring your Router

Encryption/Security

Securing your Wi-Fi Network
Here are a few different ways you can maximize the security of your wireless
network and protect your data from prying eyes and ears. This section is intended
for the home, home-office, and small-office user. At the time of this User Manual’s
publication, there are four encryption methods available.

Name

64-Bit Wired
Equivalent
Privacy

128-Bit Wired
Equivalent
Privacy

Wi-Fi
Protected
Access-TKIP

Wi-Fi
Protected
Access 2

Acronym

64-bit WEP

128-bit WEP

WPA-TKIP/
AES (or just
WPA)

WPA2-AES
(or just WPA2)

Security

Good

Better

Best

Features

Static keys

Dynamic key
encryption
and mutual
authentication

Encryption
keys based
on RC4
algorithm
(typically 40-
bit keys)

More secure
than 64-bit
WEP using
a key length
of 104 bits
plus 24
additional bits
of system-
generated
data

TKIP
(Temporal
Key Integrity
Protocol)
added so
that keys are
rotated and
encryption is
strengthened

AES
(Advanced
Encryption
Standard)
does not
cause any
throughput
loss

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
WEP is a common protocol that adds security to all wireless products that are
compliant with Wi-Fi. WEP was designed to give wireless networks the equivalent
level of privacy protection as a comparable wired network.

64-Bit WEP
64-bit WEP was first introduced with 64-bit encryption, which includes a key length
of 40 bits plus 24 additional bits of system-generated data (64 bits total). Some
hardware manufacturers refer to 64-bit as 40-bit encryption. Shortly after the
technology was introduced, researchers found that 64-bit encryption was too easy
to decode.