Asked By
Richard.M
0 points
N/A
Posted on - 09/01/2011
Hi,
I want to know which level of security is considered the most secure for my wireless network? I'm running Windows XP operating system and I'm just about to set up a secured wireless network. Please help me set up my wireless network in the most secured way.
Which level of security is the most secure for my wireless network?
Hello there,
WEP – Wired Equivalent Privacy is used for Wi-Fi networks allowing computers to connect to the Internet using hard coded hexadecimal digits. This alpha-numeric characters from 0-9 and letter's A-F chosen and set-up by you, or the administrator to form a secure network for wireless security.
It has length that can be used to secure wireless networks. The following encryption are listed below in this format;
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40-60 bit WEP uses 5 characters or 10 digit KEY
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104-128 bit WEP uses 26 digit KEY
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256 bit WEP uses 58 digit KEY
This is also called passphrase and there are websites that offers automatically generate WEP key and changes the WEP key assigned by the router manufacturer.
The bad thing about this is, the combination of the WEP key is hard coded and mostly composed of alpha-numeric characters and it's not so easy to memorized.
The good thing is, this is not so easy to access because of how WEP key characters are being composed. It consist of 26 hexadecimal and it's a long list of letters and numbers. This for sure is very secured.
Setting up manually WEP key is also secured, because you yourself is setting up your own security. No one knows it except you. Unlike the Auto-generate WEP key has a possible downfall because there are SQA's needs to answer before it can re-generate WEP again if in case you forgot what it is.
Both has ways are it's own flaws and it's own strength that can take advantage of by free riders of Internet.
I myself prefer using manually assign a network because this is what I used at home.
Which level of security is the most secure for my wireless network?
As many have mentioned, encryption is the WI-FI's first security measure in keeping if off limits, turning this on will avoid you to be completely exposed for intruder's attack. There is WEP and WPA/WPA2 encryption as the WEP key mentioned above. The two have vulnerabilities on its own though I read from the internet that WEP encryption is easy to modify, it is us users has the final say after all.
By the way, you can't mix WEP and WPA and also keys used by WPA and WPA2 is impossible to access because it is changed from time to time. It is composed of Alpha Numeric Keys and you can use more than 14 to make your encryption stronger.
