Filter
Top Products
Appendix G. Wireless network environment 47
Channels
There are several channels specified in the 802.11b/g standard for wireless
communications. The number of available channels authorized for use may be
restricted based on your location (generally regulatory domain). See Appendix
for available channels at your location. When shipped from the factory, the
Wireless Network Printer Card is configured for Ad-hoc mode using the
automatic channel selection. In most cases, manual configuration of the
channel is not required. If the print server discovers a wireless network that has
the same SSID and operation mode when turned on, it will automatically adjust
the channel to match that network.
IEEE 802.11 authentication
IEEE 802.11 authentication is a process of identifying an individual who is
attempting to access a wireless LAN or an access point. The IEEE 802.11
standard defines two types of authentication services:
•
Open System
: Authentication is not used, and encryption may or may not
be used, depending on the need for data security.
•
Shared Key
: Authentication is used. A device that has a proper WEP key
can access the network. The Network Printer supports both authentication
methods.
WEP encryption
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is a security protocol preventing unauthorized
access to your wireless network. Wireless LANs, which communicate over radio
waves, do not have a physical structure that can be protected from unauthorized
access and therefore are vulnerable to tampering. WEP is designed to provide a
wireless LAN with a security level equal to that found on a wired network. WEP
encrypts the data portion of each packet exchanged on a wireless network using
a 64-bit or 128-bit WEP encryption key.
Sometimes, 64-bit WEP is called 40-bit and 128-bit is called 104-bit. 40-bit
and 64-bit encryption are really the same thing, as are 104-bit and 128-bit
encryption, because an additional 24 initialization vector (IV) bits are
automatically added to make a total of 64 bits and 128 bits. To encrypt data,
the Wireless Network Printer uses four encryption keys. You must select a key
and enter the key value. The key value must be the same as the other wireless
devices or that of the access point of your wireless network. In 64-bit mode,