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Chapter 5: Configuring the Home Wireless-G Gateway
The Wireless Tab
Home Wireless-G Gateway
WEP. WEP is a basic encryption method, which is not as secure as Pre-Shared Key. To use WEP, select a Default
Key (this indicates which Key to use) and a level of WEP encryption, 64 bits 10 hex digits or 128 bits 26 hex
digits. Then either generate a WEP key using a Passphrase or enter the WEP key manually.
• WEP Encryption. An acronym for Wired Equivalent Privacy, WEP is an encryption method used to protect your
wireless data communications. WEP uses 64-bit or 128-bit keys to provide access control to your network
and encryption security for every data transmission. To decode data transmissions, all devices in a network
must use an identical WEP key. Higher encryption levels offer higher levels of security, but due to the
complexity of the encryption, they may decrease network performance. To enable WEP, select 64 bits 10 hex
digits or 128 bits 26 hex digits.
• Default Transmit Key Select which WEP key (1-4) will be used when the Gateway sends data. Make sure that
the receiving device (wireless computer or client) is using the same key.
• Passphrase. Instead of manually entering WEP keys, you can enter a passphrase. This passphrase is used to
generate one or more WEP keys. It is case-sensitive and should not be longer than 32 alphanumeric
characters. (This Passphrase function is compatible with Linksys wireless products only and cannot be used
with Windows XP Zero Configuration. If you want to communicate with non-Linksys wireless products or
Windows XP Zero Configuration, make a note of the WEP key generated in the Key 1 field, and enter it
manually in the wireless computer or client.) After you enter the Passphrase, click the Generate button to
create WEP keys.
• WEP Keys 1-4. WEP keys enable you to create an encryption scheme for wireless network transmissions. If
you are not using a Passphrase, then manually enter a set of values. (Do not leave a key field blank, and do
not enter all zeroes; they are not valid key values.) If you are using 64-bit WEP encryption, the key must be
exactly 10 hexadecimal characters in length. If you are using 128-bit WEP encryption, the key must be exactly
26 hexadecimal characters in length. Valid hexadecimal characters are “0”-“9” and “A”-“F”.
When finished making your changes on this tab, click the Save Settings button to save these changes, or click
the Cancel Changes button to undo your changes. For detailed instructions on configuring wireless security for
the Gateway, turn to “Appendix B: Wireless Security.”
Figure 5-16: WEP