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3G Broadband Wireless Router MBR624GU User Manual
Wireless Network Configuration 2-3
v1.0, January 2009
Wireless Security Options
Indoors, computers can connect over 802.11g wireless networks at a maximum range of up to 300
feet. Such distances can allow for others outside your immediate area to access your network.
Unlike wired network data, your wireless data transmissions can extend beyond your walls and
can be received by anyone with a compatible adapter. For this reason, use the security features of
your wireless equipment. The Wireless Router provides highly effective security features which
are covered in detail in this chapter. Deploy the security features appropriate to your needs.
There are several ways you can enhance the security of your wireless network:
• Restrict Access Based on MAC Address. You can allow only trusted PCs to connect so that
unknown PCs cannot wirelessly connect to the router. Restricting access by MAC address
adds an obstacle against unwanted access to your network, but the data broadcast over the
wireless link is fully exposed.
• Turn Off the Broadcast of the Wireless Network Name SSID. If you disable broadcast of
the SSID, only devices that have the correct SSID can connect. This nullifies wireless network
‘discovery’ feature of some products, such as Windows XP, but the data is still exposed.
• WEP. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption provides data security. WEP Shared
Key authentication and WEP data encryption block all but the most determined eavesdropper.
This data encryption mode has been superseded by WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK.
• WPA-802.1x, WPA2-802.1x. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) with user authentication
implemented using IEE 802.1x and RADIUS servers.
• WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA2-PSK (AES). Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) using a pre-shared
key to perform authentication and generate the initial data encryption keys. The very strong
authentication along with dynamic per frame re-keying of WPA makes it virtually impossible
to compromise.
Figure 2-1