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NETGEAR genie Basic Settings
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N900 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router WNDR4500
Guest Network Wireless Security Options
A security option is the type of security protocol applied to your wireless network. The
security protocol in force encrypts data transmissions and ensures that only trusted devices
receive authorization to connect to your network. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) has several
options including pre-shared key (PSK) encryption.
This section presents an overview of the security options and provides guidance on when to
use which option. Note that it is also possible to set up a guest network without wireless
security. NETGEAR does not recommend this.
WPA Encryption
WPA encryption is built into all hardware that has the Wi-Fi-certified seal. This seal means
the product is authorized by the Wi-Fi Alliance (http://www.wi-fi.org/) because it complies with
the worldwide single standard for high-speed wireless local area networking.
WPA uses a passphrase to perform authentication and generate the initial data encryption
keys. Then it dynamically varies the encryption key. WPA-PSK uses Temporal Key Integrity
Protocol (TKIP) data encryption, implements most of the IEEE 802.11i standard, and is
designed to work with all wireless network interface cards, but not all wireless access points.
It is superseded by WPA2-PSK.
WPA2-PSK is stronger than WPA-PSK. It is advertised to be theoretically indecipherable due
to the greater degree of randomness in encryption keys that it generates. WPA2-PSK gets
higher speed because it is usually implemented through hardware, while WPA-PSK is usually
implemented through software. WPA2-PSK uses a passphrase to authenticate and generate
the initial data encryption keys. Then it dynamically varies the encryption key.
WPS-PSK + WPA2-PSK Mixed Mode can provide broader support for all wireless clients.
WPA2-PSK clients get higher speed and security, and WPA-PSK clients get decent speed
and security. The product documentation for your wireless adapter and WPA client software
should have instructions about configuring their WPA settings.