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WS 2000 Wireless Switch System Reference Guide2-10
In the Network Configuration --> Wireless --> <WLAN name> --> <WLAN Name> --> Security screen, the administrator
can set the user authentication method and the encryption method, as well as define a set of rules that control which MUs
can communicate through the WLAN.
Setting the Authentication Method
The authentication method sets a challenge-response procedure for validating user credentials such as username,
password, and sometimes secret-key information. The WS 2000 Wireless Switch provides two methods for authenticating
users: 802.1x EAP and Kerberos. The administrator can select between these two methods. For testing connectivity, WLAN
security is not an issue, so there is not reason to enable authentication—the default setting (No Authentication) is
sufficient.
Setting the Encryption Method
Encryption applies a specific algorithm to data to alter its appearance and prevent unauthorized reading. Decryption applies
the algorithm in reverse to restore the data to its original form. Sender and receiver employ the same encryption/decryption
method.
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is a security protocol specified in the IEEE Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) standard, 802.11b. WEP
is designed to provide a WLAN with a level of security and privacy comparable to that of a wired LAN. WEP might be all that
a small-business user needs for the simple encryption of wireless data. However, networks that require more security are
at risk from a WEP flaw. An unauthorized person with a sniffing tool can monitor a network for less than a day and decode
its encrypted messages.
For the connectivity test, set WEP 128 encryption. This ensures that communications with the switch are secure enough for
this stage. Later on, increasing the security level might be necessary.
1. Select the WEP 128 (104-bit key) option.
2. To use WEP encryption with the No Authentication selection, click the WEP Key Settings button to display a sub-
screen for entering keys.