How to Make Your 802.11b Wireless Home Network More Secure (309369)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
This article was previously published under Q309369 SUMMARY Wireless networks can be vulnerable to a malicious outsider
gaining access because of the default settings on some wireless hardware, the
accessibility that wireless networks offer, and present encryption
methods.
The concepts that are presented in his article are general
suggestions, and may help make your wireless network more difficult for a
malicious outsider to gain access. For more specific information about the
implementation of these suggestions, see the documentation for your wireless
network hardware or contact the hardware vendor.
The 802.11b standard
permits Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption. Depending on the
manufacturer and the model of the network adapter and access point, there are
two levels of WEP typically available: 64-bit encryption based on a 40-bit
encryption key, and a 24-bit initialization vector, and 128-bit encryption
based on a 104-bit key and a 24-bit initialization vector. In addition to
enabling WEP, there are other steps that you can take to make your home local
area network (LAN) more secure.
Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 1/15/2006 |
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Keywords: | kbhowto kbinfo kbnetwork KB309369 |
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