Wireless Equivalent Privacy

The 802.11 standard describes the communication that occurs in wireless local area networks (LANs). The Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) algorithm is intended to protect wireless communication from eavesdropping. A secondary function of WEP is to prevent unauthorized access to a wireless network; this function is not an explicit goal in the 802.11 standard, but it is frequently considered to be a feature of WEP.

WEP relies on a secret key that is shared between a mobile station and an access point/base station. The secret key is used to encrypt packets before they are transmitted, and an integrity check is used to ensure that packets are not modified in transit. The standard does not define how the shared key is established. In practice, most installations use a single key that is shared between all mobile stations and access points. More sophisticated key management techniques can be used to help defend from their decryption.

Summary

As we come to a close of our discussion of wireless networks, it’s important to remember that we’ve only touched upon a topic area that contains volumes of information that is beyond the scope of this book. As wireless service providers, application developers, and integrators progress in the development and implementation of these technologies, the evolution process will be one to watch intently. Hopefully, this chapter has provided a good general understanding of where wireless networks came from and where they are going in the not-so-distant future.

Taken From : Enterprise Guide to Gaining Business Value from Mobile Technologies

Similar Posts:

None Found

Filed under: Earn Profits

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!