WEP vs WPA

WEP vs WPA

The best way to secure your wireless network is to change the type of encryption that your computer uses to send data. The three most common choices for encrypting your data are WEP, WPA, and WPA2. This guide describes these different types of encryption so that you can decide which is the best choice for your network.

WEP

WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was introduced in 1999 and at first, it was thought to be as secure as a wired network. WEP uses a password to create a static encryption key that it then uses to encrypt data sent over the web. This means that the same key is used for all of the information or "packets" you send over the air waves during a session. This static key becomes a big problem with security because a key that doesn't change is much easier to attack than one that is constantly changing. WEP is not a "wired equivalent," as it's name suggests; it can be cracked in less than a minute by a commonplace hacker. Unfortunately, a lot of older routers have WEP as their default choice.

WPA and WPA2

Due to the major inefficiencies of WEP, WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) became available. WPA was the intermediate step between WEP and WPA2 and was not intended to be used indefinitely. WPA uses a type of temporary encryption key that changes with each packet sent over the web. Also, WPA enables your router to automatically reject any packets that it receives out of order. This is good because it prevents hackers from injecting packets onto your network which is one of the primary means of getting in.

In 2006 WPA2 became mandatory in all new Wi-Fi devices. WPA2 replaced WPA's temporary key with a superior government level security encryption. This upgraded encryption uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) thought to be uncrackable at this point. WPA2 is considered very secure.

WPA2 Modes

WPA2 has several different versions to choose from:

·   WPA2-Personal is sometimes referred to as WPA-PSK (Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key). With WPA2-Personal, you set up a password in your router which you share with those you want to have access to your network. This password is entered through the computer or device that is connecting to your Wi-Fi network. We recommend this security mode for home networks.

·   WPA2-Enterprise is used for businesses only.

·   WPA/WPA2 Mixed Mode may also be a choice in your particular router. This means your router uses WPA2 if possible but falls back on WPA when needed. Due to WPA2 being a much safer choice, we recommend not using this mode. If you have devices that are not compatible with WPA2, we recommend updating your equipment to better protect yourself against unwanted security attacks.

Both WPA and WPA2 require the use of a strong password, it is recommended that you use a password of at least 20 characters, including symbols and numbers. Check out this guide to learn more about how to create a strong password.

Recommended Wi-Fi Settings

The security of the information you send over the internet should be of top priority. We recommend using WPA2-Personal whenever possible since it has the strongest encryption. WPA should be a far second choice and WEP should not even be considered a choice. If you have a router newer than 2006 you should have a firmware upgrade that allows for WPA2-Personal, which we highly recommend upgrading to. If you have an older router, made before 2006, you may want to consider upgrading your device to a newer one that can be better secured.

Also note, that after changing your router to a different encryption type, you will need to re-configure all of your wireless devices to your network. Devices like wireless printers, phones, music players, gaming consoles, and wireless televisions may need to have their settings changed and be re-connected to you network.

Setting up a Secure Wireless Network with the TP-Link TL-WR541G.

Setting up a secure wireless network with the TP-Link TL-WR541G.

During the Commissioning of Video Product you need to Setting up a secure wireless network, I share only TP-Link Make WR541G product only.

In the picture above the address bar has http://arindamcctvaccesscontrol.blogspot.com OR http://www.google.com in it. Just replace all of that with the internal IP address of your router. By default the IP address should be set to 192.168.1.1.

You should see a box prompting you for your username and password. Enter your username and password now.

The Default Router Username is: admin

The Default Router Password is: admin

Click the Ok button to log in to your router.

Default Usernames and Passwords for other Routers

Please visit our Default Router Passwords page if the username and password shown below did not work for you.

If you can't login to your router because you forgot your router username and password, use ourHow to Reset a Router Password guide to set your router back to its factory settings.

Click the Wireless link near the left side of the page.

You should now see a new menu. In this new menu, click Wireless Settings.

In the box called SSID put a name that you make up. You will need to remember this name because it will be used to connect to your wireless network. Do not make it obvious to guess, the network name should be difficult for your neighbors to guess. If you can not think of anything, simply use your first name.

In the box called Channel, pick a random channel number. Channels make it so that you and your neighbors can use your own wireless networks without interfering with each other. By picking a random channel you reduce the chance of your neighbor using the same channel as you.

Turn on the option called Wireless Router Radio.

Turn off the option called SSID Broadcast. This turns off the broadcast of your networks name making it more difficult for other people to find your network. You do not want to broadcast your networks name.

Turn on the option called Wireless Security.

Select WEP from the Security Type drop down box.

Select Open System from the Security Option drop down box.

Select Hexadecimal from the WEP Key Format drop down box.

Put a dot into the Key 1 radio button.

If you are using WPA

Now you need to make up a passphrase.

Your WPA key can be a plain text, human readable sentence. Make sure it is long, however, because recent hack attempts have exploited short WPA passphrases. Your WPA passphrase should be at least 30 letters long.

Onnce you have made up your passphrase, write it down somewhere. You will need it at each computer that you are going to connect to your network.

If you are using WEP

Now you need to make up your network key.

It doesn't matter what this key is, as long as it is random. A network key is a password that is 26 characters long, and made up of only the letters A,B,C,D,E,F and the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. If you are using 128 bit WEP, then your key must be exactly 26 characters long, and the more random it is, the better it is. Here is an example of a random 128 bit network key:

7F5B3FD23A8EC290AC682DF8FA

Onnce you have made up your key, write it down somewhere. You will need it at each computer that you are going to connect to your network.

Now put the key you made up in the box called Key 1.

Select 128bit from the Key Type drop down box.

When you're finished, click save near the bottom of the screen to save your changes.

And that's it! You're done!

Setting up a secure wireless network with the TP-Link TL-WR541G

Setting up a secure wireless network with the TP-Link TL-WR541G

OR

In the picture above the address bar has http://arindamcctvaccesscontrol.blogspot.com OR http://www.google.com in it. Just replace all of that with the internal IP address of your router. By default the IP address should be set to 192.168.62.1.

You should see a box prompting you for your username and password. Enter your username and password now.

The Default Router Username is: admin

The Default Router Password is: admin

Click the Ok button to log in to your router.

Click the Wireless link near the left side of the page.

You should now see a new menu. In this new menu, click Wireless Settings.

In the box called SSID put a name that you make up. You will need to remember this name because it will be used to connect to your wireless network. Do not make it obvious to guess, the network name should be difficult for your neighbors to guess. If you can not think of anything, simply use your first name.

In the box called Channel, pick a random channel number. Channels make it so that you and your neighbors can use your own wireless networks without interfering with each other. By picking a random channel you reduce the chance of your neighbor using the same channel as you.

Turn on the option called Wireless Router Radio.

Turn off the option called SSID Broadcast. This turns off the broadcast of your networks name making it more difficult for other people to find your network. You do not want to broadcast your networks name.

Turn on the option called Wireless Security.

Choosing your network security type can be challenging. Use the table below to help you decide which encryption type is best for you. 

Select WEP from the Security Type drop down box.

Select Open System from the Security Option drop down box.

Select Hexadecimal from the WEP Key Format drop down box.

Put a dot into the Key 1 radio button.

If you are using WPA

Now you need to make up a passphrase.

Your WPA key can be a plain text, human readable sentence. Make sure it is long, however, because recent hack attempts have exploited short WPA passphrases. Your WPA passphrase should be at least 30 letters long.

Onnce you have made up your passphrase, write it down somewhere. You will need it at each computer that you are going to connect to your network.

If you are using WEP

Now you need to make up your network key.

It doesn't matter what this key is, as long as it is random. A network key is a password that is 26 characters long, and made up of only the letters A,B,C,D,E,F and the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. If you are using 128 bit WEP, then your key must be exactly 26 characters long, and the more random it is, the better it is. Here is an example of a random 128 bit network key:

7F5B3FD23A8EC290AC682DF8FA

Onnce you have made up your key, write it down somewhere. You will need it at each computer that you are going to connect to your network.

Now put the key you made up in the box called Key 1.

Select 128bit from the Key Type drop down box.

When you're finished, click save near the bottom of the screen to save your changes.

And that's it! You're done!