> Joe schrieb:
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>Please could someone clarify a few things:
>>
>>With standard 802.11b/g, is it possible to use Shared key
>>authentication, but no WEP encryption)?
>
>
> Shared Key authentication uses WEP encryption. IEEE 802.11 specifies WEP
> encryption and Shared Key authentication (however, see below...).
> 802.11b/g are supersets of 802.11.
>
>
>
>>Also, is it possible to use Open authentication with WEP encryption?
>
>
> Yes, this is the default with many adapters, because WEP Shared Key
> authentication is a security problem (i.e. it exposes key stream that
> can be reused to attack WEP).
>
>
>
>>If so, when the only option in the configuration is to turn WEP on or
>>off, which type of authentication does it use?
>
>
> I guess this depends on the adapter (i.e. I don't know how each
> individual adapter handles this).
>
>
>
>>I presume the preferred option is to use shared authentication when
>>using WEP encryption (assuming WPA is not available)?
>
>
> No, it is a security problem (see above).
>
>
> Michael
>

> Joe wrote:
>
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>Please could someone clarify a few things:
>>
>>With standard 802.11b/g, is it possible to use Shared key
>>authentication, but no WEP encryption)?
>
>
> Sure, there are several ways.
> WLAN standards:
> - WPA (authentication & WEP encryption with dynamic key management)
> - WPA2 (authentication & AES encryption
> - IEEE 802.11i/x (unfinshed standards will implement several algorithms,
> since it is still draft I can't give no details)
>
>
>>Also, is it possible to use Open authentication with WEP encryption?
>>If so, when the only option in the configuration is to turn WEP on or
>>off, which type of authentication does it use?
>
>
> The WEP authentication in boneheaded. It provides no security.
> (cyphertext2 = cleartext1 XOR cyphertext1 XOR cleartext2).
> If you set the AP to open mode it mostly means that clients can connect
> unencrypted.
> If only encrypted conenctions are allowed the AP will filter out all packets
> coming from client that don't know the WEP key.
>
>
>>I presume the preferred option is to use shared authentication when
>>using WEP encryption (assuming WPA is not available)?
>
>
> In the end WEP will not secure your WLAN. If you have enough traffic it can
> be cracked in about 1 hour.
>
> Thomas