what is the point of multiple keys for wireless?

[Gibson486]

What is the point? Doesn't that just give you 4 ways of getting in?

 

[Nothinman]

If you have them setup to autorotate through the keys it makes breaking in more difficult as since the encryption key keeps changing periodically.

 

[JackMDS]

This is an Old WEP feature.

WEP is Highly insecure to begin with.

From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Break" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(A little Harder, but "Hackable" too).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Break).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).

Note 1: WPA-AES the the current entry level rendition of WPA2.

Note 2: If you use WinXP and did not updated it you would have to download the WPA2 patch from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357

The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with your Wireless hardware.
All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass phrase.

Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible of one of the
Wireless devices.

I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.

If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the device with a better one.
Setting Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

The Core differences between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 - http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html

 

[spidey07]

So clients with one key can't decrypt the clients with a different key.

In anyway as said nobody should use WEP unless it's the only thing a client supports.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
This is an Old WEP feature.

WEP is Highly insecure to begin with.

From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Break" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(A little Harder, but "Hackable" too).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Break).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).

Note 1: WPA-AES the the current entry level rendition of WPA2.

Note 2: If you use WinXP and did not updated it you would have to download the WPA2 patch from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357

The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with your Wireless hardware.
All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass phrase.

Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible of one of the
Wireless devices.

I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.

If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the device with a better one.
Setting Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

The Core differences between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 - http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html

WPA has been broken by the way

http://www.richardyoo.com/blog...2-broken-vpn-only-now/

 

[drebo]

Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer
WPA has been broken by the way

http://www.richardyoo.com/blog...2-broken-vpn-only-now/

You know, I really take exception to the people who point to this and say "WPA isn't secure anymore". Read the linked article:

achieved with two GeForct GTX280?s per workstation; for ?599 you can build a network of 20 workstations dedicated to ?recovering? your ?lost? WPA keys. This means that a WPA or WPA2 key could be cracked in days or weeks instead of years

No one is going to be driving around with 20 workstations camped outside your house for two weeks to crack your connection.

There is a difference between feasible and functionally possible. Will MD5 ever be cracked? Yes, of course it will be...with a large enough dictionary. Does that mean it's insecure? No!

Any business implementing WPA will (should) have it set up in such a way that keeps roll periodically or they use RADIUS for authentication. Any business that doesn't probably doesn't have data worth taking anyway. And again, what are you going to do? Drive a van up and park it in front of the business for a month until you crack their key?

No, WPA is not functionally hackable. Enough is enough, stop spreading FUD.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: drebo
Any business implementing WPA will (should) have it set up in such a way that keeps roll periodically or they use RADIUS for authentication. Any business that doesn't probably doesn't have data worth taking anyway. And again, what are you going to do? Drive a van up and park it in front of the business for a month until you crack their key?

No, WPA is not functionally hackable. Enough is enough, stop spreading FUD.

:thumbsup: