ZyXEL Communications NXC8160 User Manual
Chapter 5 Wireless LAN
NXC-8160 User’s Guide
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In this wireless network, devices A and B are called wireless clients. The wireless clients use
the access point (AP) which is connected to a WLAN controller to interact with other devices
(such as the printer) or with the Internet. Your NXC-8160 is the WLAN controller.
the access point (AP) which is connected to a WLAN controller to interact with other devices
(such as the printer) or with the Internet. Your NXC-8160 is the WLAN controller.
Every wireless network must follow these basic guidelines.
• Every wireless client in the same wireless network must use the same SSID.
The SSID is the name of the wireless network. It stands for Service Set IDentity.
• If two wireless networks overlap, they should use different channels.
Like radio stations or television channels, each wireless network uses a specific channel,
or frequency, to send and receive information.
or frequency, to send and receive information.
• Every wireless client in the same wireless network must use security compatible with the
AP.
Security stops unauthorized devices from using the wireless network. It can also protect
the information that is sent in the wireless network.
Security stops unauthorized devices from using the wireless network. It can also protect
the information that is sent in the wireless network.
5.2 Wireless Security Overview
The following sections introduce different types of wireless security you can set up in the
wireless network.
wireless network.
5.2.1 SSID
Normally, the AP acts like a beacon and regularly broadcasts the SSID in the area. You can
hide the SSID instead, in which case the AP does not broadcast the SSID. In addition, you
should change the default SSID to something that is difficult to guess.
This type of security is fairly weak, however, because there are ways for unauthorized devices
to get the SSID. In addition, unauthorized devices can still see the information that is sent in
the wireless network.
hide the SSID instead, in which case the AP does not broadcast the SSID. In addition, you
should change the default SSID to something that is difficult to guess.
This type of security is fairly weak, however, because there are ways for unauthorized devices
to get the SSID. In addition, unauthorized devices can still see the information that is sent in
the wireless network.
5.2.2 User Authentication
You can make every user log in to the wireless network before they can use it. This is called
user authentication. However, every wireless client in the wireless network has to support
IEEE 802.1x to do this.
For wireless networks, there are two typical places to store the user names and passwords for
each user.
user authentication. However, every wireless client in the wireless network has to support
IEEE 802.1x to do this.
For wireless networks, there are two typical places to store the user names and passwords for
each user.
• In the AP or WLAN controller: this feature is called a local user database or a local
database.
• In a RADIUS server: this is a server used in businesses more than in homes.
If your AP or WLAN controller does not provide a local user database and if you do not have
a RADIUS server, you cannot set up user names and passwords for your users.
a RADIUS server, you cannot set up user names and passwords for your users.