Proxim Wireless Corporation PCI-8482 User Manual

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ORiNOCO Wireless Client User Guide 
Chapter 4 Proxim Client Utility Configuration   
31 
 
Per User Key – Defines the unique encryption key for network configuration security. The 
Per User key is used with many authentication mechanism and encryption. 
Shared Keys – Determines a set of shared encryption keys (First, Second, Third, Fourth) used 
for wireless encryption and security. At least one Shared Key field must be populated to enable 
security using a shared key. If more then one key is defined then click the appropriate radio 
button to select a key as the default encryption key. 
Key Length – The options for Key Length are 
64 bit encryption (10 digits in HEX mode) 
128 bit encryption (26 digits in HEX mode) 
152 bit encryption (32 digits in HEX mode) 
The number of characters that may be entered in the encryption key field will be automatically 
determined by the Key length setting.   
Setting WPA PassPhrase Encryption 
WPA is a new standard-based wireless security solution developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance. WPA 
also supports the WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) security standard. Microsoft provides a 
security patch called “Windows XP Support Patch for Wireless Protected Access” on its website 
for free download and it works only with Windows XP. The WPA encryption is supported on 
Windows
R
 XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition.  
  There are two types of WPA security:  
l  WPA-PSK (with no server) – it uses the so-called “pre-shared key” as the security key. A 
pre-shared key is basically a password that is between eight and 63 characters long. It can be 
any combination of letters, numbers, and other characters. This is the typical mode that is 
used in a home environment.  
l  WPA  (with server) – it is a system where a RADIUS server distributes the keys to the clients 
automatically. It is typically used in a business environment. 
 
To enable WPA with a passphrase (WPA-PSK), select Pre-Shared Keys from the Security 
Options list and place a check mark in the WPA box.