ZyXEL nbg-5715 Guia Do Utilizador

 Chapter 11 Wireless LAN

NBG5715 User’s Guide

You can use the MAC address filter to tell the AP which wireless clients are allowed or not allowed to 
use the wireless network. If a wireless client is allowed to use the wireless network, it still has to 
have the correct settings (SSID, channel, and security). If a wireless client is not allowed to use the 
wireless network, it does not matter if it has the correct settings.

This type of security does not protect the information that is sent in the wireless network. 
Furthermore, there are ways for unauthorized devices to get the MAC address of an authorized 
wireless client. Then, they can use that MAC address to use the wireless network.

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.

• In the AP: 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 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.

Unauthorized devices can still see the information that is sent in the wireless network, even if they 
cannot use the wireless network. Furthermore, there are ways for unauthorized wireless users to 
get a valid user name and password. Then, they can use that user name and password to use the 
wireless network.

Local user databases also have an additional limitation that is explained in the next section.

Wireless networks can use encryption to protect the information that is sent in the wireless 
network. Encryption is like a secret code. If you do not know the secret code, you cannot 
understand the message.

The types of encryption you can choose depend on the type of user authentication. (See 

 

for information about this.)

For example, if the wireless network has a RADIUS server, you can choose WPA or WPA2. If users 
do not log in to the wireless network, you can choose no encryption, Static WEP, WPA-PSK, or 
WPA2-PSK.

Types of Encryption for Each Type of Authentication

No Security

WPA

Static WEP

WPA-PSK

WPA2-PSK

WPA2