FAQs

WPA2 is the latest version of Wi-Fi security, and it should be used to protect all Wi-Fi devices.   WPA2 was introduced in 2004 and has been required in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products since April 2006.  It supports AES, the most advanced encryption standard.  AES is the encryption standard endorsed by the US government. The Wi-Fi Alliance recommends that users select equipment supporting WPA2 to help protect their network from known attacks to their security and privacy.

WPA2 comes in Personal and Enterprise versions. WPA2-Personal uses a passphrase as a simple way to generate a shared key for encryption. The term passphrase refers to a single string of characters that the user enters into all their Wi-Fi devices on the same network. WPA2-Enterprise uses additional software and specialized server equipment to create encryption keys on demand and designed to support larger corporate networks.

WPA2-Personal using a passphrase is equivalent to using security doors with metal keys. All users use the same key. Changing the passphrase for the network requires changing the passphrase for all devices. WPA2-Enterprise is the equivalent to using security doors with electronic card keys. Each user has an individual card key. It is possible to change each user's card key or revoke their card key without disturbing the other users.

WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is an earlier generation of Wi-Fi security certifications, it was introduced in 2003 as an interim solution. The WPA program added support for TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) encryption. TKIP is an older form of security technology and has recently been demonstrated to have some vulnerability to cryptographic attacks.  WPA is an older version of Wi-Fi security which was replaced in 2004 with more advanced protocols.  Though the threat of a security compromise is small, users should not purchase new equipment which supports only WPA with TKIP.

WEP is the original security standard for Wi-Fi technology. The RC4 encryption algorithm that WEP is based on is no longer considered secure. WEP should not be used to secure your network.