Maximum Wireless Security

WEP Introduction

The Wired Equivalent Privacy protocol is incorporated as part of the IEEE 802.11b protocol. Actually, the standard only calls for 40-bit WEP, but almost all vendors offer up to 128-bit WEP.

To secure data, WEP uses the RC4 algorithm to encrypt the packets of information as they are sent out from the access point or wireless network card. This is the same algorithm used in many other Internet applications that require security, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL is the most common protocol used by online stores to encrypt customer information sent over the Internet. This reduces the risk of a hacker sniffing the customer’s credit card information off the wire and adds a layer of protection to the transaction process.

RC4 ...