Wireless Protected Access 2 (WPA2) Security

The newest Wi-Fi security standard, called Wireless Protected Access 2 (WPA2) , add professional grade encryption - but even though the standard has been around for more than a year, most people still aren’t using it.

WPA2 security is definitely worth the modest amount of effort required to set it up. The original WPA security standard can be cracked with relative ease unless you use a passphrase that is longer than 20 characters and is not merely composed of words that can be found in a dictionary.

And while WPA’s predecessor, Wired Equivalent Privacy, is still around, relying on it is only marginally safer than having no network protection at all. WEP can be cracked in seconds, no matter how complex a key you contrive for it. If your primary security concern is to prevent neighbors and passersby from siphoning your network’s bandwidth, WEP will suffice; if you’re serious about keeping your data private, however, you need WPA2.

Before you can add WPA2 protection to your network, you must download and install Microsoft’s WPA2 hotfix for Windows XP (KB893357)

You may also need to install the latest drivers for your wireless card. Microsoft’s Windows Update page often lists these updates under its Hardware, Optional category; you can also check for updates on your card manufacturer’s Web site.

Next, download and install the latest firmware update for your wireless router from its manufacturer’s Web site. With your equipment fully patched, log in to your router’s administration page through your Web browser and change the security settings to WPA2 Personal: Choose TKIP+AES as the WPA algorithm to use, and enter your passphrase in the field labeled WPA Shared Key and in the passphrase confirmation field below it. Your phrase can consist of any combination of letters and numbers, up to 63 characters in length. Save your changes, and the router setup is done.

The next time you log on to your newly WPA2-protected gateway, your system will prompt you for your WPA Shared Key passphrase. Type the WPA2 passphrase into the appropriate fields in the Wireless Network Connection dialog box.