Even with wireless home networks, users should be aware of what encryption standard they are using. Find out what you have and which one you should be using instead.
Everywhere you turn today there is a Wi-Fi connection to jump on. This can also be the case for home networks using Wi-Fi technology. For those of you that have a wireless router in your home, you need to check what encryption method is being used. Most up-to-date routers offer the average homeowner an option of WEP encryption or WPA/WPA2 encryption.
With all of this talk of WEP and WPA, it could make the average person’s head spin. So how do you determine what your router is using and why does it really make a difference? No matter what type of computer you are using or what Operating System you have, if you are using a wireless connection you should be able to view the available wireless networks that are in range. By doing this you can see your wireless network, as well as if it is actually secured and by what means. With most systems the list of wireless networks should show a pad lock if it is secured as well as tell you the encryption method that is being used. If you see the pad lock but no WPA or WEP then you are probably using WEP.
If your wireless network is not showing as secured or “locked” then that is your first major problem. If your network shows it is locked but you are using WEP, then you still have a problem. WEP may be good for some PDA’s to use since they are still mostly stuck on 802.11b, but regular systems should be using higher encryption methods, such as WPA or WPA2.
So why is WPA and WPA2 more secure than WEP? WEP was introduced back in 1999, and it was the first encryption standard for 802.11. WEP has a limited amount of numbers and letters you can use for the password, making them 64-bit to 128-bit. This is one of the reasons why it is so easy for an attacker to break a WEP encryption with a simple security tool. Recently a 104-bit WEP key was cracked in less than 60-seconds. On the other hand, WPA can use a 256-bit key, which also gives you full use of all letters, numbers, and even symbols. With a 256-bit key you can have up to 63 ASCII characters, which means more security against brute force attacks; in the end making your network more secure from potential intruders.
