What is WPA ?

What is WPA? Find out WPA description, different versions of WPA and how can you use them.

Wi-Fi Alliance launched in October 2003 the next generation in WLAN security - Wi-Fi Protected Access – WPA. Wi-Fi Protected Access does not require a hardware upgrade on 802.11 equipment.

You only need to upgrade software and firmware, and it makes only minimal degradation in a network performance.

WPA was designed as WEP replacement and answer to all WEP weaknesses. It uses Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) with Message Integrity Check (MIC). It also has mutual pre-shared key (PSK) authentication scheme using 802.11X/EAP.

WI-Fi Alliance launched WPA2 in September 2004. It is certified interoperable version of the WPA. WPA2 beside PSK 802.1X/EAP authentication, use an advanced encryption mechanism. This new mechanism is Counter-Mode/CBC-MAC Protocol (CCMP) called Advanced Encryption Standard (AEP).

WPA and WPA2 have two certification modes:
- Enterprise
- Personal

There are four different versions of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices:

1) WPA-Personal
2) WPA2-Personal
3) WPA-Enterprise
4) WPA2-Enterprise

Personal Mode - designed for home and office (SOHO) environment. You do not need RADIUS sever.

It uses manually entered PSK (pre-shared key or pass-phrase). Security level of your wireless network is based on this PSK. So, use mix of letters, numbers and non-alphanumerical characters. Personal mode uses methods of encryption as Enterprise – per-user, per-session, per-packet encryption with TKIP (WPA) or AES (WPA2).

Enterprise Mode - operates in managed mode with the authentication servers (Radius or IAS). With this mode you can meet rigorous requirements of enterprise security.

More important to know what is WPA, is to use it in your network. You only need firmware upgrade (on the access point or wireless router) and driver update (on client adapter). So, as you can see, both client and wireless router (or access point) need to support WPA2. This updates you can find on vendors websites. Maybe you will need to upgrade OS too.

With Windows 2000 you could have a problem. I have Intel PRO wireless card and with Intel PROSet, I could use WPA2. McAfee's Wireless Home Network Security software can be used also for many wireless cards but it is not free.

For Windows XP you need operating system update - KB917021. Also you need to upgrade a driver for your wireless card.

Windows Vista supports WPA2 without any specific update or patch.

Linux also supports WPA2. You could use tool called NetworkManager with GNOME and KDE to configure security and settings for your wireless networks.

Apple MAC OS X supports WPA2 with release 4.2 update to AirPort software on all Airport Extreme enabled Macintoshes, the AirPort Extreme Base Station, and the AirPort Express.

All new mobile phones with Wi-Fi access supports WPA/WPA2.

source: home-wlan.com