User's Manual

Wireless Security Commands
7-117
7
• When any WPA or WPA2 option is selected, clients are authenticated using
802.1X via a RADIUS server. Each client must be WPA-enabled or support
802.1X client software. The 802.1X settings (see “802.1X Authentication”
on page 7-65) and RADIUS server details (see “RADIUS Client” on
page 7-59) must be configured on the access point. A RADIUS server must
also be configured and be available in the wired network.
• If a WPA/WPA2 mode that operates over 802.1X is selected (WPA, WPA2,
WPA-WPA2-mixed, or WPA-WPA2-PSK-mixed), the 802.1X settings (see
“802.1X Authentication” on page 7-65) and RADIUS server details (see
“RADIUS Client” on page 7-59) must be configured. Be sure you have also
configured a RADIUS server on the network before enabling authentication.
Also, note that each client has to be WPA-enabled or support 802.1X client
software. A RADIUS server must also be configured and be available in the
wired network.
• If a WPA/WPA2 Pre-shared Key mode is selected (WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK
or WPA-WPA2-PSK-mixed), the key must first be generated and distributed
to all wireless clients before they can successfully associate with the access
point. Use the wpa-preshared-key command to configure the key (see “key”
on page 7-119 and “transmit-key” on page 7-120).
• WPA2 defines a transitional mode of operation for networks moving from
WPA security to WPA2. WPA2 Mixed Mode allows both WPA and WPA2
clients to associate to a common VAP interface. When the encryption
cipher suite is set to TKIP, the unicast encryption cipher (TKIP or
AES-CCMP) is negotiated for each client. The access point advertises it’s
supported encryption ciphers in beacon frames and probe responses. WPA
and WPA2 clients select the cipher they support and return the choice in the
association request to the access point. For mixed-mode operation, the
cipher used for broadcast frames is always TKIP. WEP encryption is not
allowed.
• The “required” option places the VAP into TKIP only mode. The “supported”
option places the VAP into TKIP+AES+WEP mode. The “required” mode is
used in WPA-only environments.
• The “supported” mode can be used for mixed environments with legacy
WPA products, specifically WEP. (For example, WPA+WEP. The
WPA2+WEP environment is not available because WPA2 does not support
WEP). To place the VAP into AES only mode, use “required” and then
select the “cipher-ccmp” option for the cipher-suite command.