User's Manual

> Different authentication methods (including “no authentication”) are supported.
Each method requires different authentication parameters. The user’s credentials
are taken from the corresponding page (see “User Information”) and are not specific
to a particular method of authentication. If the user selects a different method of
authentication, the user’s personal data are reused without resetting or changing it.
> Communication over the air interface is usually encrypted. For some authentication
methods encryption of network traffic is required and cannot be turned off.
If such an authentication method is selected, the appropriate encryption method
is activated as well.
> The supported methods of authentication are “Open”, “Shared”, “WPA-PSK”, and “WPA”.
> The method of encryption is selected from a drop down list (e.g. None,WEP, TKIP,
and AES). This list is only available when it is allowed for by the selected method
of authentication. The dependencies between authentication method and
encryption scheme are shown here:
Open
Open authentication lets users attach to networks quickly as there is no access
control and encryption may be turned off. The amount of configuration is therefore
minimal. This mode is ideal for an ad-hoc network created for instance during
a meeting to exchange data or collaborate on a document. If encryption is set to
“None”, the files for entering WEP keys are hidden.
Shared
Shared authentication using WEP encryption provides weak security. If this method
has been selected, the user can either enter four shared keys.
> The user can enter up to four different WEP keys. All entered keys must be
of the
same length or the configuration is invalid. If the configuration is invalid,
the triggers a warning.
getting started
25
> There are two fields for setting a password in a profile. The first determines
whether the password is contained in the profile or taken from the user’s
account information. Its possible values are “Prompt for password” and
“Use password”. The field for entering a password and the corresponding check
box are active only when “Use password” is selected.
> The field for the password does not show the password in clear text but as a
sequence of asterisks. As long as “Clear text” is checked, the password is displayed
in clear text. The check box is initially not marked.
> The field for the user’s certificate displays the “friendly name” of the certificate
selected by the user. This field is initially empty (i.e. no certificate is preselected).
A certificate is selected in the dialogue shown below. This list of certificates
shows all certificates for the current user. The list of certificates contains only
usable certificates, i.e. expired or are not yet valid certificates are not shown.
Authentication
Especially on wireless networks it is easy to gain physical access to the network.
Hence it is important to make sure that only the intended group of people is able
to use the network and any resources attached to it. The identity of the users has
to be checked and this is called authentication.
getting started
24