Wireless Access Point WITH WPA

[marklp77]

I have approval to spend up to $200 of the company's $$$ on a SECURE
wireless access port.

Any suggestions?

(It's for a small business...)

Thanks,
Mark

 

[ConnyG]

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/detail.jsp?tab=features&pathtype=purchase&sku=3CRWE454G72

Security: 256-bit WPA encryption
40-/64-bit and 128-bit WEP shared-key encryption

Got good grades in a test over here recently. Looks to be available for around 100$in the US.

Disclaimer: I have never worked with or used wireless networks so I don't have firsthand experiences.

 

[JEDI]

First, WPA requires authentication, which means that a company must have a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server or another means of authenticating a user. Additionally, the method of authentication is not included in the specifications for WPA. Right now, popular approaches include Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol (LEAP), Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP) and others.

It's not as easy as WEP

 

[ktwebb]

Use a preshared key in an environment without a radius infrastructure. At least that's my understanding. Admittedly, I don't have any first hand experience with WPA qualified equipment. In WPS-PSK mode the AP authenticates the client. Preshared key would be entered manually into the AP and client device. Not as locked down as Radius authentication, but still better than WEP I'd think.

 

[buleyb]

You don't need RADIUS servers for WPA, its an option in the spec. Preshared keys of suffiecient length are fine.

And it is better than WEP assuming you use AES and not TKIP.

Mark, you should look into the Proxim (Proxim.com) and Buffalo (BuffaloTech.com) APs, they both have AES hardware and work well with WPA. Be wary of building WPA networks though, because you want to have only WPA hardware on it, otherwise you have to fall back to WEP for the network, and you're in another boatload of trouble.