Edimax EW-7612UAn V2 Manual - Page 30

Channel Network Authentication or Router. If this item is selected, the adapter will work in Ad Hoc mode. This setting is only available for Ad Hoc mode. Select the number of the radio channel used for the networking. The channel setting should be the same with the network you are connecting to. This setting has to be consistent with the wireless networks that the adapter intends to connect. Open System - No authentication is needed among the wireless network. Shared Key - Only wireless stations using a shared key (WEP Key identified) are allowed to connecting each other. WPA-PSK - It is a special mode designed for home and small business users who do not have access to network authentication servers. In this mode, known as Pre-Shared Key, the user manually enters the starting password in their access point or gateway, as well as in each wireless stations in the network. WPA-PSK takes over automatically from that point, keeping unauthorized users that don‟t have the matching password from joining the network, while encrypting the data traveling between authorized devices. WPA2-PSK - WPA2-PSK is also for home and small business. The difference between WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK is that WPA2-PSK provides data encryption via the AES. In contrast, WPA-PSK uses Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP). WPA 802.1X - WPA provides a scheme of mutual authentication using either IEEE 802.1x/Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication or pre-shared key (PSK) technology. It provides a high level of assurance to enterprises, small businesses and home users that data will remain protected and that only authorized users may access their networks. For enterprises that have already deployed IEEE 802.1x authentication, WPA offers the advantage of leveraging existing authentication databases and infrastructure. 25