Linksys DMA2100 User Guide - Page 13

Chapter 2 Network Setup and Extender Connections Wireless Security Wireless networks are convenient and easy to install, so homes with high-speed Internet access are adopting them at a rapid pace. Because wireless networking operates by sending information over radio waves, it can be more vulnerable to intruders than a traditional wired network. Like signals from your cellular or cordless phones, signals from your wireless network can also be intercepted. Since you cannot physically prevent someone from connecting to your wireless network, you need to take some additional steps to keep your network secure. Your entire network must match security levels for each device to work. The security levels available for your Media Center Extender are WEP, WPA/PSK TKIP or WPA2/PSK AES. If your network is unencrypted, you can also choose that, however it is not recommended. Encryption protects data transmitted over a wireless network. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2) and Wired Equivalency Privacy (WEP) offer different levels of security for wireless communication. A network encrypted with WPA/WPA2 is more secure than a network encrypted with WEP, because WPA/WPA2 uses dynamic key encryption. To protect the information as it passes over the airwaves, you should enable the highest level of encryption supported by your network equipment. WEP is an older encryption standard and may be the only option available on some older devices that do not support WPA. You can also purchase a wireless powerline adapter, such as Linksys PLE200 to improve wireless network speed and security. 8 Media Center Extender