What is Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)?
Short for Wired Equivalent Privacy, a security protocol for wireless local area networks (WLAN) defined in the 802.11b standard. WEP is designed to provide the same level of security as that of a wired LAN. LANs are inherently more secure than WLANs because LANs are somewhat protected by the physical nature of their structure, having some or all part of the network inside a building that can be protected from unauthorized access. WLANs, which use radio waves, do not have the same physical structure and therefore are more vulnerable to tampering. WEP provides some security by encrypting data being transmitted over radio waves so that it is protected as it is transmitted from one end point to another. However, it has been found that WEP is not as secure as once believed. WEP alone is not sufficient security.
Related Questions
- I have multiple access points and need an easier way to change the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) keys on the units. Can I change the WEP keys through Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)?
- Can WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy protocol) be easily hacked?
- How does WPA compare to Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)?
