That’s the theory behind WEP, anyway. WEP has been a part of Wi-Fi networks

from the beginning. (The developers of Wi-Fi were initially focused on

the business market, where data security has always been a big priority.) The

name itself belies the intentions of the system’s developers; they wanted to

make wireless networks as secure as wired networks.

In order for WEP to work, you must activate WEP on all the Wi-Fi devices in

your network via the client software or configuration program that came with

the hardware. And every device on your network must use the same WEP key

to gain access to the network. (We talk a bit more about how to turn on WEP

in the “Clamping Down on Your Wireless Home Network’s Security” section of

For the most part, WEP is WEP is WEP. In other words, it doesn’t matter

which vendor made your access point or which vendor made your laptop’s

PC card network adapter — the implementation of WEP is standardized

across vendors. Keep this one difference in mind, however: WEP key length.

Encryption keys are categorized by the number of bits (1s or 0s) used to

create the key. Most Wi-Fi equipment

traveling over the wireless network and valuable business secrets are part of

work too, and we’d like additional security. The final section of this chapter,

areas — the chances of you having someone who can pick up your signals

WEP sounds like a pretty good deal, doesn’t it? It keeps your data safe while

the way which will complement or supplant WEP entirely and offer greater

AND be motivated to go through all the trouble of breaking your WEP

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