ZyXEL Communications P-660HN-51 - Page 81

Chapter 6 Wireless
P-660HN-51 User’s Guide
81
6.9.3.1 SSID
Normally, the Zyxel Device acts like a beacon and regularly broadcasts the SSID in the area. You can
hide the SSID instead, in which case the Zyxel Device does not broadcast the SSID. In addition, you
should change the default SSID to something that is difficult to guess.
This type of security is fairly weak, however, because there are ways for unauthorized wireless devices to
get the SSID. In addition, unauthorized wireless devices can still see the information that is sent in the
wireless network.
6.9.3.2 MAC Address Filter
Every device that can use a wireless network has a unique identification number, called a MAC
address.
1
A MAC address is usually written using twelve hexadecimal characters
2
; for example,
00A0C5000002 or 00:A0:C5:00:00:02. To get the MAC address for each device in the wireless network,
see the device’s User’s Guide or other documentation.
You can use the MAC address filter to tell the Zyxel Device which devices are allowed or not allowed to
use the wireless network. If a device is allowed to use the wireless network, it still has to have the correct
information (SSID, channel, and security). If a device is not allowed to use the wireless network, it does
not matter if it has the correct information.
This type of security does not protect the information that is sent in the wireless network. Furthermore,
there are ways for unauthorized wireless devices to get the MAC address of an authorized device. Then,
they can use that MAC address to use the wireless network.
6.9.3.3 User Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying whether a wireless device is allowed to use the wireless
network. You can make every user log in to the wireless network before using it. However, every device
in the wireless network has to support IEEE 802.1x to do this.
For wireless networks, you can store the user names and passwords for each user in a RADIUS server. This
is a server used in businesses more than in homes. If you do not have a RADIUS server, you cannot set up
user names and passwords for your users.
1. Some wireless devices, such as scanners, can detect wireless networks but cannot use wireless networks. These
kinds of wireless devices might not have MAC addresses.
2. Hexadecimal characters are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, and F.