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Is key length important when using WPA-PSK Encryption ?The default key that came with my DSL modem/router/switch is 10 characters
long. I was planning to change the key and make it longer, but a DSL tech support person with my ISP indicated a longer key wouldn't be any more secure than a 10 digit key and that a longer key could/would cause my home network to slow down because of unnecessary overhead. Is this tech on top of his game? -- So much to learn... So little time. In simple words NO!
The longer the key the more secure it is. Short keys in WPA can make it less secure than WEP! -- Show quoteHide quoteDavid Hettel Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups. Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program http://mvp.support.microsoft.com DISCLAIMER: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights "Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:9F29C778-632C-4CC4-B1A8-90CDAA03963B@microsoft.com... > The default key that came with my DSL modem/router/switch is 10 characters > long. I was planning to change the key and make it longer, but a DSL tech > support person with my ISP indicated a longer key wouldn't be any more > secure > than a 10 digit key and that a longer key could/would cause my home > network > to slow down because of unnecessary overhead. Is this tech on top of his > game? > -- > So much to learn... So little time. Thanks for the reply, David.
Would a 10 character key be considered a "short" key? Is there any consensus or generally accepted rules in regards to how many characters would be needed in a key for it to be considered poor/fair/good/better/best? (I'm assuming the key does not consist of any words or combination of words that could be found in a dictionary.) Is there a point at which the benefit from increasing the number of characters might begin to fall off and/or begin to adversely affect network traffic? I assume there's a limit as to the number of characters that can be used in a key. If so, do you know what it is? Thanks so much for any additional help you can give. -- Show quoteHide quoteSo much to learn... So little time. "David Hettel" wrote: > In simple words NO! > > The longer the key the more secure it is. Short keys in WPA can make it less > secure than WEP! > > -- > David Hettel > > Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group > for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions > addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups. > > Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program > http://mvp.support.microsoft.com > > DISCLAIMER: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and > confers no rights > > > "Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:9F29C778-632C-4CC4-B1A8-90CDAA03963B@microsoft.com... > > The default key that came with my DSL modem/router/switch is 10 characters > > long. I was planning to change the key and make it longer, but a DSL tech > > support person with my ISP indicated a longer key wouldn't be any more > > secure > > than a 10 digit key and that a longer key could/would cause my home > > network > > to slow down because of unnecessary overhead. Is this tech on top of his > > game? > > -- > > So much to learn... So little time. > > > Interesting! And I was wondering if I would be over-doing it with a 20
character key. -- Show quoteHide quoteSo much to learn... So little time. "Gordon May" wrote: > http://www.kurtm.net/wpa-pskgen/ > > read through this page, he gives some good advice > > GM > > > On Mon, 9 Oct 2006 17:20:02 -0700, Roughneck
<Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote: >Thanks for the reply, David. at the rate at which data is processed the extra time needed must be> >Would a 10 character key be considered a "short" key? > >Is there any consensus or generally accepted rules in regards to how many >characters would be needed in a key for it to be considered >poor/fair/good/better/best? (I'm assuming the key does not consist of any >words or combination of words that could be found in a dictionary.) > >Is there a point at which the benefit from increasing the number of >characters might begin to fall off and/or begin to adversely affect network >traffic? infinitestimal. > 64. longer is better.>I assume there's a limit as to the number of characters that can be used in >a key. If so, do you know what it is? > i think i typed "WAP" in an earlier post when i meant "WPA". in any>Thanks so much for any additional help you can give. case use the longer key and rest easy. 73, rich, n9dko On Mon, 9 Oct 2006 15:35:02 -0700, Roughneck
<Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote: >The default key that came with my DSL modem/router/switch is 10 characters i use a 64-character WAP key on my wireless router. i've noticed no>long. I was planning to change the key and make it longer, but a DSL tech >support person with my ISP indicated a longer key wouldn't be any more secure >than a 10 digit key and that a longer key could/would cause my home network >to slow down because of unnecessary overhead. Is this tech on top of his >game? problems. if there is any slowdown its negligible. 73, rich, n9dko
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"Rich" <nob***@nowhere.com> wrote in message The tech is completely wrong and has no earthly clue about how WPA-PSK is news:ed1mi2t16ioj88c8aeq0l0kh9beiknqf16@4ax.com... > On Mon, 9 Oct 2006 15:35:02 -0700, Roughneck > <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote: > >>The default key that came with my DSL modem/router/switch is 10 characters >>long. I was planning to change the key and make it longer, but a DSL tech >>support person with my ISP indicated a longer key wouldn't be any more >>secure >>than a 10 digit key and that a longer key could/would cause my home >>network >>to slow down because of unnecessary overhead. Is this tech on top of his >>game? > > i use a 64-character WAP key on my wireless router. i've noticed no > problems. if there is any slowdown its negligible. > > 73, > rich, n9dko designed and implemented. The PSK (Pre-Shared Key) is not used to actually encrypt the data and its length does not change the length of the encryption key. The PSK is used by the client and AP to authenticate each other and produce the encryption key through a known shared algorithm (TKIP for WPA, AES for WPA2). Phil Doragh Philip Doragh <some***@microsoft.com> wrote:
<snip> > The tech is completely wrong and has no earthly clue about how WPA-PSK is True, but a short key can be broken using a dictionary- or brute force> designed and implemented. The PSK (Pre-Shared Key) is not used to actually > encrypt the data and its length does not change the length of the encryption > key. The PSK is used by the client and AP to authenticate each other and > produce the encryption key through a known shared algorithm (TKIP for WPA, > AES for WPA2). attack. That said, the way WPA-PSK is implemented in no way slows down the connection because the RC4 cipher still uses the hardware on the chipset the same way as WEP. Thanks again, everyone--you're help is VERY much appreciated. I'll get the
key beefed up right away. -- Show quoteHide quoteSo much to learn... So little time. "Roughneck" wrote: > The default key that came with my DSL modem/router/switch is 10 characters > long. I was planning to change the key and make it longer, but a DSL tech > support person with my ISP indicated a longer key wouldn't be any more secure > than a 10 digit key and that a longer key could/would cause my home network > to slow down because of unnecessary overhead. Is this tech on top of his > game? > -- > So much to learn... So little time. 
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