"Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1821ADE5-92EC-4553-B852-1F715F70A45F@microsoft.com...
>I set up our first home network about 2 weeks ago and selected WPA-PSK
> security/encryption.  As I recall, all I had to do was enter an encryption
> key on each PC--I was never prompted for username or password info.  But
> in
> looking through a book printed in 2004, titled "Guide to Home Networking"
> (Les Freed at PC Magazine), Les says:
>
> "WPA is similar to WEP, but WPA combines encryption with user
> authentication... Instead of using a shared encryption key, WPA first
> requires users to identify themselves with a user name and password.  If
> the
> users passes the authentication test, the AP sends the user a unique key
> that
> is valid for a limited period of time.  The data connection between the
> user's PC and the AP is encrypted using the temporary key."
>
> Les doesn't distinguish between WPA-PSK and WPA2 in this book--perhaps
> that's because of when the book was printed.  Do his statements only apply
> to
> WPA2, or did I miss something in my WPA-PSK setup?
> --
> So much to learn... So little time.

"Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:

> Hi
> There is no differences between WPA2 or WPA setup. You can use WPA2 provided
> that both the source (Wireless Rouer/Access Point) are supporting WPA2, and
> your Windows was upgraded to SP2.
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> "Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:1821ADE5-92EC-4553-B852-1F715F70A45F@microsoft.com...
> >I set up our first home network about 2 weeks ago and selected WPA-PSK
> > security/encryption.  As I recall, all I had to do was enter an encryption
> > key on each PC--I was never prompted for username or password info.  But
> > in
> > looking through a book printed in 2004, titled "Guide to Home Networking"
> > (Les Freed at PC Magazine), Les says:
> >
> > "WPA is similar to WEP, but WPA combines encryption with user
> > authentication... Instead of using a shared encryption key, WPA first
> > requires users to identify themselves with a user name and password.  If
> > the
> > users passes the authentication test, the AP sends the user a unique key
> > that
> > is valid for a limited period of time.  The data connection between the
> > user's PC and the AP is encrypted using the temporary key."
> >
> > Les doesn't distinguish between WPA-PSK and WPA2 in this book--perhaps
> > that's because of when the book was printed.  Do his statements only apply
> > to
> > WPA2, or did I miss something in my WPA-PSK setup?
> > --
> > So much to learn... So little time.
>
>
>

"Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6E4CAF64-31E4-4AAD-897C-BD63A585CDD0@microsoft.com...
> Hello, Jack!  Thanks for responding.
>
> Since the the setup is the same for both, yet I was never prompted for
> user
> name and password info, do you know what Les was referring to in his book?
> If any form of WPA (WPA-PSK or WPA2) uses user names and passwords as Les
> described, where/how does WPA get them?  Or... was there a change in how
> WPA
> is actually implemented now versus how they thought it would be
> implemented
> at the time Les wrote his book?
> --
> So much to learn... So little time.
>
>
> "Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:
>
>> Hi
>> There is no differences between WPA2 or WPA setup. You can use WPA2
>> provided
>> that both the source (Wireless Rouer/Access Point) are supporting WPA2,
>> and
>> your Windows was upgraded to SP2.
>> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>>
>> "Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:1821ADE5-92EC-4553-B852-1F715F70A45F@microsoft.com...
>> >I set up our first home network about 2 weeks ago and selected WPA-PSK
>> > security/encryption.  As I recall, all I had to do was enter an
>> > encryption
>> > key on each PC--I was never prompted for username or password info.
>> > But
>> > in
>> > looking through a book printed in 2004, titled "Guide to Home
>> > Networking"
>> > (Les Freed at PC Magazine), Les says:
>> >
>> > "WPA is similar to WEP, but WPA combines encryption with user
>> > authentication... Instead of using a shared encryption key, WPA first
>> > requires users to identify themselves with a user name and password.
>> > If
>> > the
>> > users passes the authentication test, the AP sends the user a unique
>> > key
>> > that
>> > is valid for a limited period of time.  The data connection between the
>> > user's PC and the AP is encrypted using the temporary key."
>> >
>> > Les doesn't distinguish between WPA-PSK and WPA2 in this book--perhaps
>> > that's because of when the book was printed.  Do his statements only
>> > apply
>> > to
>> > WPA2, or did I miss something in my WPA-PSK setup?
>> > --
>> > So much to learn... So little time.
>>
>>
>>

"Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:

> Hi
> Regular user that is not logged to a special secure server (RADIUS) does not
> need id/password etc.
> You configure the WPA/WPA2 key between the source (Wireless Router) and the
> client (Wireless computer) and the connection uses the key to encrypted the
> stream.
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> "Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6E4CAF64-31E4-4AAD-897C-BD63A585CDD0@microsoft.com...
> > Hello, Jack!  Thanks for responding.
> >
> > Since the the setup is the same for both, yet I was never prompted for
> > user
> > name and password info, do you know what Les was referring to in his book?
> > If any form of WPA (WPA-PSK or WPA2) uses user names and passwords as Les
> > described, where/how does WPA get them?  Or... was there a change in how
> > WPA
> > is actually implemented now versus how they thought it would be
> > implemented
> > at the time Les wrote his book?
> > --
> > So much to learn... So little time.
> >
> >
> > "Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:
> >
> >> Hi
> >> There is no differences between WPA2 or WPA setup. You can use WPA2
> >> provided
> >> that both the source (Wireless Rouer/Access Point) are supporting WPA2,
> >> and
> >> your Windows was upgraded to SP2.
> >> Jack (MVP-Networking).
> >>
> >> "Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:1821ADE5-92EC-4553-B852-1F715F70A45F@microsoft.com...
> >> >I set up our first home network about 2 weeks ago and selected WPA-PSK
> >> > security/encryption.  As I recall, all I had to do was enter an
> >> > encryption
> >> > key on each PC--I was never prompted for username or password info.
> >> > But
> >> > in
> >> > looking through a book printed in 2004, titled "Guide to Home
> >> > Networking"
> >> > (Les Freed at PC Magazine), Les says:
> >> >
> >> > "WPA is similar to WEP, but WPA combines encryption with user
> >> > authentication... Instead of using a shared encryption key, WPA first
> >> > requires users to identify themselves with a user name and password.
> >> > If
> >> > the
> >> > users passes the authentication test, the AP sends the user a unique
> >> > key
> >> > that
> >> > is valid for a limited period of time.  The data connection between the
> >> > user's PC and the AP is encrypted using the temporary key."
> >> >
> >> > Les doesn't distinguish between WPA-PSK and WPA2 in this book--perhaps
> >> > that's because of when the book was printed.  Do his statements only
> >> > apply
> >> > to
> >> > WPA2, or did I miss something in my WPA-PSK setup?
> >> > --
> >> > So much to learn... So little time.
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

"Roughneck" wrote:

> Thanks again, Jack.
>
> I wasn't at all familiar with RADIUS, so I did a little checking and assume
> you're referring to "Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service".  Am I
> tracking with you on that?  If so, based on what I read about RADIUS, one of
> its main features is the ability to require a valid user name and password. 
> In terms of networking, I got the impression that ISPs are major users of
> RADIUS, using it to verify that all requests for internet access through
> their system are actually coming from authorized customers  But if that's
> what it's about, I don't understand at all why Les used it to make a
> distinction between WEP and WPA in regard to home networking.  i.e. His book
> is about setting up a home network but I don't see how or why that would be
> noteworthy if my WPA setup has no provision to setup and require valid user
> names and passwords.  My ISP will require a user name and password from me
> when I request an IP address, regardless of what type of encryption I'm using
> or if I'm using any encryption at all.  But I don't understand why he made a
> point of that when using WPA on a home network if there's no place to enter
> approved user name and password combinations.
>
> Oh, well--I guess my signature provides a pretty good idea about where I'm
> at with all this stuff.  :-)
> --
> So much to learn... So little time.
>
>
> "Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:
>
> > Hi
> > Regular user that is not logged to a special secure server (RADIUS) does not
> > need id/password etc.
> > You configure the WPA/WPA2 key between the source (Wireless Router) and the
> > client (Wireless computer) and the connection uses the key to encrypted the
> > stream.
> > Jack (MVP-Networking).
> >
> > "Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:6E4CAF64-31E4-4AAD-897C-BD63A585CDD0@microsoft.com...
> > > Hello, Jack!  Thanks for responding.
> > >
> > > Since the the setup is the same for both, yet I was never prompted for
> > > user
> > > name and password info, do you know what Les was referring to in his book?
> > > If any form of WPA (WPA-PSK or WPA2) uses user names and passwords as Les
> > > described, where/how does WPA get them?  Or... was there a change in how
> > > WPA
> > > is actually implemented now versus how they thought it would be
> > > implemented
> > > at the time Les wrote his book?
> > > --
> > > So much to learn... So little time.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:
> > >
> > >> Hi
> > >> There is no differences between WPA2 or WPA setup. You can use WPA2
> > >> provided
> > >> that both the source (Wireless Rouer/Access Point) are supporting WPA2,
> > >> and
> > >> your Windows was upgraded to SP2.
> > >> Jack (MVP-Networking).
> > >>
> > >> "Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:1821ADE5-92EC-4553-B852-1F715F70A45F@microsoft.com...
> > >> >I set up our first home network about 2 weeks ago and selected WPA-PSK
> > >> > security/encryption.  As I recall, all I had to do was enter an
> > >> > encryption
> > >> > key on each PC--I was never prompted for username or password info.
> > >> > But
> > >> > in
> > >> > looking through a book printed in 2004, titled "Guide to Home
> > >> > Networking"
> > >> > (Les Freed at PC Magazine), Les says:
> > >> >
> > >> > "WPA is similar to WEP, but WPA combines encryption with user
> > >> > authentication... Instead of using a shared encryption key, WPA first
> > >> > requires users to identify themselves with a user name and password.
> > >> > If
> > >> > the
> > >> > users passes the authentication test, the AP sends the user a unique
> > >> > key
> > >> > that
> > >> > is valid for a limited period of time.  The data connection between the
> > >> > user's PC and the AP is encrypted using the temporary key."
> > >> >
> > >> > Les doesn't distinguish between WPA-PSK and WPA2 in this book--perhaps
> > >> > that's because of when the book was printed.  Do his statements only
> > >> > apply
> > >> > to
> > >> > WPA2, or did I miss something in my WPA-PSK setup?
> > >> > --
> > >> > So much to learn... So little time.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >
> >

"Roughneck" <Roughn***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:42A83CD9-41C0-4C7E-B3C0-DA8B51E053AD@microsoft.com...
> After re-reading Jack's last reply and doing a little more research, I
> think
> I understand why I don't have the user name and password options in my
> setup
> that Les said was a part of WPA.
>
> It's my impression that some network hardware may offer both an enterprise
> level and a home level of WPA.  The enterprise level (referred to simply
> as
> WPA) offers user name and password authentication, while the home level
> (referred to as WPA-PSK) does not.  But once you get past that difference,
> both levels (enterprise and home) work exactly the same.
>
> My network hardware only offers WPA-PSK, not straight WPA--therefore user
> name and password authentication is not a setup option for me.
>
> Am I starting to get the picture ?????
>
> I get the  drift though, that once past the user name and password
> authentication offered by WPA
> --
> So much to learn... So little time.