best security for ad-hoc network

I've read some articles which say that WPA-PSK is the best security for
wireless, but this seems to be available only for Infrastructure mode
networks. As soon as I select ad-hoc as the type of network, WPA-PSK
authentication gets changed to WPA-None.

What does WPA-None mean?

Is this setup (authentication=WPA-None, encryption=TKIP) at all secure.

The other thing I've read is that for a home-adhoc network, WEP encryption
with OPEN authentication is "OK", meaning not great but better than nothing,
in that it won't stop a hacker but might stop less-computer-literate
neighbours.
But how does WEP/OPEN compare with WPA-None/TKIP ??

Hi
This is very simple but explains the principles:
http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html

Jack (MVP-Networking).






"RodB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:CA69AF79-5D54-48A4-8DDA-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've read some articles which say that WPA-PSK is the best security for
> wireless, but this seems to be available only for Infrastructure mode
> networks. As soon as I select ad-hoc as the type of network, WPA-PSK
> authentication gets changed to WPA-None.
>
> What does WPA-None mean?
>
> Is this setup (authentication=WPA-None, encryption=TKIP) at all secure.
>
> The other thing I've read is that for a home-adhoc network, WEP encryption
> with OPEN authentication is "OK", meaning not great but better than
nothing,
> in that it won't stop a hacker but might stop less-computer-literate
> neighbours.
> But how does WEP/OPEN compare with WPA-None/TKIP ??
>

ok - thanks,
BUT what am I losing going from WPA-PSK to WPA-None for authentication when
I change from infrastructure to adhoc?

and is WPA-None/TPIK better than OPEN/WEP for an adhoc network?

"Jack" wrote:

> Hi
> This is very simple but explains the principles:
> http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html
>
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "RodB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:CA69AF79-5D54-48A4-8DDA-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I've read some articles which say that WPA-PSK is the best security for
> > wireless, but this seems to be available only for Infrastructure mode
> > networks. As soon as I select ad-hoc as the type of network, WPA-PSK
> > authentication gets changed to WPA-None.
> >
> > What does WPA-None mean?
> >
> > Is this setup (authentication=WPA-None, encryption=TKIP) at all secure.
> >
> > The other thing I've read is that for a home-adhoc network, WEP encryption
> > with OPEN authentication is "OK", meaning not great but better than
> nothing,
> > in that it won't stop a hacker but might stop less-computer-literate
> > neighbours.
> > But how does WEP/OPEN compare with WPA-None/TKIP ??
> >
>
>
>

any security over just WEP is good.

"RodB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:C75ABED4-F116-48CD-8988-(E-Mail Removed)...
> ok - thanks,
> BUT what am I losing going from WPA-PSK to WPA-None for authentication
> when
> I change from infrastructure to adhoc?
>
> and is WPA-None/TPIK better than OPEN/WEP for an adhoc network?
>
> "Jack" wrote:
>
>> Hi
>> This is very simple but explains the principles:
>> http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html
>>
>> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "RodB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:CA69AF79-5D54-48A4-8DDA-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > I've read some articles which say that WPA-PSK is the best security for
>> > wireless, but this seems to be available only for Infrastructure mode
>> > networks. As soon as I select ad-hoc as the type of network, WPA-PSK
>> > authentication gets changed to WPA-None.
>> >
>> > What does WPA-None mean?
>> >
>> > Is this setup (authentication=WPA-None, encryption=TKIP) at all secure.
>> >
>> > The other thing I've read is that for a home-adhoc network, WEP
>> > encryption
>> > with OPEN authentication is "OK", meaning not great but better than
>> nothing,
>> > in that it won't stop a hacker but might stop less-computer-literate
>> > neighbours.
>> > But how does WEP/OPEN compare with WPA-None/TKIP ??
>> >
>>
>>
>>

WPA-AES using a radius server is better security since you then don't use a
pre shared key.
But for most home users, setting up a radius server is not an option.
WPA-PSK with a pre shared key more than ~20 characters should be more secure
than WEP.
preferebly using AES.
With WPA in infrastructure mode, the AP will provide you the key to
encrypt/decrypt data, you can also on most AP set the timout interval when
to renew the key.
With WPA-None, there is no 802.1x authenction, the key used to encrypt /
decrypt is just a hash of the SSID and the password.
To me using WPA-None / TKIP isn't much better than WEP. (since both
encrypt/decrypt using RC4 and the key is static)
Using WPA-None and AES should increase the security but still the key is
static.

well that's my two cents

regards
Niklas


"RodB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:CA69AF79-5D54-48A4-8DDA-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've read some articles which say that WPA-PSK is the best security for
> wireless, but this seems to be available only for Infrastructure mode
> networks. As soon as I select ad-hoc as the type of network, WPA-PSK
> authentication gets changed to WPA-None.
>
> What does WPA-None mean?
>
> Is this setup (authentication=WPA-None, encryption=TKIP) at all secure.
>
> The other thing I've read is that for a home-adhoc network, WEP encryption
> with OPEN authentication is "OK", meaning not great but better than
> nothing,
> in that it won't stop a hacker but might stop less-computer-literate
> neighbours.
> But how does WEP/OPEN compare with WPA-None/TKIP ??
>