Security

The WEP encryption standard is out of date. Encryption with WEP is relatively easy to break. This means that WEP does not sufficiently protect your Internet connection and the computers in your wireless radio network from access by unauthorized persons. We urgently recommend using the secure WPA encryption.

Click on the "Apply" button to save your settings. If you leave the page without saving, all of your changes will be discarded.

WEP Encryption

Length of WEP key

Select here the length of the key to be used as the network key. Select the value "64 bits" only if the wireless device you are using does not support any longer keys.

WLAN Key (Decimal)

Enter the network key in ASCII format in this field and click the "Convert" button to have a wireless key generated. Define four network keys and specify which is to be used for data encryption in the FRITZ!Box.

There are two ways to enter the values for the keys in the fields "Network key 1" through "Network key 4":

  1. Enter the network keys in the network key fields directly in hexadecimal format. For a key length of 64 bits, the network key must be exactly 10 characters long. For a key length of 128 bits, the network key must be exactly 26 characters long.
  2. Have the program generate the values for the network key fields. Proceed as follows to generate hexadecimal network keys:
    1. Enter any word in the decimal "Network key" field. The word may contain capitals and lower-case letters as well as numerals. The length of the word depends on the length you selected for the WEP key:
      64 bits: The key word must contain exactly 5 characters.
      128 bits: The key word must contain exactly 13 characters.
    2. Click the "Convert" button.

      The value entered in the decimal "Network key" field is converted to a hexadecimal value and entered in the currently selected hexadecimal network key field:

      5 characters: The WEP key is exactly 10 characters long in hexadecimal format.
      13 characters: The WEP key is exactly 26 characters long in hexadecimal format.
    3. Repeat steps "1" and "2" until a hexadecimal value is generated for each of the four WEP key fields.
    4. Once you have generated all four network keys, select which of the four generated keys will be used to protect the wireless LAN connection.

      All four network keys must be made known in the wireless LAN settings of the wireless devices. Define there which of the four keys is to be used to encrypt the data in the wireless device.

Permit shared authentication in the network

  • Some wireless devices request entry of the network key even to register at the FRITZ!Box.
  • Enable this setting to allow this kind of registration.

After your settings are saved, the "Settings for Wireless LAN Security" window opens. All information required for the wireless LAN settings in the wireless devices is summarized here. You can print out these settings.