FRITZ WLAN-7340 Router Manual PDF (Setup & Configuration Guide)

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131

Security

2.2

Security

Security is of utmost importance within radio networks.

Therefore it is important that no unauthorized users can

register in a WLAN to use its Internet access or shared net-

work resources.

FRITZ!Box includes settings on various levels that contrib-

ute to the security of your WLAN and thus to the security of

your computers.

Encryption

The most important security setting is encryption. The

FRITZ!Box supports the security mechanisms WEP (Wired

Equivalent Privacy), WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and

WPA2 as follows:

•

As part of the WEP mechanism a static key is deter-

mined to serve for the encryption of the user data.

Enter the key in the WLAN security settings of the

FRITZ!Box. All of the WLAN adapters in your wireless

network must also use this key.

•

The WPA and WPA2 mechanisms provide for authen-

tication while the connection is being established.

For this a WPA password must be defined.

When WPA is selected, the TKIP encryption method is

used to encrypt the user data. In WPA2 the AES-CCMP

encryption method is used.

The encryption method you configure here must also

be supported by your WLAN adapter.

The user data are encrypted using an automatically

generated key. This key is regenerated at regular in-

tervals.

Radio signals can also be received outside of office or res-

idential spaces and abused for criminal purposes.

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Encryption

132

The WPA password used may be 8 to 63 characters in

length. For increased security, however, the pass-

word should be at least 20 characters long. Use nu-

merals, letters and special characters and combine

capitals and lower-case letters.

Default Setting

In the FRITZ!Box a method combining WPA + WPA2 encryp-

tion with the TKIP/AES-CCMP encryption method is pre-

configured. This setting allows you to use WLAN adapters

that support WPA (TKIP) or WPA2 (AES-CCMP) or both

methods.

Recommendation

If your WLAN adapter supports an encryption method that

is more secure than the one preconfigured in the

FRITZ!Box, you should select the more secure encryption

method in your FRITZ!Box.

To configure the best security settings possible with

FRITZ!Box and your WLAN adapter, please note the follow-

ing recommendations:

•

If your WLAN adapter supports WPA2 in accordance

with the 802.11i standard:

–

Enable WPA encryption.

–

Select the WPA mode “WPA2 (CCMP)” or

“WPA+WPA2”.

–

Replace the WPA network key with a new, unique

value.

•

If your WLAN adapter supports the WPA mechanism,

but not the WPA2 mechanism:

–

Enable WPA encryption.

–

Select the WPA mode “TKIP (WPA)” or

“WPA+WPA2”.

–

Replace the WPA network key with a new, unique

value.

It is advisable to change the preconfigured WLAN key as

soon as possible. Changes to the settings can be config-

ured on the FRITZ!Box user interface.

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133

Wireless Network Name (SSID)

•

If your WLAN adapter supports neither the WPA nor

the WPA2 mechanism:

–

Enable WEP encryption.

–

Replace the WLAN key with a new, unique value.

Wireless Network Name (SSID)

In the factory settings of the FRITZ!Box, the name of the

wireless network (SSID) is set to “FRITZ!Box Fon

WLAN 7340”.

2.3

Frequency Ranges

WLAN uses the frequency bands at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz as

its transmission range.

With the FRITZ!Box you can establish WLAN connections in

either the 2.4-GHz or the 5-GHz frequency band.

2.4-GHz Frequency

Band

In the 2.4-GHz frequency band WLAN works in the same

range as Bluetooth, microwave devices and various other

devices like radio-controlled toys, garage-door openers

and video bridges. This means that interference may occur

within WLANs operated in the vicinity of such devices.

Generally this has adverse effects on the transmission

rate, including aborted connections.

In the 2.4-GHz frequency band the European regulation

authorities have designated 13 channels for WLAN. A

channel can have a bandwidth of 20 MHz (throughput up

to 130 Mbit/s) or 40 MHz (throughput of up to

300 Mbit/s).

We strongly recommend the use of a WLAN adapter that

supports WPA or WPA2 (for instance, the AVM

FRITZ!WLAN USB Stick N). WEP is out of date and data en-

crypted with WEP can be deciphered within minutes.

It may occur that an additional device with the same net-

work name is located in the vicinity of your FRITZ!Box

.

To

rule out this possibility, we recommend changing the pre-

set SSID to a name of your choice.

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Frequency Ranges

134

Channels located directly next to each other in the 2.4-

GHz band may overlap and result in mutual interference.

For instance, if several WLANs are operated close to each

other in the 2.4-GHz frequency range with a bandwidth of

20 MHz, a distance of at least five channels should be left

empty between each two channels used. This means that

if channel 1 is selected for one WLAN, the channels 6

through 13 can be selected for a second WLAN. This main-

tains the minimum distance between channels.

WLAN Autochannel

With the WLAN autochannel function, the FRITZ!Box auto-

matically searches for the channel subject to the least in-

terference. This process takes into consideration interfer-

ence from radio networks in the vicinity (WLAN access

points) and potential sources of interference (for instance

video bridges, baby monitors, microwave ovens). Should

problems with interference persist despite this function,

try to identify the source of interference and switch it off

manually.

Additional tips on interference in the wireless network are

presented in the section “Ruling Out Interference Caused

by Other Wireless Networks” from page 107.

5-GHz Frequency

Band

The FRITZ!Box can operate in the 5-GHz frequency band as

an alternative. This frequency range is used much less of-

ten than the most common 2.4-GHz frequency range.

In the 5-GHz frequency band, your FRITZ!Box occasionally

may change channels automatically due to DFS (Dynamic

Frequency Selection) if a “higher-privileged user” simulta-

neously claims the channel selected by the FRITZ!Box.

This can happen especially when military or civilian radar

is used in the immediate vicinity. For more information,

see the section “Avoiding WLAN Channels with DFS” on

page 108.

A prerequisite for use of the 5-GHz frequency band is that

all WLAN devices in the network support this frequency

range in accordance with the IEEE 802.11a or

IEEE 8002.11n standard.

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135

Frequency Ranges

2.4 GHz or 5 GHz

The FRITZ!Box works in the WLAN network either in the

2.4-GHz range or in the 5-GHz range, but not parallel in

both frequency ranges at the same time.

Bandwidth

In both frequency ranges you can select between channel

bandwidths of 20 MHz or 40 MHz (exception: channel 140

in the 5-GHz frequency band). The FRITZ!Box initially at-

tempts to select a channel with 40 MHz bandwidth

(throughput up to 300 Mbit/s). If this is not possible due

to interference or channels already being used by other

WLANs in the vicinity, the FRITZ!Box automatically switch-

es temporarily to a channel with 20 MHz bandwidth.

Greater bandwidth provides for higher data throughput:

Increasing bandwidths also increases the probability of

interference by wireless networks in the vicinity. Large

bandwidths reduce the frequency range available to other

wireless networks in the vicinity.

Allocation of the WLAN channels in the 2.4-GHz range:

Bandwidth (MHz)

Maximum Data Throughput (Mbit/s)

20

130

40

300

Channel

Frequency (GHz)

Channel

Frequency (GHz)

1

2.412

8

2.447

2

2.417

9

2.452

3

2.422

10

2.457

4

2.427

11

2.462

5

2.432

12

2.467

6

2.437

13

2.472

7

2.442

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