1
<page xmlns="http://projectmallard.org/1.0/"
2
type="topic" style="tip"
3
id="net-wireless-wepwpa">
5
<link type="guide" xref="net-general"/>
7
<revision version="11.04" date="2011-04-06" status="final"/>
10
<name>GNOME Documentation Project</name>
11
<email>gnome-doc-list@gnome.org</email>
14
<desc>WEP and WPA are ways of encrypting data on wireless networks.</desc>
17
<title>What do WEP and WPA mean?</title>
20
<p>Explain these terms, and explain wireless security and why it's a good idea.</p>
23
<p>WEP and WPA (along with WPA2) are names for different encryption tools used to secure your wireless connection. WEP stands for <em>Wired Equivalent Privacy</em>, and WPA stands for <em>Wireless Protected Access</em>. WPA2 represents the second version of the WPA standard.</p>
25
<p>Using <em>some</em> encryption is always better than using none, but WEP is the least secure of these standards, and you should not use it if you can avoid it. WPA2 is the most secure of the three. If your wireless card and router support WPA2, that is what you should use when setting up your wireless network.</p>