Less steps to security

Wi-Fi Alliance has devised a simplified approach claimed to halve the number of steps required and has certified the first products incorporating it.

According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, many different devices are eligible for the certification, known as Wi-Fi Protected Setup. These include PC, televisions, stereos, and gaming consoles, as well as phones.

The first release of the Wi-Fi Protected Setup specifies a push-button technique or entry of a PIN (personal identification number) to network Wi-Fi devices. Support for methods using Near-Field Communication, in which a user simply touches a token or card to a device, as well as USB flash drives, is planned for later in the first half of 2007.

According to Atheros, one of the manufacturers whose products have been certified, its implementation of Wi-Fi Protected Setup "allows consumers to protect computers, routers, wireless printers, home entertainment devices and mobile devices - such as dual-mode handsets, cameras and VoIP phones.[by pressing] a designated button on either device and [within] two minutes...the button on the other device. The easy-to-use process confirms connectivity with a flashing LED on each networked device."

Wi-Fi Alliance managing director, Frank Hanzlik, claimed that "Wi-Fi Protected Setup reduces by half the number of user steps required to set up a network, enabling Wi-Fi to be more easily installed across a range of consumer devices. "Wi-Fi has quickly become one of the most pervasive wireless technologies, but consumers have told us they want it to be easier to set up and protect," Hanzlik said.

A market research firm, Parks Associates, predicts that 90 percent of networked homes will use Wi-Fi by 2010, so it's critical that manufacturers make it as easy as possible to configure."

According to Atheros, nearly half of the Wi-Fi users today experience moderate to high difficulty in setting up secure home networks, and as many as 40 percent of consumers leave their networks completely unsecured.

The first products to become certified for Wi-Fi Protected Setup are:

- Atheros AR5006X 802.11a/b/g wireless network adapter
- Atheros AR5002AP-2X Concurrent 802.11a and 802.11b/g dual-band WLAN access point
- Broadcom BCM94704AGR 54g dual-band access point reference design
- Buffalo AirStation wireless-A&G high power access point WHR-HP-AMPGV
- BUFFALO AirStation wireless-A&G high power notebook adapter sTA:WLI-CB-AMG54
- Conexant CX94515 ADSL2+ gateway
- Intel(R) PROSet/wireless software version 11.1
- Marvell 802.11a/b/g wireless USB client
- Marvell TopDog draft 802.11n access point
Ralink Technology RT5201U (802.11a/b/g USB) Packet Overdrive.


A white paper entitled "Wi-Fi certified for Wi-Fi Protected Setup: Easing the User Experience for Home and Small Office Networks" providing a detailed look at how Wi-Fi Protected Setup works is available for free download at the Wi-Fi Alliance web site www.wi-fi.org.

------
As seen at iTWire