WEP Passphrase Key1-4

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

What's the use of the passphrase?

With it I can generate 4 keys. Why can't I just chose a 10 digit hexadecimal
encryption key? What has the passphrase to do with it?
I've got a LinkSys WRT54G and I don't succeed in using WEP. What can be
wrong?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 01:24:49 +0200, Willhe spoketh

>What's the use of the passphrase?
>
>With it I can generate 4 keys. Why can't I just chose a 10 digit hexadecimal
>encryption key? What has the passphrase to do with it?
>I've got a LinkSys WRT54G and I don't succeed in using WEP. What can be
>wrong?
>

The passphrase is a tool to _help_ you generate a key. If you want to
generate your own, just type it in ...

Lars M. Hansen
www.hansenonline.net
Remove "bad" from my e-mail address to contact me.
"If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?"

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 01:24:49 +0200, Willhe wrote:

> What's the use of the passphrase?
>
> With it I can generate 4 keys. Why can't I just chose a 10 digit hexadecimal
> encryption key? What has the passphrase to do with it?
> I've got a LinkSys WRT54G and I don't succeed in using WEP. What can be
> wrong?

Did you put the same key (or passphrase) into the wireless configuration on
your computer? They have to match. If the client takes only one key, use
key 1.


--
Barry

 

[Hactar]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

In article <1guekh0hlaip.gwe7ktedow06$.dlg@40tude.net>,
Barry Jones <bjones01@acm.org> wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 01:24:49 +0200, Willhe wrote:
>
> > What's the use of the passphrase?
> >
> > With it I can generate 4 keys. Why can't I just chose a 10 digit hexadecimal
> > encryption key? What has the passphrase to do with it?
> > I've got a LinkSys WRT54G and I don't succeed in using WEP. What can be
> > wrong?
>
> Did you put the same key (or passphrase) into the wireless configuration on
> your computer? They have to match. If the client takes only one key, use
> key 1.

What's the benefit of multiple keys? My router (Netgear MR814v2) takes 4,
but my clients (XP) take 1.

--
-eben ebQenW1@EtaRmpTabYayU.rIr.OcoPm home.tampabay.rr.com/hactar
Are you confident that you appear to be professional in your electronic
communication? Consider this: A: No
Q: Can I top post? from nick@xx.co.uk

 

[gary]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
news:cbvfo7$ov4$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> In article <1guekh0hlaip.gwe7ktedow06$.dlg@40tude.net>,
> Barry Jones <bjones01@acm.org> wrote:
> > On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 01:24:49 +0200, Willhe wrote:
> >
> > > What's the use of the passphrase?
> > >
> > > With it I can generate 4 keys. Why can't I just chose a 10 digit
hexadecimal
> > > encryption key? What has the passphrase to do with it?
> > > I've got a LinkSys WRT54G and I don't succeed in using WEP. What can
be
> > > wrong?
> >
> > Did you put the same key (or passphrase) into the wireless configuration
on
> > your computer? They have to match. If the client takes only one key, use
> > key 1.
>
> What's the benefit of multiple keys? My router (Netgear MR814v2) takes 4,
> but my clients (XP) take 1.

If you fill out a complete keylist on each client, then you can have up to
four clients using different WEP keys, or up to three clients using
different keys, and the router using the fourth. This last scenario makes it
twice as hard to completely crack any WEP router/client transaction. That's
how I use it in a network with only one client. I use the spare pair just to
change keys, so I don't have to generate new ones so often.

I thought XP config let you select the key index, so you can configure all
four keys. Is that not so?


>
> --
> -eben ebQenW1@EtaRmpTabYayU.rIr.OcoPm home.tampabay.rr.com/hactar
> Are you confident that you appear to be professional in your electronic
> communication? Consider this: A: No
> Q: Can I top post? from nick@xx.co.uk

 

[Hactar]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

In article <mTHEc.10352$gK5.1776@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com>,
gary <pleasenospam@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
> news:cbvfo7$ov4$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> >
> > What's the benefit of multiple keys? My router (Netgear MR814v2) takes 4,
> > but my clients (XP) take 1.
>
> If you fill out a complete keylist on each client, then you can have up to
> four clients using different WEP keys, or up to three clients using
> different keys, and the router using the fourth. This last scenario makes it
> twice as hard to completely crack any WEP router/client transaction. That's
> how I use it in a network with only one client. I use the spare pair just to
> change keys, so I don't have to generate new ones so often.
>
> I thought XP config let you select the key index, so you can configure all
> four keys. Is that not so?

It does. The advantage, then, of using different keys is that an attacker
using the "listen to lots of packets to guess the key" method has fewer
packets with any one key, yes?

What does the radio button next to each key on the router indicate? The
adjacent help does not say.

It something looks like this:

1: (x) xxxxxxxxxx
2: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx
3: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx
4: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx

--
-eben ebQenW1@EtaRmpTabYayU.rIr.OcoPm home.tampabay.rr.com/hactar

Drive nail here > < for new monitor.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"gary" <pleasenospam@sbcglobal.net> escribió en el mensaje
news:mTHEc.10352$gK5.1776@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com...
>
> "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
> news:cbvfo7$ov4$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> > In article <1guekh0hlaip.gwe7ktedow06$.dlg@40tude.net>,
> > Barry Jones <bjones01@acm.org> wrote:
> > > On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 01:24:49 +0200, Willhe wrote:
> > >
> > > > What's the use of the passphrase?
> > > >
> > > > With it I can generate 4 keys. Why can't I just chose a 10 digit
> hexadecimal
> > > > encryption key? What has the passphrase to do with it?
> > > > I've got a LinkSys WRT54G and I don't succeed in using WEP. What can
> be
> > > > wrong?
> > >
> > > Did you put the same key (or passphrase) into the wireless
configuration
> on
> > > your computer? They have to match. If the client takes only one key,
use
> > > key 1.
> >
> > What's the benefit of multiple keys? My router (Netgear MR814v2) takes
4,
> > but my clients (XP) take 1.
>
> If you fill out a complete keylist on each client, then you can have up to
> four clients using different WEP keys, or up to three clients using
> different keys, and the router using the fourth.

I don't think so. Only one key is active at a moment.

> This last scenario makes it
> twice as hard to completely crack any WEP router/client transaction.
That's
> how I use it in a network with only one client. I use the spare pair just
to
> change keys, so I don't have to generate new ones so often.

But, you have to change the key in both extremes, client and router (or
AP), in order to work correctly.

> I thought XP config let you select the key index, so you can configure all
> four keys. Is that not so?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> escribió en el mensaje
news:cbvl5g$bj1$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> In article <mTHEc.10352$gK5.1776@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com>,
> gary <pleasenospam@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> >
> > "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
> > news:cbvfo7$ov4$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> > >
> > > What's the benefit of multiple keys? My router (Netgear MR814v2)
takes 4,
> > > but my clients (XP) take 1.
> >
> > If you fill out a complete keylist on each client, then you can have up
to
> > four clients using different WEP keys, or up to three clients using
> > different keys, and the router using the fourth. This last scenario
makes it
> > twice as hard to completely crack any WEP router/client transaction.
That's
> > how I use it in a network with only one client. I use the spare pair
just to
> > change keys, so I don't have to generate new ones so often.
> >
> > I thought XP config let you select the key index, so you can configure
all
> > four keys. Is that not so?
>
> It does. The advantage, then, of using different keys is that an attacker
> using the "listen to lots of packets to guess the key" method has fewer
> packets with any one key, yes?


No, I think only one key is active for all your network.

> What does the radio button next to each key on the router indicate? The
> adjacent help does not say.
>
> It something looks like this:
>
> 1: (x) xxxxxxxxxx
> 2: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx
> 3: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx
> 4: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx

Exactily, because yo can select one of de four keys to use. For example
you have 4 keys and you can say to clients that the first key is for this
Monday, the next key for Tuesday .... and if anyone try to crack the key
it will not work the next day.

Regards

 

[gary]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Fulgen" <quitaestofmontilla@terra.es> wrote in message
news:2kh4gcF2asqcU1@uni-berlin.de...
>
> "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> escribió en el mensaje
> news:cbvl5g$bj1$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> > In article <mTHEc.10352$gK5.1776@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com>,
> > gary <pleasenospam@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
> > > news:cbvfo7$ov4$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> > > >
> > > > What's the benefit of multiple keys? My router (Netgear MR814v2)
> takes 4,
> > > > but my clients (XP) take 1.
> > >
> > > If you fill out a complete keylist on each client, then you can have
up
> to
> > > four clients using different WEP keys, or up to three clients using
> > > different keys, and the router using the fourth. This last scenario
> makes it
> > > twice as hard to completely crack any WEP router/client transaction.
> That's
> > > how I use it in a network with only one client. I use the spare pair
> just to
> > > change keys, so I don't have to generate new ones so often.
> > >
> > > I thought XP config let you select the key index, so you can configure
> all
> > > four keys. Is that not so?
> >
> > It does. The advantage, then, of using different keys is that an
attacker
> > using the "listen to lots of packets to guess the key" method has fewer
> > packets with any one key, yes?
>
>
> No, I think only one key is active for all your network.

If that's the way XP does it, then it is broken in the sense that it does
not comply with the standard. Each WEP-encrypted frame contains an
initialization vector (IV), which includes a 2-bit field specifying the
index of the key in the list globally shared across the entire network. In
other words, each encrypted frame self-identifies the position of the key
used for that frame.

So long as all stations have the same list in the same order, every station
can independently use any configured key. I've done this for over a year,
and it works fine. Of course, I don't use XP config so I don't know that it
isn't broken.

>
> > What does the radio button next to each key on the router indicate? The
> > adjacent help does not say.
> >
> > It something looks like this:
> >
> > 1: (x) xxxxxxxxxx
> > 2: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx
> > 3: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx
> > 4: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx
>
> Exactily, because yo can select one of de four keys to use. For
example
> you have 4 keys and you can say to clients that the first key is for this
> Monday, the next key for Tuesday .... and if anyone try to crack the
key
> it will not work the next day.
>
> Regards
>

 

[Hactar]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

In article <2kh4gcF2asqcU1@uni-berlin.de>,
Fulgen <quitaestofmontilla@terra.es> wrote:
>
> "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> escribió en el mensaje
> news:cbvl5g$bj1$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...

> > The advantage, then, of using different keys is that an attacker
> > using the "listen to lots of packets to guess the key" method has fewer
> > packets with any one key, yes?
>
> No, I think only one key is active for all your network.
>
> > What does the radio button next to each key on the router indicate?

> yo can select one of de four keys to use. For example
> you have 4 keys and you can say to clients that the first key is for this
> Monday, the next key for Tuesday .... and if anyone try to crack the key
> it will not work the next day.

So you _could_ change it in the router manually, and then go to every client
and change it; this just makes the "change it in the server" step easier?
Doesn't sound like much of a timesaver to me, as you still have to change it
in every client.

Also, that doesn't explain why some (all?) clients can choose a key index.

--
-eben ebQenW1@EtaRmpTabYayU.rIr.OcoPm home.tampabay.rr.com/hactar

Two atoms are walking along. Suddenly, one stops. The other says,
"What's wrong?" "I've lost an electron." "Are you sure?" "I'm positive!"

 

[gary]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
news:cbvl5g$bj1$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> In article <mTHEc.10352$gK5.1776@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com>,
> gary <pleasenospam@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> >
> > "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
> > news:cbvfo7$ov4$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> > >
> > > What's the benefit of multiple keys? My router (Netgear MR814v2)
takes 4,
> > > but my clients (XP) take 1.
> >
> > If you fill out a complete keylist on each client, then you can have up
to
> > four clients using different WEP keys, or up to three clients using
> > different keys, and the router using the fourth. This last scenario
makes it
> > twice as hard to completely crack any WEP router/client transaction.
That's
> > how I use it in a network with only one client. I use the spare pair
just to
> > change keys, so I don't have to generate new ones so often.
> >
> > I thought XP config let you select the key index, so you can configure
all
> > four keys. Is that not so?
>
> It does. The advantage, then, of using different keys is that an attacker
> using the "listen to lots of packets to guess the key" method has fewer
> packets with any one key, yes?

Yes. With AP and client using different keys, each direction of transfer has
to be independently cracked. Of course, that can be done.

>
> What does the radio button next to each key on the router indicate? The
> adjacent help does not say.
>
> It something looks like this:
>
> 1: (x) xxxxxxxxxx
> 2: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx
> 3: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx
> 4: ( ) xxxxxxxxxx

The "x" you have there indicates which key the router transmits with. It
will use the 2-bit key index in the IV of each received frame to decide
which entry to use to decrypt received frames.

I just tried using XP zero-config on my adapter. It looks like XP Home
Edition only allows you to configure with one key, although you can specify
the index associated with that key. I tried saving 4 different values, one
for each index, but XP appears to have saved only the last one entered. This
means that XP forces you to use the same key the router uses for transmit,
although tht could be any key in the router's list.

This is an unnecessary and pointless restriction. Just another reason I
never use zero config. The vendor's config utility allows me much better
control, and better diagnostics.

>
> --
> -eben ebQenW1@EtaRmpTabYayU.rIr.OcoPm home.tampabay.rr.com/hactar
>
> Drive nail here > < for new monitor.

 

[gary]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
news:cbvomg$mf8$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> In article <2kh4gcF2asqcU1@uni-berlin.de>,
> Fulgen <quitaestofmontilla@terra.es> wrote:
> >
> > "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> escribió en el mensaje
> > news:cbvl5g$bj1$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
>
> > > The advantage, then, of using different keys is that an attacker
> > > using the "listen to lots of packets to guess the key" method has
fewer
> > > packets with any one key, yes?
> >
> > No, I think only one key is active for all your network.
> >
> > > What does the radio button next to each key on the router indicate?
>
> > yo can select one of de four keys to use. For example
> > you have 4 keys and you can say to clients that the first key is for
this
> > Monday, the next key for Tuesday .... and if anyone try to crack the
key
> > it will not work the next day.
>
> So you _could_ change it in the router manually, and then go to every
client
> and change it; this just makes the "change it in the server" step easier?
> Doesn't sound like much of a timesaver to me, as you still have to change
it
> in every client.

See my other reply. XP is semi-broken. as far as I'm concerned. It seems
that it only supports a one-entry table, but you can specify the associated
index. Since the router typically has one key statically selected for
transmit, that key has to be in all client tables. So, if you use XP to
configure, you are forced to set all clients to the key used by the router
for transmit, or receive will not work on clients.

I suggest using the vendor config utility. They almost always support a full
keylist on the client.

>
> Also, that doesn't explain why some (all?) clients can choose a key index.
>
> --
> -eben ebQenW1@EtaRmpTabYayU.rIr.OcoPm home.tampabay.rr.com/hactar
>
> Two atoms are walking along. Suddenly, one stops. The other says,
> "What's wrong?" "I've lost an electron." "Are you sure?" "I'm positive!"

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"gary" <pleasenospam@sbcglobal.net> escribió en el mensaje
news:6CJEc.10367$2w6.8201@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com...
>
> "Fulgen" <quitaestofmontilla@terra.es> wrote in message
> news:2kh4gcF2asqcU1@uni-berlin.de...
> >
> > "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> escribió en el mensaje
> > news:cbvl5g$bj1$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> > > In article <mTHEc.10352$gK5.1776@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com>,
> > > gary <pleasenospam@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
> > > > news:cbvfo7$ov4$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> > > > >
> > > > > What's the benefit of multiple keys? My router (Netgear MR814v2)
> > takes 4,
> > > > > but my clients (XP) take 1.
> > > >
> > > > If you fill out a complete keylist on each client, then you can have
> up
> > to
> > > > four clients using different WEP keys, or up to three clients using
> > > > different keys, and the router using the fourth. This last scenario
> > makes it
> > > > twice as hard to completely crack any WEP router/client
transaction.
> > That's
> > > > how I use it in a network with only one client. I use the spare pair
> > just to
> > > > change keys, so I don't have to generate new ones so often.
> > > >
> > > > I thought XP config let you select the key index, so you can
configure
> > all
> > > > four keys. Is that not so?
> > >
> > > It does. The advantage, then, of using different keys is that an
> attacker
> > > using the "listen to lots of packets to guess the key" method has
fewer
> > > packets with any one key, yes?
> >
> >
> > No, I think only one key is active for all your network.
>
> If that's the way XP does it, then it is broken in the sense that it does
> not comply with the standard. Each WEP-encrypted frame contains an
> initialization vector (IV), which includes a 2-bit field specifying the
> index of the key in the list globally shared across the entire network. In
> other words, each encrypted frame self-identifies the position of the key
> used for that frame.
>
> So long as all stations have the same list in the same order, every
station
> can independently use any configured key. I've done this for over a year,
> and it works fine. Of course, I don't use XP config so I don't know that
it
> isn't broken.

Ok. But Are you sure that the usual routers or AP (the cheap ones) are
capable to use several WEB keys at the same time with diferent clients ?. At
least in my SMC, I can only select one active of the four available.

Regards

 

[gary]

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

As I've said elsewhere in this thread, I've been doing it for well over a
year. But I use the vendor's client config software, not XP. The key you
select from the list is the one the station uses for transmit encryption.
The whole point of the IV key index is that each received frame tells you
which keylist entry to use - the one you selected is irrelevant for receive.
The only requirement is that all stations in the network must have the same
keylist, with the entries in exactly the same order.


"Fulgen" <quitaestofmontilla@terra.es> wrote in message
news:2kjtr0F3b69tU1@uni-berlin.de...
>
> "gary" <pleasenospam@sbcglobal.net> escribió en el mensaje
> news:6CJEc.10367$2w6.8201@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com...
> >
> > "Fulgen" <quitaestofmontilla@terra.es> wrote in message
> > news:2kh4gcF2asqcU1@uni-berlin.de...
> > >
> > > "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> escribió en el mensaje
> > > news:cbvl5g$bj1$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> > > > In article <mTHEc.10352$gK5.1776@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com>,
> > > > gary <pleasenospam@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > "Hactar" <ebenONE@tampabay.ARE-ARE.com.unmunge> wrote in message
> > > > > news:cbvfo7$ov4$1@pc.tampabay.rr.com...
> > > > > >
> > > > > > What's the benefit of multiple keys? My router (Netgear
MR814v2)
> > > takes 4,
> > > > > > but my clients (XP) take 1.
> > > > >
> > > > > If you fill out a complete keylist on each client, then you can
have
> > up
> > > to
> > > > > four clients using different WEP keys, or up to three clients
using
> > > > > different keys, and the router using the fourth. This last
scenario
> > > makes it
> > > > > twice as hard to completely crack any WEP router/client
> transaction.
> > > That's
> > > > > how I use it in a network with only one client. I use the spare
pair
> > > just to
> > > > > change keys, so I don't have to generate new ones so often.
> > > > >
> > > > > I thought XP config let you select the key index, so you can
> configure
> > > all
> > > > > four keys. Is that not so?
> > > >
> > > > It does. The advantage, then, of using different keys is that an
> > attacker
> > > > using the "listen to lots of packets to guess the key" method has
> fewer
> > > > packets with any one key, yes?
> > >
> > >
> > > No, I think only one key is active for all your network.
> >
> > If that's the way XP does it, then it is broken in the sense that it
does
> > not comply with the standard. Each WEP-encrypted frame contains an
> > initialization vector (IV), which includes a 2-bit field specifying the
> > index of the key in the list globally shared across the entire network.
In
> > other words, each encrypted frame self-identifies the position of the
key
> > used for that frame.
> >
> > So long as all stations have the same list in the same order, every
> station
> > can independently use any configured key. I've done this for over a
year,
> > and it works fine. Of course, I don't use XP config so I don't know that
> it
> > isn't broken.
>
> Ok. But Are you sure that the usual routers or AP (the cheap ones) are
> capable to use several WEB keys at the same time with diferent clients ?.
At
> least in my SMC, I can only select one active of the four available.
>
> Regards
>
>