Difference Between Static (WEP) and Dynamic (WPA) Wireless Encryptions

Welcome to the Network Engineering tutorials section by CoreNetworkZ Tech Solutions. Today, I will explain the concepts of Static and Dynamic wireless encryptions. I will also explain the differences between them in simple words.

Alessandra Giorgi reminded me to explain the importance of applying wireless encryption to a WiFi network. A wireless network (WLAN) is easier to set up and use than a traditional LAN.

However, WLAN is prone to a higher degree of security threats. Intruders can easily access wireless networks without proper security. So, we must secure wireless networks by implementing wireless encryptions.

I believe you understand why we must implement wireless encryptions.

I received multiple comments asking to explain different wireless encryptions. You can read such comments from readers like Stefano Gamma in the comment section.

We have two types of encryption standards. They are Static and Dynamic wireless encryptions. So, what is the difference between static and dynamic wireless encryptions?

Wireless security protocols that use static keys are called static wireless encryptions. WiFi security protocols that use dynamic keys are called Dynamic wireless encryptions.

1. Static WiFi Encryption

   I have explained the definition of Static wireless encryption before. Any wireless security protocol that uses a static key for encryption is a Static Wireless Encryption standard.

   WEP is a classic static wireless encryption protocol.

   WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy ) is a static Wireless Encryption to protect WiFi from intruders. Gayatri Mohan asked in the comment section to explain the workings of WEP. Let me explain it now.

   In WEP, we set an encryption key on Access Point and share the network with computers who know the same key. The key remains constant, and that is why this kind of wireless encryption is known as Static Wireless Encryption.

   WEP is simple and easy to use, but I do not recommend it. Right now, WEP is not secure because many weaknesses make it vulnerable.

2. Dynamic WiFi Encryption

   Dynamic Wireless encryption works in a different concept where the master key changes dynamically.

   WPA3 is an example of dynamic wireless encryption.

   One of our readers, Rene Banerjee, asked what would happen if a hacker captured the WPA master key.

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   The master key is needed to communicate between Access Point and the clients. Even if a hacker captures the key, he will not be able to receive signal continuously from Access Point since the master key will change with time.

   To improve the security, I recommend using WPA3 if possible.

   WPA (WiFi Protected Access), WPA2, and WPA3 are examples of this technology.

Let us check the differences between these two technologies. Static technology uses the same wireless key to connect and communicate. Dynamic technologies use a different set of keys (randomly generated keys).

Static wireless encryption uses the same key all the time. So, Dynamic Wireless Encryption is more secure than Static Wireless Encryption.

Now, let us compare the working of WiFi Protected Access (WPA) and Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP).

WEP uses a single static key to connect the wireless Access Point and the Client.

WPA uses the pre-shared key to establish a connection between Access Point and the client. After establishing a connection, WPA uses a master key generated by TKIP(Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) to communicate further, and the key is constantly changed.

WEP supports both 64 and 128-bit encryptions. WPA supports 128-bit encryption. Both use the Rivest Cipher 4 protocol.

Check this table for more detailed differences and similarities between WEP and WPA.

Feature	WEP	WPA
Wireless Key	Static Key	Dynamic Key
Encryption	64 and 128-bit	128 bit
Protocol	Rivest Cipher 4	Rivest Cipher 4
Trust Level	Very Low	Better security

WEP supports 64 and 128 bit encryption standards. WEP 128 and WEP 64 were very popular once. WEP 64-bit standard uses a 10-digit hexadecimal key (0 to 9 and A to F), and WEP 128-bit encryption uses a stronger key. Right now, these two protocols are obsolete, and most of the users opt for dynamic security standards.

A few readers asked why I do not recommend WEP to secure a wireless network. Let me tell you why.

There are so many hacking software products that say they breached WEP protection within minutes. So, using WEP encryption to protect a WiFi connection is not secure.

Nihat Haluk Yaman asked me in the comment section why I recommend WPA3. He also asked about the differences between various WPA versions.

So, in this section, I will explain the different versions of WPA and the differences.

Differences Between WPA and WPA2

WPA2 is the advanced version of WPA. WPA2 is faster and more secure than its predecessor. The key difference between them is the encryption protocol they use. WPA uses RC4 (Rivest Cipher 4 ) encryption, but WPA2 uses AES.

Differences Between WPA3 and WPA2

WPA3 is more secure than WPA2, and I recommend my readers use WPA3 if possible. WPA3 uses an advanced encryption SAE.

Some readers asked me about the speed difference between networks using WPA2 and WPA3. I tested both standards and felt no difference in speed.

I believe you enjoyed this article and learned the differences between various wireless encryption standards. If you have any doubt, ask me in the comment section.

1. https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/glossary/what-is-wpa/
2. https://www.juniper.net/documentation/us/en/software/mist/mist-wireless/topics/topic-map/radius-configuration.html
3. https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Wi-Fi_Basics_and_Best_Practices/WPA3_Encryption_and_Configuration_Guide