2013-09-13 11:53:23

by Prabhunath G

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Subject: WEP/WPA/WPA2 implementation in software

Dear All,

Suppose there is no hardware support for
encryption/decryption for Wi-Fi devices. Will the data be
encrypted/decrypted by software implementation. If yes, is it done at
the application level or at the kernel level (mac80211).
Kindly clarify.
If the question has to be rephrased, please do it


Regards,
Prabhunath G


2013-09-13 13:34:17

by Valdis Klētnieks

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Subject: Re: WEP/WPA/WPA2 implementation in software

On Fri, 13 Sep 2013 17:23:22 +0530, Prabhunath G said:

> Suppose there is no hardware support for
> encryption/decryption for Wi-Fi devices

1) Do not use WEP. It's busted. It's *known* busted. You transmit
packets for more than a minute or so using WEP, you may as well not
bother with crypto at all. Yes, it's really that busted.

2) You're much better off spending the $15 to get a wireless card
that actually has hardware WPA2 support on it. The devices are
cheap, there's no reason to inflict pain on yourself.

I'd not be at all surprised if a card that doesn't have crypto
support isn't *also* lacking other hardware support for WPA/WPA2
So while it may well be *possible* to do it in software, I'd have
to rank it as one of the more masochistic ideas I've heard in a
long time.


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2013-09-13 14:24:22

by Oleksij Rempel

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Subject: Re: WEP/WPA/WPA2 implementation in software

Am 13.09.2013 13:53, schrieb Prabhunath G:
> Dear All,
>
> Suppose there is no hardware support for
> encryption/decryption for Wi-Fi devices. Will the data be
> encrypted/decrypted by software implementation. If yes, is it done at
> the application level or at the kernel level (mac80211).
> Kindly clarify.
> If the question has to be rephrased, please do it

Hi,

see hostapd on AP site and wpa_supplicant on STA:
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Documentation/wpa_supplicant
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Documentation/hostapd

check documentation here on:
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Documentation
may be it will answer some of your questions.

--
Regards,
Oleksij