see if router is giving WPA or WPA2?

How do you have to configure your laptop (or other device) in order to connect to it?

well, that's a bit inefficient, i'd rather a program that tells me, rather than trying and getting an error, and if I were in a situation where I was unable to connect, then I wouldn't be able to tell by that method. since that method just looks at what method of connecting works.

What? You don't trust the manufacturer and its outsourced firmware programmers?

That's a common complaint about inSSIDer. Try Xirrus wifi inspector, which I think does it right.

It will show the default encryption and authentication method. However, if the router offers WPA-TKIP, WPA-TKIP, and WPA2-AES, it will only show the highest level of encryption offered and not the others.

Sorry; I'd simply assumed that you were actually using your router.

inSSIDer does distinguish, but apparently only shows the *lowest* level. I.e. an AP that supports WPA/TKIP and WPA2/AES is shown as supporting (in the "Privacy" column) "WPA-TKIP", while an AP that is configured for *only* WPA2/AES is shown as supporting "RSNA-CCMP".

If you *really* want to know, just sniff the beacons and take a look at the IEs.

Cheers,

Aaron

nice program,

Showing either the highest or lowest alone seems to be pointless.

Listing only the lowest gives you a reasonable idea of the minimum level of security (the level that should probably be assumed) but it doesn't help if you want to know what capabilities are available to more capable hardware.

Conversely displaying only the highest is outright stupid since you may assume your network is appropriately secure when it turns out a majority of the network uses a less secure choice.

I admit that I haven't paid attention, but are there really AP's that support WPA and WPA2 simultaneously? I assumed you had to pick one or the other.

The question was asked: "WPA2 Pre-Shared Key Only" vs. "WPA2 Pre-Shared Key Mixed" What is the difference? Is "Mixed" WPA and WPA2???

BrainSlayer replied: 24 Dec 2005 23:16 In mixed mode, the unit tries wpa2 first and if its fails it uses wpa1

Note the date. "Mixed mode" has been around for quite a while. Every current wireless router that I've seen supports "mixed mode".

More:

The main reason to use mixed mode is to obtain a secure connection from crappy client drivers and buggish hardware. I tried to make a list of protocols, hardware, and versions that wouldn't reliably connect or stay connected, but gave up. I didn't get consistent, repeatable, or sane results. I even found a laptop that would connect with WPA-TKIP, but fail with WPA2-AES on a given access point. When I upgraded the AP firmware, it was the other way around. I went back and forth a few times with the firmware just to make sure I wasn't going insane. My favorite combination is an iBook G3 or G4 stuck on OS/X 10.4.11 with various wireless routers and firmware versions. While both WPA and WPA2 are allegedly supported, it usually fails to connect or stay connected with either. However, WEP works fine.

Every few routers, I find some that support WPA-AES, which is not an officially supported mode, but probably should be. The problem is that these routers will associate, connect, and then disconnect repeatedly. Apparently, they get stuck in some kind of loop trying to connect with WPA-AES, and after realizing that it's not "legal", they disconnect looking for another protocol to use, never find it, and start over again. I doubt it was ever tested because it's probably not included in the Wi-Fi Alliance certification tests.

Anyway, you have a better chance in dealing with broken, buggy, and worthless clients using mixed mode encryption.

I see now how fortunate I've been to never run into any of that nonsense. Thanks for the backgrounder.