Automatic configuration

Is there a low cost AP which lets me automate configuration through telnet or simular? I'm specifically looking for a solution where I can automatically change the WEP key at a regular basis.

What problem are you trying to solve here? Access to the WLAN or security of the transit data or both?

So buy a hotspot solution or a cheap WRT54G on Ebay and load up some hotspot firmware. A WEP key by its very nature *is* a shared key. The only way you'll move forward from that away from a shared key is a RADIUS solution, hotspot solution or some other expensive solution.

That's the problem, how are you going to poke a WEP key into unknown devices in a simple manner? If all the devices were equal then you'd have a first step but then how would you do that across the LAN without connectivity? The only way that you might be able to do it is with an AP that supports multiple SSID's/VLAN's where the user connects to an unauthenticated VLAN, gets a client that pokes the key or otherwise gives them the necessary information. Then when they reconnect, they connect to the other SSID and end up on the other VLAN. If they had accounts, they that information could be on a secured webpage but then if you're doing all this, I can't help but think that the RADIUS server all of a sudden becomes the better idea?

David.

• David Taylor : | In article , | ag snipped-for-privacy@datamorgana.no says... | > Is there a low cost AP which lets me automate configuration through | > telnet or simular? I'm specifically looking for a solution where I can | > automatically change the WEP key at a regular basis. | | Have to ask, why not buy a low cost AP which supports WPA or 802.1x | instead and then you wouldn't have to!

Initially, I thought about using a radius server, but I found out that those users that have devices that support it find it to difficult to set it up, and several users have devices that do not support it. I also need to give guests access to my secured network without compromising security (e.g. giving away a shared password). Ideally, I want to give guests an option to quickly log on to my encrypted network without knowing the WEP key or WPA shared password, but a compromise could be to hand out the key and change it daily. I would be glad to hear other solutions, though.

Don't know about low cost but I can telnet into my Belking wireless ADSL router and manage that.

ISTR it is based on a Connexant board/chip.

If you look at the Broadband Router version this may offer what you want.

Just look for a AP/Router with a serial port (do they still do this?) or a Telnet connection.

Connexant seem to generally support this.

HTH Dave R

Most home or small office APs provide a web interface for configuration, done via a browser rather then Telnet or SSH. The other problem with frequent WEP key changes is the users keeping up-to-date. If they have trouble with with other security layers having to key in long strings of hex is not going to be trouble free...

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.