Windows XP - Support Patch for Wireless Protected Access

Advertisement (Why?)

REDMOND, Wash. -- March 31, 2003 -- Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of a free Microsoft® Windows® XP download to support Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), a new standards-based wireless network security solution from the Wi-Fi Alliance. The new solution is intended to be a replacement for the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) standard and offers more-robust methods of data encryption and network authentication. The result is a new level of protection for customers taking advantage of the wireless features in Windows XP.

This update provides support for Wireless Protected Access, a new standards-based wireless security solution developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance. WPA is intended to replace the existing Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) standard, offering much more robust methods of encryption and authentication and resulting in a new level of protection for customers taking advantage of the wireless features of Windows XP.

Download: (MSKB Q815485) - Windows XP Support Patch for Wireless Protected Access

View: Microsoft Downloads

News source: Microsoft PressPass

To participate in the program:

Go to BetaPlace.
Click the Sign In button and, if prompted, sign in using Microsoft Passport.
On the "Welcome to BetaPlace" page, select I have been issued a Guest ID by Microsoft.
Type ADAMGuest as the Guest ID (case sensitive), and click the OK button.
On the "Guest Access" page, click the ADAM Beta link.
Fill in the nomination survey that appears on the upper left of this page. Note: This is a public beta and everyone requesting access will be granted it.

Within 48 hours, you will receive a welcome e-mail from MS Beta that will contain your beta ID and password for the BetaPlace Web site and newsgroups. Current beta program participants and certified partners can specify their existing beta ID in the survey form.

(3 replies) #1 leebobs on 31 Mar 2003 - 18:08

This patch will be included in XP SP2 final.

#1.1 xStainDx on 31 Mar 2003 - 18:09

[neoquote=#1.0 by leebobs]This patch will be included in XP SP2 final.[/neoquote] Thanks for that observation, like you couldn't tell from the File Name..

#1.2 leebobs on 31 Mar 2003 - 18:13

Your in a bad mood today!!

P.S. I bet someone would have asked!!

#1.3 ThunderRiver on 31 Mar 2003 - 19:24

[neoquote=#1.1 by xStainDx]Thanks for that observation, like you couldn't tell from the File Name..

[/neoquote] blah blah blah blah... blah blah blah..Name..

(2 replies) #2 SHoTTa35 on 31 Mar 2003 - 18:12

w00t! StainD you installed that yet? Since we basically have the same set up i wanted you to be the guinea pig

I know it wont matter really since the router doesn't support WPA yet but anyone got any info on WPA? Post all the links below this one using the reply feature for the newbies

#2.1 xStainDx on 31 Mar 2003 - 18:16

[neoquote=#2.0 by SHoTTa35]w00t! StainD you installed that yet? Since we basically have the same set up i wanted you to be the guinea pig

[/neoquote] I'm in school. I'll install it later tonite. Then Call Linksys and get on their asses for a firmware update

#2.2 SHoTTa35 on 01 Apr 2003 - 01:12

hehe, oh well. couldn't wait. It changes the WEP section sorta and i guess if the hardware supported it, it would say WPA in there too.... it now gives the option to choose Open or Shared keys too... kinda coo but that's all

(1 reply) #3 briangw on 31 Mar 2003 - 18:28

So, is it worth it? My Linksys wireless router has 128 bit WEP on, is the MS patch going to double the protection?

#3.1 SHoTTa35 on 31 Mar 2003 - 18:33

so does ours (StainD and I) but WPA isn't a stronger WEP... it's a different allgorithm and is supposed to be harder to crack... 128Bit WEP is still easily crackable. Just record about 5 million packets and you can compute a WEP key and that only takes couple hrs on a highly utilized network. WPA i can't fully explain right now but it sounds better.... i'm still reading the info.

#4 Justin03248 on 31 Mar 2003 - 18:42

i think there's firmware updates needed. Currently, g and b only support WEP.

(1 reply) #5 uniacid on 31 Mar 2003 - 21:39

yea I'm installing it right now on my wireless pc

#5.1 SHoTTa35 on 31 Mar 2003 - 22:42

don't expect too much but wha happen? anything new? HEHE

#6 zivan56 on 01 Apr 2003 - 05:20

WPA is a bad name for this

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.

Neowin.net