ZyXEL NWA3000-N User Manual download pdf (Page 171)

NWA3000-N Series User’s Guide

171

CHAPTER 14

Certificates

14.1 Overview

The NWA3000-N series AP can use certificates (also called digital IDs) to

authenticate users. Certificates are based on public-private key pairs. A certificate

contains the certificate owner’s identity and public key. Certificates provide a way

to exchange public keys for use in authentication.

14.1.1 What You Can Do in this Chapter

•The My Certificate screens (Section 14.2 on page 175) generate and export

self-signed certificates or certification requests and import the NWA3000-N

series AP’s CA-signed certificates.

•The Trusted Certificates screens (Section 14.3 on page 185) save CA

certificates and trusted remote host certificates to the NWA3000-N series AP.

The NWA3000-N series AP trusts any valid certificate that you have imported as

a trusted certificate. It also trusts any valid certificate signed by any of the

certificates that you have imported as a trusted certificate.

14.1.2 What You Need to Know

The following terms and concepts may help as you read this chapter.

When using public-key cryptology for authentication, each host has two keys. One

key is public and can be made openly available. The other key is private and must

be kept secure.

These keys work like a handwritten signature (in fact, certificates are often

referred to as “digital signatures”). Only you can write your signature exactly as it

should look. When people know what your signature looks like, they can verify

whether something was signed by you, or by someone else. In the same way, your

private key “writes” your digital signature and your public key allows people to

verify whether data was signed by you, or by someone else.

1 2 ... 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 ... 385 386

No comments

ZyXEL NWA3000-N User Manual Page 171