dynamic WEP

The IEEE introduced the concept of user-based authentication using per-user encryption keys to solve the scalability issues that surrounded static WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). This resulted in the 802.1x standard, which makes use of the IETF's Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), which was originally designed for user authentication in dial-up networks. The 802.1x standard supplemented the EAP protocol with a mechanism to send an encryption key to a wireless AP. These encryption keys are used as dynamic WEP keys, allowing traffic to each individual user to be encrypted using a separate key.