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Hi,

What is exactly the difference and the advantages/disadvantages between 802.1X and WPA ?

802.1X define a method (eap flavour) to authenticate client and/or user but in general it doesn't define encryption strategy.

As far as I know WPA/WPA II cover both authentication and encryption side defining which protocols are defined in this frameworks...moreover that 802.11i is not going into this directions...isn't it ?

Thanks

WPA specifies 2 methods for authentication - preshared key or 802.1x. Preshared key requires manual key distribution. 802.1x provides a framework with EAP to provided various authentication and key management options with PEAP, EAP-TLS, EAP-FAST etc.

You are right 802.1x is a stabdard authentication method that requires an EAP base authentication protocol. As previously posted there are many methods of doing eap all with their own advantages such as PEAP, EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLs. Huge misconception LEAP is not an EAP base protocol.

WPA is mostly know for the addition of TKIP. TKIP utilizes the same encryption algorythm then WEP (RC4) but is now rotating the key every 10 000 packets per default (in pre-shared mode). It also includes MIC (message integrety check). This helps to addess some of the concerns of wep. WPA also makes reference that you can use an 802.1x authentication or the standard pre-share key.

802.11i is a new standard coming out shortly that will finaly change that outdated RC4 encrytion algorythm (RC4 is used in https, ssl and wep) with AES. They will also address the roaming issues of EAP with CCMP.

trivia

WEP128 has 16,7 Million possible permutations.
TKIP has 281 Billion permutations.

You are right 802.1x is a stabdard authentication method that requires an EAP base authentication protocol. As previously posted there are many methods of doing eap all with their own advantages such as PEAP, EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLs. Huge misconception LEAP is not an EAP base protocol.

Maybe I misunderstand you..... but that is incorrect. LEAP is absolutely an EAP based protocol. However it is not a "standard's based" protocol and is proprietary to Cisco. You MUST use Cisco AP's with LEAP but a lot of clients support LEAP(Anyone with the CCX extensions) and so do a majority of Radius servers.

LEAP is an EAP protocol... just not standards based.

Here is the most complete document I've found on the topic of 802.1x, WPA, WPA2 (802.11i), EAP and the like:

http://csrc.nist.gov/wireless/S10_802.11i%20Overview-jw1.pdf

Enjoy!

i still have a question
if i'm not mistaken WPA can use any EAP type for the 802.1x part. Is this the same with WPA 2?