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Home / Glossary / PEAP
Glossary · Protocol

PEAP

Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol

In plain language

A Wi-Fi login method that first builds a protected tunnel and then sends the username and password inside it.

The metaphor

Like sliding your ID through a sealed tube to the guard so nobody in the lobby can read it.

Going deeper

How it works

  • The network proves itself first, then the user logs in.
  • Passwords are protected while they travel.
  • A central server checks each login.
  • Devices must be set to trust the right server, or they can be tricked.

What can go wrong (example scenario)

A firm's laptops were set to accept any Wi-Fi network with the right name. A fake access point nearby collected staff logins.

How WILDCARD handles it

Network covers the managed firewall and switches that sit behind your provider's modem.

In practice
  • A company Wi-Fi asks each person for their work login.
  • A laptop shows a prompt to trust a server certificate.
  • A technician checks that laptops only trust the real server.

A question owners ask

How do I keep staff safe on it?

Make sure laptops are set to trust only your own server certificate. Your IT provider can set this centrally.

Where WILDCARD handles this
Network
  • Firewall managed and monitored
  • Switches kept current
  • On-prem Active Directory auth
Start with Network
Related terms
ACLAccess Control ListAHAuthentication HeaderAPAccess PointARPAddress Resolution ProtocolBPDUBridge Protocol Data UnitCCMPCounter Mode/CBC-MAC ProtocolCCTVClosed-circuit TelevisionCHAPChallenge Handshake Authentication Protocol

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