A mayor's office asks for a one-sentence difference between authentication and encryption on municipal Wi-Fi. Which statement is best?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Showing your badge at the door is authentication; locking the filing cabinet after you're inside is encryption. One proves you belong; the other keeps the contents private once keys are in play.
Full Explanation
On Wi-Fi, authentication (and related access-control mechanisms) establish whether a station is allowed onto the BSS and under what credentials or policy. Encryption provides confidentiality for protected frames once session keys exist. Leaders often conflate the two; clear wording separates 'who/what may join' from 'how payloads stay confidential on the air.'