WEP is an abbreviation for Wired Equivalent Privacy. The primary goal of WEP is the confidentiality of data. In contrast to signals which are transmitted over cables, radio waves spread out in all directions—even into the street in front of the house and other places where they really aren't desired. The problem of undesired interception is particularly obvious in wireless data transmission, even though it can also arise in larger installations with wired networks—however, access to cables is far more easily restricted than is the case with radio waves.
Note: WEP offers far lower security that IEEE 802.1x/WPA2. For reasons
of compatibility to older WLAN clients, LANCOM Access Points continue
to support this method of encryption. However, LANCOM Systems expressly
recommends the use of a better form of WLAN security (e. g. IEEE 802.1X/WPA2).