WPA3 Enterprise Compatibility on Dell Laptops

Affected Platforms:

• Latitude
• Inspiron
• Alienware
• Dell G-Series
• Precision Workstations
• XPS

WPA3 Enterprise 192BIT or greater security requires a minimum requirement:

• 12th generation or greater CPUs
• Windows 11 22H2
• The latest Intel Drivers

Customers with older than 12th generation CPUs have differing levels of support for WPA3 Enterprise. Below is the list of options for WPA3 due to the complexity of differing CPU, operating system and driver support combinations it is advised to test prior to network roll out.

WPA3-Enterprise

WPA3-Enterprise builds upon the foundation of WPA2-Enterprise with the additional requirement of using Protected Management Frames on all WPA3 connections.

• Authentication: Multiple Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) methods
• Authenticated encryption: Minimum 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication (AES-CCMP 128)
• Key derivation and confirmation: Minimum 256-bit Hashed Message Authentication Mode (HMAC) with Secure Hash Algorithm (HMAC-SHA256)
• Robust management frame protection: Minimum 128-bit Broadcast/Multicast Integrity Protocol Cipher-based Message Authentication Code (BIP-CMAC-128)

WPA3-Enterprise with 192-bit mode

WPA3-Enterprise also offers an optional mode using 192-bit minimum-strength security protocols and cryptographic tools to better protect sensitive data.

• Authentication: Extensible Authentication Protocol - Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS) using Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) exchange and Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) using a 384-bit elliptic curve
• Authenticated encryption: 256-bit Galois/Counter Mode Protocol (GCMP-256)
• Key derivation and confirmation: 384-bit Hashed Message Authentication Mode (HMAC) with Secure Hash Algorithm (HMAC-SHA384)
• Robust management frame protection: 256-bit Broadcast/Multicast Integrity Protocol Galois Message Authentication Code (BIP-GMAC-256)

The 192-bit security mode offered by WPA3-Enterprise ensures that the right combinations of cryptographic tools are used to and sets a consistent baseline of security within a WPA3 network.