Key Chain

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What Does Key Chain Mean?

A key chain is a set of keys that can be assigned while putting up a network to secure the routers’ communication. It is important for wireless network systems to ensure data security within the network. Network hardware devices such as routers are therefore configured in such a way that they authenticate each others’ presence before establishing communication setup.

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Techopedia Explains Key Chain

Key chains are an important part of the Routing Information Protocol (RIP) and Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) whereby a routers’ security is ensured within a network. A key chain is a series of keys that the network administrator assigns to the routers that are repeated by the routers’ software in rotation. Each key has its own “life span” during which it is active and accepted between any two routers before communication takes place. “Key string” is the name given to the authentication code constituting a key chain.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.