Public Key is to establish the safe session channel , determine what kind of cipher mode used,and provide the private key created by both sides(client and server) separately.Then the both sides may make use of the same private key to encrypt data stream sent to internet safely. One more word,Public Key and Private Key's length is different.As we know, Public Key length of RSA is usually 1024bit ,but Private key ranges from 56bit to 128 bit. The latter one is only admited to use in the North American two years ago because of export striction of FBI,now it may be used all of the world to provide much stronger chiper than 56bit.