Nowadays, everyone seems to be relying on wireless
networks more than ever before and frequently using different internet-enabled
devices for carrying out various online activities over the wireless
connection. Speed and cost concerns are taken care of very well by providers.
However, with the rising internet demands amidst the global pandemic, cybersecurity
has turned out to be a major concern.
Wi-Fi Protected Setup or WPS was introduced to make
Wi-Fi access easier. It is a wireless network security standard that is
intended to establish a more secure and faster connection between the router
and the wireless devices. If you are wondering what a WPS is and you recall
seeing a WPS button somewhere on your router, then all that curiosity makes
sense. Allow us to address all these questions and provide you a complete
overview of what is WPS all about. Let's get started:
What is WPS?
Wi-Fi Protected Setup or WPS works for only wireless
networks that have a password encrypted by WPA Personal or WPA2 Personal
security protocols. Conversely, WPS is not compatible with the wireless
networks that use WEP security, which is more vulnerable to attack. As we all
know that to connect to a Wi-Fi network, you must know the network name and
password. So, let's say, you want to connect your smartphone to a wireless
network. You will have to choose the network from the visible list of available
networks and enter the password for access.
This is where the WPS comes in handy. Follow through
to find out!
How to Use
WPS?
Here are the two options to enable WPS:
· PBC or Push Button Configuration Method
WPS makes the linking process simple. All you need to
do is look out for the WPS button on your router and press it. Now, check the
device you want to connect to that wireless network. Simply select the network
and the device will get connected by itself. This means that you will not have
to enter the password. This is particularly useful when we want to connect
wireless printers, etc. as they might have a WPS button of their own, meant for
instant connectivity. In that case, you will just have to press the WPS button
on the router and the WPS button on the device, and voila!
WPS sends the network password automatically.
Moreover, the connected devices usually remember the password and can link
automatically the next time. This is known as the PBC or Push Button Configuration
method.
· PIN or Personal Identification Number Method
In this method, a PIN is required that is usually
present on the label of the router. You will have to enter this eight-digit pin
on the device that you want to connect to the wireless network.
Some of the devices without a WPS button but with WPS support
create a client PIN. You can enter this eight-digit PIN in the router’s
configuration panels. The router will then add this device to the wireless
network.
Limitations of
WPS
This is a comparatively experimental technology with
setbacks, so it may not be provided by every vendor. Moreover, it is not easy
to connect a non-WPS device to the network. The Wi-Fi devices need to be WPS-certified
to make use of this technology to secure the network.
Final Words
WPS indeed reinforces the existing network security.
It is not an entirely new security feature rather it makes the existing
security feature easier to configure. It is a certified technology that has the
aforementioned primary setup methods including the PBS and the PIN method.
Nowadays, almost all modern wireless printers come with a WPS button for
allowing a quicker connection. So, if you want to use WPS to connect your
device to the wireless network, you can make use of the aforementioned guidelines
to do it conveniently.