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Easy Guide to Wi-Fi Protected Setup and Its Features

wps wifi button on router
Knowing the cyber-risks of being victimized by a hacker and facing any loss of personal information as a result, it is always good to look for better security features and put them to use. Speed, cost, and security have always been the factors of primary importance whenever you are choosing a suitable internet plan. All three aspects are equally essential for providing a seamless connectivity experience and must be paid equal attention. Luckily, some top-notch providers are not reluctant to offer more ease and convenience to their users by assuring better speeds at more affordable rates just as we see in the case of Cox internet prices that seem to be easy on the pocket and deliver consistently fast internet speeds.

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.