Turn off “remote management,” Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) features. Some routers have features that can be convenient but weaken your network security. For example, enabling remote access to your router's controls allows you to change settings over the internet.
When choosing from among WEP, WPA, WPA2 and WPA3 wireless security protocols, experts agree WPA3 is best for Wi-Fi security. As the most up-to-date wireless encryption protocol, WPA3 is the most secure choice.
WPA2/WPA3 Transitional is a mixed mode that uses WPA3 Personal with devices that support that protocol, while allowing older devices to use WPA2 Personal (AES) instead. WPA2 Personal (AES) is appropriate when you can't use one of the more secure modes.
WPA2 was created to be better, faster, and more robust than the original WPA. While WPA still utilises TKIP, it also uses the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) algorithm, a more complex encryption protocol. Since 2006, WPA2 has been a regular feature on all verified Wi-Fi hardware.
Generally, WPA2 is the best choice, even though it consumes more processing power to protect your network. Learn more about Wi-Fi security options and how encryption tools like VPNs can protect you even further.
WPA2 is more secure than its predecessor, WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), and should be used whenever possible. Wireless routers support multiple security protocols to secure wireless networks, including WEP, WPA and WPA2. Of the three, WPA2 is the most secure, as this comparison explains.
Should you use WPA3. If your router supports WPA3, it should definitely be enabled. This will increase the security level of the internal network, and at the same time will allow you to use the latest technological solutions.
The only disadvantage of WPA2 (when comparing to WPA) is in the amount of processing power that it needs in order to protect your network. This translates to a direct need for more powerful hardware or suffer a reduction in network performance for heavily used networks.
Wireless network security issues and threats
spoofing and session hijacking - where the attacker gains access to network data and resources by assuming the identity of a valid user. eavesdropping - where unauthorised third parties intercept the data being transmitted over the secure network.
However, you should not panic; the weak security notification is a common phenomenon and doesn't mean anything has been compromised yet. If you see a “Weak Security” message in your Wi-Fi settings, your network may be on an older and less secure encryption platform.
How Often Do You Need to Change Your Wi-Fi Password? You should change your default password immediately after you get the router. After that, you should use a completely new password every 30 to 90 days. It helps to keep your password changes on a regular schedule so you don't forget.
Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) — introduced in 2004 — remains the most popular wireless security protocol. It uses the Counter Mode Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP) based on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption algorithm for stronger security measures.
Select the Wi-Fi network icon on the right side of the taskbar, then select Properties underneath the Wi-Fi network name. On the Wi-Fi network screen, under Properties, look at the value next to Security type. It will include WPA3 if you're connected to a network using WPA3 encryption for security.
Along with its predecessors WPA and WEP, WPA2 uses encryption technology to scramble data so it's indecipherable to hackers. Among all these security protocols, WPA2 offers the most sophisticated levels of encryption.
Whichever setting you choose, always set a strong password for joining the network. WPA3 Personal is the newest, most secure protocol currently available for Wi-Fi devices. It works with all devices that support Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), and some older devices.
Should You Continue Using a Router With WEP or WPA? If your network is either WEP or WPA (without any numbers after it), then you're at risk of a cyber-attack. If your router doesn't support at least WPA2, you'll want to secure yourself by upgrading to a WPA2 or WPA3-compatible router as soon as possible.
Potential Downsides. Along with slow adoption, security experts believe that WPA3 will cause users a false sense of security. While individualized encryption changes the game, open networks aren't fully secure. WPA3 makes browsing on open networks a lot safer, but there's still a lack of user authentication.
WPA3 provides a more secure connection than WPA2, but many WiFi devices might not yet detect WPA3 and support only WPA2. Similarly, WPA2 provides a more secure connection than WPA, but some legacy WiFi devices do not detect WPA2 and support only WPA.
WPA2/WPA3 Transitional is a mixed mode that uses WPA3 Personal with devices that support that protocol, while allowing older devices to use WPA2 Personal (AES) instead. WPA2 Personal (AES) is appropriate when you can't use one of the more secure modes.
WPA2 takes a lot of processing power, and although this doesn't present problems when you're using new equipment, it can slow down networks using old hardware that added WPA2 capabilities through a firmware update.
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is the oldest and least secure Wi-Fi encryption method. It is laughable how terrible WEP is at protecting your Wi-Fi connection, and all good security advice suggests that you should not use WEP Wi-Fi encryption.
The Wifi Settings opens. Click Manage known networks. Click the current wifi network your are connected to, and click Properties. Next to Security type, if it says something such as WEP or WPA2, your network is protected.