Wireless Network Security

Common Consumer Wi-Fi Security Standards

There are some common WiFi security standards available on almost every WiFi router. Your router may come pre-configured for one of these standards, and it's helpful to know what type of security setting is active and if you should change it in your router settings. 

WEP

Wired Equivalent Privacy, called WEP, is an older standard and is still commonly used on home routers and networks. There are several versions of WEP security, with different lengths “keys.” Each device connecting to the router has to obtain a “key” which is usually the network password to connect to the WiFI network. WEP is easily hacked and considered very weak by security professionals, so should be used only as a last resort. 

WPA

Wi-Fi Protected Access, or WPA, is a security standard that was developed to replace WEP and solve its weaknesses.  Different types of WPA include:

WPA-Personal, sometimes also called WPA-PSK (for pre-shared key), is designed for home networking.

WPA-Enterprise is the term for WPA designed for corporate networks. 

WPA2

WPA2 is an improved version of Wi-Fi Protected Access supported by all newer (since about 2006) Wi-Fi equipment and is what you should be using for your home or small-office network. The improvements from WPA to WPA2 make it much more secure.

Like WPA, WPA2 also exists in Personal/PSK (used for most consumer and home devices) and Enterprise forms with enhanced options that information technology professionals can use to customize settings. 

Consumer devices also refer to WPA2 with the description “WPA-PSK Protected Access Pre-Shared Key” so if you're using that description, you know you have the best security setting selected. 

How WIFi security works

A router uses Network Security Keys and Passphrases to verify or authenticate that a device like a smartphone or a computer should be connected. People generally find a word or phrase easier to enter on a keyboard, so people join using the router's passphrase, which is also known as the network password, the router converts the passphrase to a Network Security Key to authenticate the device which wants to make the connection. 

The terms passphrase and security key have some technical differences. In network security jargon, the term passphrase can sometimes refer to an encryption key that only uses alphanumeric characters, like a password, while a security key uses hexadecimal values. You'll likely only encounter the difference if you're working with a technical professional or documentation on networks.

Most home routers installed by an internet service include a strong password imprinted on a label, and it's possible to change the password in the router settings.

Configuring Wi-Fi Security on Home Networks

All devices on a given Wi-Fi network must use matching security settings. Your router will have a passphrase you will need to enter on your computer or any device you want to connect to your WiFi network. Most devices will remember the passphrase, and when they detect any specific access point, the device will automatically connect to the network.

The ability for a device like a computer or a smartphone to remember networks makes it easier for you when you leave your home or office and return, and automatically connect to the network. 

To my way of thinking

Wireless networks are the way we connect our technology and make it possible to move information from one device to another without using physical connections. With the improvements made in WiFi, knowing how to keep your network secure is like making sure you keep your door locked to your data.