What is WPS and what is the purpose of this button on some WiFi routers?

Considering that today wireless connections via WiFi have become a great necessity, protecting your networks has also become something to take into account, almost now more than ever.

This is where WiFi Protected Setup —WPS— comes into play. WiFi Protected Setupa feature designed to make the process of connecting or pairing devices to the network easier while ensuring its security.

If you’ve ever looked through everything on your Wi-Fi router, you’ve probably come across this feature in the form of a button. But what is it really and what happens when you press it?

It’s time to get to know the meaning of WPS, how it works, and the advantages and disadvantages of using it..

What is WPS and what is its purpose?

As mentioned before, WPS stands for WiFi Protected Setup —WiFi Protected Setupin English—and it is about a feature designed to make it easier to connect devices to a WiFi network without the need to manually enter a password.

This technology was created by the WiFi Alliance in 2006, with the idea of ​​simplifying the process of connecting devices. After all, connecting a device to a WiFi router involves entering a password. These, if you have really made sure that it is secure, are often long and complicated to prevent any thieves from sneaking in.

However, this, if you have ever experienced it when connecting your WiFi to a friend’s mobile phone, for example, is quite cumbersome. This is where the WPS button comes into play. By pressing this button, the router allows compatible devices to connect to the network without requiring passwords..

When you press it, the router starts searching for compatible devices. If it finds any that support WPS to connect to, the two will automatically pair. Note that if nothing connects to the router within about two minutes, it will stop searching for the sake of keeping you safe.

How does this connection actually work?

Please note that the WPS system can work in different ways to connect devices to the WiFi network. One of the most common is PBC —Push Button Configuration—. In this case, both devices — the router and the device you want to connect — have a button that you need to press. By pressing these buttons at the same time, the credentials are automatically exchanged.

Pressing this button means that you are temporarily “opening” the WiFi network, allowing the device to connect without having to enter the password.Most routers have a flashing indicator to show that WPS is active. Once activated, the device should automatically connect if it supports this feature.

However, There are other ways to activate WPS:

• PIN exchange: This is one of the most widely used methods, and in this case, the device you want to connect transmits a numeric code, PIN, to the router. In return, the router sends the data needed to access the network. Generally, all routers have a default PIN that you can find on the label of the device, but it is possible to change this PIN for security reasons.
• NFC: If your router and device are NFC-compatible, you only need to place the device close to the router. The information required for the connection will be automatically exchanged using this technology.
• USB: In some cases, WiFi network credentials can be saved to a USB device. This is then used to transfer the information to the device you want to connect to the network.

Where is the WPS button on your router?

Considering that each router is different, it is logical that this button will be different in each one. In some models, it is very easy to detect. Simply look for a button that includes the letters WPS. You’ll probably find it on the back where all the connectors are.

Some models will instead use the WPS symbol, which looks a lot like the iconic recycling symbol, using two arrows in a circle. Other brands, on the other hand, will directly use the “WiFi Protected Setup” term next to a button, which is basically just the term WPS written out in full.

Be careful because easy is often synonymous with insecurity

When it comes to the PIN method, it’s clear that cybercriminals simply have to keep trying until they succeed in guessing the password, and many don’t make it too difficult for themselves. A WPS PIN is only 8 digits long, which creates a finite and relatively small number of possible combinations.

On the other hand, many users do not change the default WPS PIN that comes with the router. This means that anyone who knows the router model can guess or find the default PIN on the Internet.

As if this were not enough, There are applications and tools for hackingsuch as Reaver and AWPSApp, specifically designed to exploit WPS vulnerabilitiesThese tools automate the brute force process, making it even easier for an attacker to break WPS security.

As for the handy button, it is not spared either. Considering that when you press it your network is “opened”, any device in range can try to connect. If someone is within range, they can take advantage. With all this, it is recommended to disable this feature completely if it is not absolutely necessary.

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Tags: WiFi Router, Video, WiFi, Routers, Connectivity, What is it