WPS Full Form

WPS Full Form

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Feb 10, 2023 03:08 PM IST

What is Full Form of WPS ?

WPS, which means Wi-Fi Protected Setup, is a wireless network security standard designed to speed up and simplify wireless device and router connections. Only wireless networks that use a password protected by the Wi-Fi Protected Access Personal (WPA) or WPA2 Personal security protocols are compatible with WPS. The WPS has an 8-digit code for its pin that displays numerical values. Wireless networks that employ the not-so-prefered Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) protection, which is simple to breach by any hacker with even the most basic skills, do not support WPS.

WPS Full Form
WPS Full Form

To connect a wireless device to a wireless network, you typically need to know the network name (also known as the Service Set Identifier (SSID)) and password (also called the WPA-PSK key). If we want to connect a device, such as our smartphone or laptop, to our wireless network, we must first choose the network we want to connect to and then input its security password on our device.

If we want to keep our Wi-Fi private from the same individual, we can give them our WPS pin instead. Once they have finished using the internet for their work, we can reset the WPS pin. Users must be thoroughly aware of Wi-Fi equipment to complete this process and be able to adjust the necessary configurations. WPS can support many 802.11 items that have received Wi-Fi certification.

Authorizing WPS

There are four ways using which we can authorize WPS:

Push Button Configuration(PBC): In this setup, connecting both WPS devices only requires the user to press either a physical or a virtual button. Those who possess wireless gadgets can choose to use this alternative technique.

Personal Identification Number(PIN): In this approach, the pin must be obtained from the WPS device's sticker label or web interface, and it must then be typed into the access point's (AP) or client's WPS device to complete the connection. If you choose to register a new device with an active access point using the PIN method, you must first utilize the Registrar. The key setting procedure for all WPS-enabled devices is this one.

Near-field communication method: These days, an RFID tag connects two devices using this technique. The user must approach the access point closely for the new gadget and the access point to establish near-field communication. You don't need to use this method as it is not mandatory.

USB Method: USB method is one more way to link the new wireless device to the current home network. Data transfer happens between the new client's device and the network access point using a USB flash drive. Although optional, support for this approach is regarded as out-of-date. The technique must be set up and operating right away. The information transfer happens through channels other than the wi-fi channel in the last two mentioned ways, which are referred to as out-of-band methods. The other two methods are not included in WPS certification since they are obsolete; only the PIN and Push button methods are. Some wireless access points also serve as factory reset switches or wi-fi toggles in addition to serving as access points.

Characteristics Of WPS

  • WPS enabled Wi-Fi access point owners to prevent unauthorized users from utilizing their Wi-Fi.

  • If we push the WPS button on the router, WPS can be made available to other users.

  • PIN, or Personal Identification Number, and PBC, or Push Button Configuration, are the two authentication methods available with WPS.

  • The WPS protocol identifies three device kinds in a network: the Registrar, the Enrollee, and the AP, an access point that serves as a bridge between them.

  • Only wireless networks using the WPA Personal or WPA2 Personal security protocols and passwords will support WPS.

Advantages Of WPS

  • The network name (SSID) and password for the access points are generated automatically by WPS.

  • Since the security key in WPS is produced at random, no one can predict it.

  • When connecting with a WPS-enabled device, you don't need to be aware of the login or password.

  • To establish a connection, you don't need to provide a lengthy string of hexadecimal codes.

  • Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is used to exchange the data safely. One of the WPA2's authenticated protocols is EAP.

Disadvantages Of WPS

  • Adhoc networks, in which wireless devices communicate directly with one another in the absence of an access point, are not supported by WPS.

  • Since it is a numeric code, which is simple to decipher using brute force, it is less secure.

  • It is challenging to connect the non-WPS client due to the lengthy hexadecimal character sequences.

  • Since this technology is brand-new, not every trader supports the WPS system.

  • Only devices that support WPS can use WPS else a conventional connection must be made.

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