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Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)

5 minutes 5 Questions

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is a feature designed to make it easy for users to connect devices to a secure wireless network by using a PIN or pushing a button on the wireless router. Although it provides convenience, it has some security concerns, as it is vulnerable to brute-force attacks. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to the wireless network. To mitigate this risk, users should disable WPS on their routers or use stronger security protocols like WPA2 or WPA3.

Guide to Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) for CompTIA Network+

Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is a network security standard that allows users to easily secure a wireless home network. It is particularly important because it simplifies the setup process and can be used by people with little technical knowledge.

WPS works by using either a Push-button configuration (PBC) or a PIN configuration. The PBC method requires the user to press a physical button located on the wireless router and then on the device they want to connect. The PIN configuration involves a unique pin that needs to be entered on both the router and the device that needs to connect.

When answering questions related to WPS, keep the following points in mind:

  • Understand the purpose of WPS
  • Know the two different methods used in WPS
  • Be aware of the security concerns related to WPS
  • Remember, WPS is simple, but it can also be a weak link in security
Exam Tip: Often, exam questions on WPS come in the form of scenarios. Be prepared to answer questions asking how to setup a device using WPS or what are the possible vulnerabilities posed by WPS. This will help you in answering questions efficiently and correctly.
Conclusion: WPS is a critical part of wireless network security and a thorough understanding of it is essential to ace your CompTIA Network+ exam.

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CompTIA Network+ - Wireless Security Example Questions

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Question 1

A company wants to temporarily disable WPS due to security concerns. What is the best course of action?

Correct Answer: Disable WPS in the router settings

Disabling the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) in the router settings would be the most direct and effective course of action if a company wants to temporarily disable WPS due to security concerns. WPS is a feature that lets users connect to a Wi-Fi network without entering a password. While it provides convenience, it also presents a security risk because it's susceptible to brute-force attacks. Disabling it thus enhances network securityTurning off Wi-Fi on all devices is not specific to WPS and would completely halt the use of Wi-Fi, causing major disruption to operations. Enabling Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption doesn't directly affect the WPS feature - WPA encryption makes a Wi-Fi network secure by requiring a password to connect, but WPS could still be enabled alongside it. Lastly, changing the Wi-Fi password would have no effect on the WPS function, which can bypass password entry when connecting devices to the network.

Question 2

A user reports slow Wi-Fi speed after enabling WPS. What is the most likely cause?

Correct Answer: WPS is not the cause of slow Wi-Fi speed

WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is a network security standard that is used to ease the setup of a secure wireless network. Enabling WPS typically should not have any effect on Wi-Fi speed. So the problem the user is encountering likely has nothing to do with the enabling of WPS. 'WPS decreased Wi-Fi signal strength' is incorrect; WPS does not affect signal strength. 'WPS added interference on the network' is also incorrect as WPS does not add any electrical or signal interference to your network. Finally, 'WPS changed the Wi-Fi channel' is false as WPS doesn't alter your Wi-Fi channel.

Question 3

An administrator needs to ensure WPS is as secure as possible. What is an essential step?

Correct Answer: Regularly change the WPS PIN

Regularly changing the WPS PIN is an essential step to ensure WPS is as secure as possible as it prevents unauthorized devices from connecting to the Wi-Fi network as they would need the updated PIN. While using strong WPA2 encryption, changing the Wi-Fi password frequently, and restricting the number of connected devices may be good security practices, they do not directly enhance the security of the WPS function. WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is a network security standard to create a secure wireless home network, and the security of WPS is primarily based on the PIN. Therefore, frequently changing this PIN significantly enhances WPS security.

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