WPA2 and WPA3 are generations of Wi-Fi Protected Access, the security standards that authenticate devices and encrypt wireless traffic. WPA2 (2004) uses AES-CCMP encryption; WPA3 (2018) keeps strong ciphers but replaces the password handshake and tightens several weaknesses.
Why it matters
In WPA2-Personal, an attacker who captures the four-way handshake can try passwords offline against it, so weak passphrases fall quickly. WPA3-Personal uses SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals), where each guess needs an interaction with the network, and past traffic stays protected even if the password later leaks (forward secrecy). WPA3 also offers Enhanced Open (OWE) for cafe-style networks without a password, and WPA3-Enterprise adds a stricter 192-bit mode. WPA3 support is expected on Wi-Fi 6 certified devices.
Example
A router set to "WPA2/WPA3 mixed" lets a new phone use WPA3 while an old printer stays on WPA2. The network is then only as strong as its weakest allowed mode, so a router set to WPA3 only is more secure but may exclude older hardware.
Common mistakes
- Choosing short passphrases; length still matters most.
- Using the obsolete WEP or WPA (original) modes, or TKIP.
- Leaving WPS push-button or PIN features enabled when not needed.
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