Disadvantages of WPS
- Network mode where wireless devices are communicated directly to each other without an access point is not supported by WPS.
- The WPS cannot be used if WiFi devices on the network are WPS certified or WPS-compatible.
- It is very difficult to add a non-WPS client device to the network as long sequences of hexadecimal characters are generated by the WPS technology.
- The increased security offered by WPS is not available to devices that are not certified for WPS.
- The user will need to manually enter the lengthy hexadecimal passphrase on non-WPS devices.
- “Ad Hoc” connections, which let devices talk to each other directly, are not supported by WPS. Every connection needs to travel via the AP.
- WPS is still a relatively new technology, so not all devices support it.
Wifi Protected Setup (WPS)
The Wifi protected setup (WPS) is a wireless network security standard that tries to make connections between a router and wireless devices in a faster and easier way. WPS works only for wireless networks that use a password that is protected with the Wifi Protected Access Personal (WPA) or Wifi Protected Access2 (WPA2) Personal security protocols. WPS does not work on wireless networks that use the disfavoured Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security, which can be cracked easily by any hacker with basic skills.
An optional certification program based on a technology called Wi-Fi Protected SetupTM makes it easier to set up security-enabled Wi-Fi® networks in homes and small offices. Wi-Fi Protected Setup allows network configuration and security activation using well-known procedures (such as pressing a button or entering a PIN) that are accessible to most users.
In a standard setup, you can’t connect a wireless device to a wireless network until you know the network name (also named Service Set Identifier(SSID)) and its password (also called WPA-PSK key). If you want to connect a device, like your smartphone or a laptop, to your wireless network then on your device, you must first pick the network that you want to connect to and then enter its security password.