WPS
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Networking
| Stands for | Wi-Fi Protected Setup |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
WPS stands for Wi-Fi Protected Setup, a networking abbreviation.
A feature for joining devices to a Wi-Fi network without typing the password, either by pressing a button on the router or entering an eight-digit PIN. The Wi-Fi Alliance introduced it in 2006 to simplify home setup for printers and similar devices.
Example: Press the WPS button on the router, then the one on the printer within two minutes.
Usage notes
A flaw published in 2011 showed the PIN is checked in two halves, so an attacker needs at most about 11,000 guesses to recover it and the network password; security guides recommend disabling PIN mode. The push-button method is safer because it requires physical access to the router. Some newer devices have dropped WPS support entirely.
Related abbreviations
More networking abbreviations
- AP – Access point (wireless)
- ARP – Address Resolution Protocol
- ARPANET – Advanced Research Projects Agency Network
- ASN – Autonomous system number
- ATM – Asynchronous Transfer Mode
- BGP – Border Gateway Protocol
- CGNAT – Carrier-grade NAT
- CIDR – Classless Inter-Domain Routing
- CIFS – Common Internet File System
- CNAME – Canonical name (record)
- CRC – Cyclic redundancy check
- CSMA/CD – Carrier-sense multiple access with collision detection