The Pros and Cons of Using WPS on Your Xfinity Router
WPS, better known as Wi-Fi Protected Setup, is a feature that you can find in most routers to make the connection of the devices easy to your wireless network. For instance, it enables you to add other devices without necessarily having to type the password to the Wi-Fi. Although it makes the connection of the devices easier, it has one disadvantage in terms of security which is WPS. In this article, we are going to proceed and highlight the various advantages and disadvantages of installing WPS on an Xfinity router for your benefit so that you can make an informed decision.
Pros:
Ease of Connecting Devices
This is the main advantage of Wi-Fi Protected Setup as it allows you to connect wireless devices to your router quickly. Instead of having to type in a long and complicated password that is usually associated with a Wi-Fi connection, one just needs to press the WPS button on the router and then the button on the particular device that one wants to be connected to the internet. It does this by enabling devices that do not have keyboards for using passwords, such as security cameras and printers, to connect to the network.
Faster Connections
It is very annoying to have to wait and enter a long Wi-Fi password on some gadgets if you are using a non-touchscreen gadget. Instead of typing letter by letter on an on-screen keyboard with a pen, the WPS buttons make it possible to make contact with one push. This can also greatly reduce the amount of time that it takes to authenticate multiple devices.
Good for Guest Networks
WPS can also come in handy if you would like to give your guest or any other person a way by which they could connect to your Wi-Fi without necessarily providing them with the primary password. It’s possible to establish a new network, for example, a guest network SSID that is WPS enabled and visitors could connect their devices within no time. This helps preserve the primary network’s integrity while simultaneously providing access.
Cons:
Puts Network at the Mercy of Hackers and Other Security Threats
The above analysis of WPS shows that while it is easy to use, it has its limitations when it comes to security. WPS PIN system is so vulnerable to hackers that they have developed ways through which they can unlock your WPS PIN system and hence unlock your wireless network. Some developers have also noted that there are even ways of ‘hacking’ the system in a couple of hours. This is to mean that leaving WPS enabled reduces the security level of your Wi-Fi network significantly.
Limited Configuration Options
With WPS, you lose the ability to control Wi-Fi specifications in a detailed manner as you do with traditional methods. It is more simple and not so flexible as most complex and sophisticated systems are constructed. So if you do want to try and fiddle with various additional settings and options concerning devices that connect to the said network, WPS will not allow it. For such modifications, one has to turn off WPS and join devices by their means, as shown above.
May not be able to select Bands or Channels
Consequently, WPS connections do not enable some basic options that can be set up, such as to what wireless band the device should connect or to which wireless channel it should be connected. All these options are set by the router during the WPS process when configuring the network. This may lead to a worse performance if many devices compete for the 2.4 GHz or the same channel. Once more, to allow band selection and channel allocation, the WPS would have to be off, making it a disadvantageous feature.
WPS is a handy feature when connecting to Wi-Fi networks, but it is not very safe for use on your Xfinity router.
If you do choose to enable WPS on your Xfinity wireless gateway, there are measures you can take to improve security:
1. Avoid using easily guessed settings - The default settings are often published, and an attacker can easily get the PIN from these sources. But to be safer, generate a randomized 7 or 8-digit PIN instead. This makes blind hacking attempts much more difficult as the hacker can’t even begin to guess where the number may start or stop.
2. Allow WPS connection – This will disable computers and other devices that have connected through WPS from communicating with the other gadgets if one of them is compromised.
3. WPS use in device setup, disabling after – Let all your devices connect through WPS during the initial setup and then you can turn off WPS to avoid it being exploited later on. WPS is only necessary when the wireless controller is initially integrating devices into the network.
4. However, instead of plug-in devices directly to the main network SSID with WPS, a new guest network that has the WPS activated for the visitors to connect to should be created.
Wi-Fi Protected Setup simplifies device connectivity and is therefore advantageous when it comes to connectivity. However, nothing in this world is free and that comes with the WPS, which has an added security implication. WPS feature should not be used when Xfinity gateway router is used because it can pose a security risk if not well managed by keeping it enabled only when it is necessary. Also use other available measures such as custom PINs, wireless isolation, and having different guest networking facilities. It is possible to make use of this to enjoy the convenience that comes with easy connections without falling prey to many of the security issues.
