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The FCC recently banned all new foreign-made Wi-Fi routers, but it won't affect your existing setup, and we at PCMag are skeptical that equipment from companies like Asus and TP-Link actually poses a major security threat.
A bigger concern at this point is whether your Wi-Fi network uses the WPA3 protocol. When you connect to a Wi-Fi network and enter a password, WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) governs the "handshake" between your device and the router, as well as the encryption that protects your data. WPA3 is the latest generation of Wi-Fi security, and it's a big step forward for wireless security, especially for laptop and smartphone users. Here's everything you need to know.
What's Included in WPA3?
WPA3 comes in multiple connection types to meet the usage and security needs of different people. These include WPA3-Personal for personal home networks, WPA3-Enterprise (and an optional 192-bit mode) for enterprise businesses, and Wi-Fi Enhanced Open for public Wi-Fi connections. It enhances Wi-Fi in the following ways:
- Passwords are much harder to crack. With WPA2, an attacker can capture some data from your Wi-Fi stream, take it home, and run it through a dictionary-based attack to try and guess your password. WPA3 requires attackers to interact with your Wi-Fi for every password guess, making it much harder to crack. This is especially useful if you're using a weak password on your network (though you really shouldn't).
- Your old data is safer. Even if an attacker does figure out your password, they won't be able to do as much with it as they could before. WPA3 supports "forward secrecy," which means that if an attacker captures any encrypted data from your machine, and then later learns your password, they won't be able to decrypt that old data. They'll only be able to decrypt newly captured data, giving you time to change the password and protect your data.
- Wi-Fi Easy Connect makes smart home devices easier to set up. If you've ever tried to set up a smart home device on your network—particularly one that doesn't have a screen—you know how annoying it can be. First, you have to connect your phone to the device, then select the Wi-Fi from a list, and so on. With WPA3's Wi-Fi Easy Connect, you can connect a device by scanning a QR code. (WPA2 had a feature called Wi-Fi Protected Setup, but it had a number of security vulnerabilities.)
- Public Wi-Fi networks are more secure. Wi-Fi standards have been horribly insecure for open Wi-Fi networks (like the one at your local coffee shop). If a network doesn't require a password, it's passing on much of your data unencrypted, which means attackers sitting inside the store could sniff out personal information. WPA3's Wi-Fi Certified Enhanced Open certification encrypts open networks, making them much safer to use.
- Enhanced enterprise protection. While most everyday users won't need to deal with WPA3 Enterprise Mode, it does offer stronger encryption for enterprise Wi-Fi setups. There's also an optional 192-bit mode that uses minimum-strength security protocols and cryptographic tools for even greater protection of sensitive data.
Do I Already Have WPA3?
You likely already have a router that supports this protocol. Announced in 2018, WPA3 support has been mandated for all routers carrying the Wi-Fi Certified label since July 2020. If you acquired your router before then, your home network likely uses WPA2, a previous version of this protocol that dates back to 2004. It's a great improvement over WEP and WPA, but WPA3 takes it even further.
Which Routers Support WPA3?
At this point, every router with a Wi-Fi Certified label supports the new standard. Still, it can be hard to know which models stand out from the rest. If you're shopping for a Wi-Fi 6 router, these are some of our top-rated WPA3-supported models:
Looking for a Wi-Fi mesh system instead? Consider these top picks:
While I imagine some older routers have received software updates to support WPA3, you'll probably want a new router anyway for the speed and signal improvements Wi-Fi 6 (and 6E) provides. Wi-Fi 7 routers are also on the market now, and Wi-Fi 8 is on the (distant) horizon.
How to Enable WPA3 on Your Router
WPA3 was created with ease of use in mind, so there are no additional steps to take in order to enable it on your network—connecting to a WPA3-secured network is exactly like connecting to any other password-protected Wi-Fi network. You'll just need to make sure your home router supports it and that the security protocol has been set to WPA3.
The exact steps to enable WPA3 will depend on the router's manufacturer. In general, you'd access your router's settings by entering its IP address—usually 192.168.1.1—in your browser's address bar. Enter the router's username and password into the sign-in window, find a section called Wi-Fi or Wireless, and then an entry called Security or Security Options to set the security protocol. Your router may warn that connected devices will momentarily lose wireless access, so you may want to do this when no other tasks are being performed over the network.
Will My Devices Work With WPA3?
Keep in mind that in order to use WPA3, your laptop, smartphone, and other devices must also be compatible with the security protocol. According to Microsoft, Windows 11 supports Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6, and WPA3. Many of Apple's devices also support the protocol, starting with the iPhone 7, 5th-gen iPad, Apple Watch Series 3, Apple TV 4K, and its late-2013 Mac computers. Android 10 introduced support for WPA3 in 2019. For smart home devices that connect to your network, check with the manufacturer to see if the individual equipment supports the security protocol.
Whitson Gordon contributed to this story.