21thsoft: How to Disable WPS in Order to Protect Your Network

What to Know

Cisco: Enter the router's IP address in a browser. Select Wireless > Wi-Fi Protected Setup > Off.
ASUS: Type 192.168.1.1 in a browser, enter the username and password, select Advanced Settings > Wireless > WPS, toggle off Enable UPS.
Belkin: Type 192.168.2.1 in a browser, select Login, enter the router password, and click Submit. Select and disable Wi-Fi Protected Setup.

This article explains how to disable your router's WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) feature. WPS was introduced to make it easier to connect new devices, but it leaves your Wi-Fi network vulnerable to security risks. Procedures vary by router, and we cover most major routers here.

How to Disable WPS

The procedure to disable WPS differs by the router manufacturer.

Apple Airport

WPS is not available for Apple Airport devices, so you should be protected.

ASUS

Open a web browser, then type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar.
Enter the administrator username and password (the default username is admin, and the default password is admin).
Select Advanced Settings > Wireless.
Choose WPS from the tab.
Move the Enable WPS toggle switch to the off position.

Belkin

Open a web browser, then type 192.168.2.1 (or http://router) in the address bar.
Select Login in the upper-right corner.
Enter the router password (the default is to leave this field blank), then click Submit.
Select Wi-Fi Protected Setup under the Wireless menu on the left side of the screen.
Change the Wi-Fi Protected Setup drop-down list option to Disabled.
Select Apply Changes.

Buffalo

Buffalo routers are not affected by the WPS problem.

Cisco Systems

Open a browser and enter the IP address for your router. Cisco devices feature different options that allow you to get both the IP address and default usernames and passwords for your specific hardware.
Select Wireless > Wi-Fi Protected Setup from the menu.
Select Off to disable WPS.
Select Save to apply your settings.

D-Link

Open a browser and type 192.168.1.1 into the address bar.
Log in to the setup (the default username is admin, leave the password empty).
Select the Setup tab.
Clear the Enable in Wi-Fi Protected Setup check box.
Select Save settings.

Linksys

In theory, Linksys routers are no longer affected by this problem. You cannot turn off WPS, but Linksys routers prevent brute-force attacks on the PIN, so these routers resist the sort of attempts made by common hacking tools.

Netgear

Open a browser and type www.routerlogin.net into the address bar.
Enter the username and password (the default username is admin, and the default password is password).
Select Advanced Setup, then choose Wireless Settings.
Under WPS Settings, select the Disable Router's Pin check box.
Select Apply.

Trendnet

Open a browser and type 192.168.10.1 into the address bar.
Log in to the router settings page (the default username is admin, and the default password is admin).
Select WPS under the Wireless menu.
Change the WPS drop-down list option to Disable.
Select Apply.

ZyXEL

Open a browser and type 192.168.0.1 into the address bar.
Log in to the router settings (the default username is admin, and the default password is 1234).
Select Wireless Setup.
Select WPS.
Select the blue button to disable WPS.

How Does WPS Work?

The idea behind WPS is that when a button on the router and a button on the device are pressed, both items pair automatically. This way, you don't have to do any technical configuration.

If a device doesn't have a WPS button, the router can be set up with a PIN. The PIN is entered in the setup screen for the device to create a connection instead of the long 16-character WPA password often provided by routers.

The PIN is an eight-digit number and is easily hacked. For a human, hacking an eight-digit number takes some time. However, the process of hacking the WPS PIN of a router is as simple as installing a piece of software that does the hard work. There aren't any difficult command-line options to enter.

Does it Matter if Somebody Uses Your Wi-Fi Connection?

With the right software, unauthorized users on your Wi-Fi connection can:

View all traffic sent to and from a computer over HTTP.
Download illegal content using a network.
Attempt to hack a computer.
Attempt to access network shared hard drives on a home network.
If the default username and password are set on the router, they can access the router settings and make changes.
Perform a man in the middle attack by altering data sent from and to a computer.

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