WPA also includes built-in authentication support that WEP does not.

WPA includes support forremote authentication dial-in user serviceservers.

The server also holdsextensible authentication protocolmessages.

Hands using phone with Wi-Fi illustration above

Using WPA on your phone.Shutthiphong Chandaeng / Getty Images

It replaces WEP’s weaker packet guarantee, which is calledcyclic redundancy check.

What Is WPA-PSK?

WPA Pre-Shared Key is a variation of WPA designed for home networks.

WPA-2 vs WPA

It’s a simplified but still powerful form of WPA.

Similar to WEP, a static key or passphrase is set, but WPA-PSK uses TKIP.

WPA-PSK automatically changes the keys at preset intervals to make it difficult for hackers to find and exploit them.

Others are simply incompatible.

WPA pre-shared keys are vulnerable to attack, even though the protocol is more secure than WEP.

Your best defense is astrong passphraseto circumvent brute-force attacks.

If the WPA key has been changed,reset your routerto restore the default key.

The majordifference between WPA and WPA2is that WPA2 offers superior encryption.

The latest standard is WPA3, which offers enhanced security for open networks.

On a Mac, hold down theOptionkey and select theWi-Fiicon in the toolbar to see your data pipe details.

On Android, go to your Wi-Fi connections and tap the data pipe to see its details.