WPA2-PSK

[slotph]

On my Vodafone-supplied router (Vodafone Wi-fi Hub), wi-fi security is stated to be WPA-WPA2-PSK.  I was recently told that PSK "was deprecated in 2012", meaning that it is obsolete.  Apparently the latest standard is WPA3.  Will the security be upgraded in a software update?  Or a new router supplied?  Or is the warning exaggerated?

[Ripshod]

I don't use the thg3000 so I can't be 100% sure on this but the current flavour is WPA2-AES. I'm sure the vodafone router would have that option as standard. WPA2-TKIP and WPA2-PSK are definitely behind the times. 

WPA3-AES is the next step forward but there's a long way to go for that - it is included in wifi 6 devices if you want to use it. Bear in mind that only devices with wifi 6 would be able to connect to a wifi 6 router using WPA3 and the vodafone router is wifi 5. To get a wifi 6e router from vodafone you'd need to order their Pro 2 service.

Apple are one of the guilty parties spreading misinformation about all this.

[slotph]

Not so, Ripshod.  Under Protection Mode in General Wi-fi Settings it says only "WPA + WPA2" (default, with just WPA2 as an alternative).  And under Status and Support it says "WPA-WPA2-PSK" under Security.  I don't see an option to change this to a more advanced mode such as AES.  Looks like a software update is urgently necessary.

Or, if I change the default to WPA2 only, will there be more options?

[Ripshod]

Good luck getting them to update the firmware. The current one is from November last year.

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@slotph wrote:

Or, if I change the default to WPA2 only, will there be more options?

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Going through the settings yourself you'll see what options are available for WPA2. Settings don't change until you click 'apply'. In fact it best to do away with WPA anyways.

[CrimsonLiar]

PSK stands for Pre Shared Key.  It's that password that is hashed and then encrypted using AES before being used to log you into the WiFi.  So your router is using WPA2-PSK(AES).

I don't use the Vodafone router, so how can I be so sure?  Because one of my neighbours does, and it's possible to tell that's the encryption being used just by PASSIVELY sniffing the other WiFi signals in the area.

The alternative to using PSK in some form is actually MFA - Multi Factor Authentication, which usually needs a server.

So, far from being obsolete, the current best consumer standard is WPA3-PSK(AES)!

IMHO:  You really don't currently want WPA3 (yet), while it's secure it actually doesn't always play nice in WPA2/WPA3 mode!

#PreSharedKeysAreSoLastYear

[slotph]

Panic over: the person who said PSK was deprecated confesses to have made a mistake: he now says it is TKIP that is deprecated.  So everything seems to be in order.

Many thanks to everyone who replied. 😄

[Jayach]

My THG3000 has WPA2 as the default setting. There is nowhere to select the encryption, but I believe it is AES, as that is standard for WPA2, and it is what my Wi-Fi adapter is using. 

[Jayach]

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@Ripshod wrote:

WPA3-AES is the next step forward but there's a long way to go for that - it is included in wifi 6 devices if you want to use it.

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I have Wi-Fi 5 routers with WPA3. (at least I'm sure I do, but I'm not currently using it as I use the THG3000)

[CrimsonLiar]

The router I have here has WPA3 and WPA2/WPA3.  I've clients that won't use WPA3, so I initially tried using WPA2/WPA3.  The problem is that devices save the WPA security level in their connection details, and occasionally a device that had been using WPA3 is only offered WPA2 by the router and at that point will refuse to connect!  Hence the network here has fallen back to WPA2 only!

*The issue while it only occurred a few times proved pretty hard to track down, and in the process caused let's say some heated discussions!  I may well give it another go when the next release version of the firmware comes out (currently using a beta).

[Ripshod]

@Jayach wpa3 and 5Ghz wifi is wifi 6. Wifi 6e adds the 6Ghz band.