NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.

Forum Discussion

j3trooper's avatar
j3trooper
Guide
May 13, 2021
Solved

Weak Security

I am getting a message informing me of weak security (WPA) "If this is your Wi-Fi network, configure the router to use WPA2/WPA3 Personal (AES) security type for this network" In Netgear Genie my w...
  • microchip8's avatar
    microchip8
    May 15, 2021

    Use WPA2-PSK [AES] only

michaelkenward's avatar
michaelkenward
Guru - Experienced User
May 14, 2021
j3trooper wrote:

I am getting a message informing me of weak security (WPA)

 

Message from what?

 

j3trooper wrote:

 

Should I be concerned or should I just ignore the message?

 

Hard to know without some idea of where this message comes from. Browser? Firewall? Security software?

 

 

  • j3trooper's avatar
    j3trooper
    Guide
    May 14, 2021

     

    Thanks for your reply.

     

    Not the browser. It is shown on my iMac desktop in the top right hand corner when I click on the Wi-Fi icon.

     

    It also displays on my Windows 10 laptop.

    • michaelkenward's avatar
      michaelkenward
      Guru - Experienced User
      May 14, 2021

      Down to your operating system then.

       

      It is up to you which you believe, that or your router.

       

      This is where to read about Netgear's security:

       

      Security Advisory | About Us | NETGEAR

       

       

      • antinode's avatar
        antinode
        Guru
        May 14, 2021

        > In Netgear Genie my wireless network is listed with the Security
        > enabled (WPA2-PSK)
        > and the same on my 5G network.

         

           Has your router a model number?  Look for "Model" on the product
        label.  Firmware version?

         

        > My router has the latest firmware.

         

           As always, an actual version number would be more useful than your
        opinion of what's "latest" today.

         

           What are the actual security options available?  Exact text --
        copy+paste is your friend.  Which one(s) did you choose?

         

           Note: "WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES]" is not "WPA2-PSK".

         

        > Should I be concerned or should I just ignore the message?

         

           Assuming that the message is accurate, and you are allowing
        (plain-old) WPA, not only WPA2, then there's a reason for that warning.

        WPA is less secure than WPA2 (or WPA3).

         


        > Down to your operating system then.

         

           Both of it.  I know nothing, but I'd guess that macOS (unknown
        version) and Windows 10 (unknown version) would not both be wrong about
        this.  But what do I know?