How to Change Wi-Fi Encryption: From WEP to WPA3 in 5 Minutes

Your home Wi-Fi may be vulnerable to hacker attacks if it uses outdated encryption methods like WEP or even WPAModern safety standards - WPA3-Personal And WPA2/WPA3-Transition - not only protect against password hacking, but also prevent attacks like KRACK (Key Reinstallation Attacks) that exploit vulnerabilities in the handshake protocol. Changing the encryption method on a router is easier than it seems: no special knowledge is required—just open the device's web interface and make a few adjustments.

In this article you will find:

• 🔍 Why WEP and WPA are obsolete — the real risks of using weak protocols (including the time it takes for hackers to guess a password).
• 🛡️ Which encryption method should you choose in 2026? — comparison of WPA2-PSK, WPA3-Personal and hybrid mode.
• ⚙️ Step-by-step instructions for routers TP-Link, ASUS, Keenetic, MikroTik and other popular brands.
• ⚠️ What to do if devices won't connect after changing encryption — solutions for old smartphones, printers, and smart speakers.

Warning in advance: encryption protocol change will cause all devices to disconnect from the network — they'll have to be reconnected. But you'll get reliable protection against most modern attacks.

1. Why you should urgently abandon WEP and WPA

Protocol WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), released back in 1997, is hacked in less than 1 minute using free tools like Aircrack-ng or WifiteHis vulnerabilities:

• 🔓 Weak encryption keys — uses a static key of 40 or 104 bits, which can be easily brute-forced.
• 🔄 Initialization Vector (IV) Reuse - allows hackers to collect data packets and recover the key.
• 📡 Lack of packet replay protection — an attacker can intercept and resend traffic.

WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), which replaced WEP in 2003, is also no longer relevant. Its main problem is a vulnerability in the protocol. TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol), which can be hacked in a few hours. Even WPA2-PSK (With AES-CCMP) has theoretical vulnerabilities, such as an attack Dragonblood, although in practice its implementation is difficult.

For comparison: modern WPA3-Personal uses the protocol SAE (Simultaneous Authentication of Equals), which is protected against brute-force and dictionary attacks. Even if a hacker intercepts a handshake, they won't be able to recover the password without knowing additional information.

⚠️ Attention: Some public networks (hotels, airports) still use WPA2-Enterprise with certificates. It's safe, but for a home network it's enough WPA3-Personal.

2. Which Wi-Fi encryption method should you choose in 2026?

Modern routers support several encryption modes. Here's what cybersecurity experts recommend:

WPA3-Personal — is the best choice, but it may not be supported:

• 📱 Smartphones older than 2018 (for example, iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy S7).
• 🖨️ Printers and smart devices (eg. Xiaomi Mi Home first generation).
• 🎮 Game consoles (Nintendo Switch until the 2020 update, PS4 without the latest firmware).

If you have such devices in your network, select WPA2/WPA3-Transition (sometimes referred to as WPA2-PSK + WPA3-SAE). This mode automatically selects a protocol for each client.

3. Step-by-step instructions: how to change encryption on a router

The setup process is the same for most routers, but menu paths may vary. We'll provide a general guide and highlight specific features for popular brands.

Step 1: Connect to the router

• 🌐 Connect your computer or smartphone to the router's network via cable (recommended) or Wi-Fi.
• 🔑 Find out your router's IP address. This is usually 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.8.1You can watch it:
• On the sticker on the bottom of the router.
• In the Windows command line:

  ipconfig | findstr "Default Gateway"

• In the Wi-Fi settings on your smartphone (section "Router" or "Gateway").

Step 2: Login to the web interface

Open your browser and enter your router's IP address. You'll be asked to enter your username and password. The default credentials are:

• 🔐 Login: admin
• 🔐 Password: admin or empty (see the sticker on the router).

If you changed the password and forgot it, you will have to reset the router to factory settings using the button Reset (hold for 10-15 seconds).

Step 3: Find your wireless network settings

Menu paths for popular brands:

• 📌 TP-Link: Wireless (2.4GHz/5GHz) → Wireless Security
• 📌 ASUS: Wireless Network → General → Authentication Method
• 📌 Keenetic: Wi-Fi → Hotspot → Security
• 📌 MikroTik: Wireless → Security Profile → Authentication Types
• 📌 Zyxel: Wi-Fi Network → Security

Step 4: Select a new encryption method

In the security section, find the fields:

• Network authentication (or Authentication Method) - select WPA3-Personal or WPA2/WPA3.
• Encryption (or Encryption) - install AES (not TKIP!).
• Wi-Fi password — create a new password (at least 12 characters, with numbers and special characters).

Make sure WPA3-Personal or WPA2/WPA3-Transition is selected|

Encryption is AES (not TKIP!)|

Password contains ≥12 characters and includes numbers/special characters|

Remember or save a new password in a password manager-->

Step 5: Save the settings and reconnect the devices

Click Save or ApplyThe router will reboot, and all devices will be disconnected from the network. Reconnect them using the new password.

⚠️ Attention: If some devices fail to connect after changing encryption, check their compatibility with WPA3. smart lamps, printers or old smartphones A separate guest network with WPA2 may be required.

What should I do if my router doesn't have a WPA3 option?

If your router is older than 2018 and does not support WPA3 even after a firmware update, consider two options:

1. Buy a new router with Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) support - for example, TP-Link Archer AX6000 or ASUS RT-AX88U.

2. Use WPA2-PSK with AES and strengthen the password (16+ characters, including !@#$%). This is better than WPA or WEP, but not perfect.

4. Configuration features for different router brands

While the encryption change principle is the same, router interfaces differ. Let's look at the nuances for popular manufacturers.

TP-Link (Archer, Deco, TL-WR)

In routers TP-Link:

1. Go to Wireless → Wireless Settings.
2. In the section Protection select WPA3-Personal or WPA2/WPA3.
3. In the field Version install Automatic (automatic selection between WPA2 and WPA3).
4. IN Encryption select AES.

For dual-band routers (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), the settings will have to be changed separately for each network.

ASUS (RT-AX, RT-AC, ZenWiFi)

ASUS offers flexible settings:

• 🔧 In the section Wireless Network → General find Authentication method.
• 🔄 For hybrid mode, select WPA2-Personal + WPA3-Personal.
• 🔒 In WPA encryption install AES (Not TKIP or TKIP+AES).

In routers ASUS with firmware Asuswrt-Merlin (alternative firmware) may require manual parameter specification wpa=3 in the configuration file.

Keenetic (Giga, Hero, Speedster)

Interface Keenetic intuitive:

1. Open Wi-Fi → Hotspot.
2. In the block Security select WPA3-Personal.
3. Activate the option Transitional mode (WPA2 + WPA3), if there are old devices on the network.

IN Keenetic You can also set up separate networks for different types of devices (for example, a guest network with WPA2 for smart devices).

MikroTik (hAP, RB, CCR)

Routers MikroTik require more technical knowledge:

1. Go to Wireless → Security Profiles.
2. Create a new profile or edit an existing one.
3. In the field Authentication Types select WPA2 PSK And WPA3 SAE.
4. IN Encryption install AES CCM.
5. Apply the profile to your Wi-Fi network in Wireless → Interfaces.

⚠️ Attention: IN MikroTik After changing the security profile, you may need to reboot the wireless interface using the command:

/interface wireless disable [find] && /interface wireless enable [find]

5. What to do if devices don't connect after changing encryption

Connection issues after changing the encryption protocol are normal. Here are typical scenarios and their solutions:

If the problem persists, try:

1. Make sure the password is entered correctly (case matters!).
2. Forget the network on the device and reconnect:
• 📱 On Android: Settings → Wi-Fi → [Your network] → Forget.
• 🍎 On iPhone: Settings → Wi-Fi → ⓘ → "Forget this network".

Check your DHCP settings - sometimes devices require a static IP.

Disable MAC address filtering (if it is enabled in the router).

To diagnose on Windows, use the command:

netsh wlan show interfaces

Pay attention to the line Security type - it must comply with the selected protocol (for example, WPA3-Personal).

6. Additional security measures for Wi-Fi

Changing your encryption method is just the first step to a secure network. To maximize your Wi-Fi network's security, take a few more steps:

• 🔄 Disable WPS — This protocol is vulnerable to brute-force attacks. Find the option in your router WPS and deactivate it.
• 🌐 Change the network name (SSID) - don't use standard names like TP-Link_1234It's better to come up with a neutral name without personal information.
• 🔑 Enable guest network For visitors, this isolates their devices from your main network.
• 📡 Disable remote control of your router (option Remote Management or Remote access).
• 🔄 Update your router firmware — Manufacturers regularly patch vulnerabilities in new versions of software.

For advanced users:

• 🛡️ Set up MAC address filtering (although this is not a panacea - MAC is easy to counterfeit).
• 🔗 Turn on isolation of clients (option AP Isolation or Client Isolation) so that devices on the network cannot see each other.
• 🕵️ Use it VLAN to separate traffic (for example, for IoT devices and basic gadgets).

Check your network for vulnerabilities with free tools:

• 🖥️ Wireshark — for traffic analysis.
• 📱 Fing (mobile application) - for scanning devices on the network.
• 🌍 GRC ShieldsUP! — to check open ports.

⚠️ Attention: Do not use the "hidden network" option Hide SSID) as a security method. This doesn't improve security, but only complicates the connection of legitimate devices. Hackers easily find hidden networks using scanners like Airodump-ng.

7. Common mistakes when changing Wi-Fi encryption

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes that lead to connection issues or compromised security. Here are the most common ones:

• ❌ Choice TKIP instead of AES — TKIP is outdated and vulnerable to attack.
• ❌ Using a short password — the password must be at least 12 characters long, otherwise it can be cracked within a few hours.
• ❌ Leaving WPS enabled — This protocol allows you to pick a PIN code in 4–10 hours.
• ❌ Failure to save new password - After rebooting the router, you may lose access to the network.
• ❌ Changing encryption for only one frequency — If you have a dual-band router, configure both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

Another typical mistake is do not check device compatibility before switching to WPA3. For example, some smart TVs Samsung 2016-2017 models do not support WPA3 and require a separate network with WPA2.

If after changing the settings the Internet disappears on all devices:

1. Check if the settings have been reset PPPoE or DHCP (sometimes the router resets them when the Wi-Fi changes).
2. Make sure the cable from your ISP is connected to the port. WAN (and not LAN).
3. Reboot the router and modem (if separate) in the correct sequence: first the modem, then the router.

FAQ: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is it possible to hack WPA3?

In theory, yes, but in practice, it's extremely difficult. Vulnerabilities were discovered in 2019. Dragonblood WPA3, but they require physical access to the network and specific conditions. For home use, WPA3 remains the most secure option.

❓ Why don't some devices connect after enabling WPA3?

Most likely, these devices do not support WPA3. Solutions:

• Return to WPA2/WPA3-Transition (hybrid mode).
• Update your device's firmware (for example, for Amazon Echo or Google Nest).
• Create a separate WPA2 network for problematic devices.

❓ How can I check what encryption method is used on my network?

Verification methods:

• 🖥️ On Windows:

  netsh wlan show hostednetwork setting=security

• 📱 On Android: Use the app WiFi Analyzer (section "Security").
• 🍎 On iPhone: Tap and hold the network name → "Forget this network" → reconnect. An icon will appear when you reconnect. WPA3 or WPA2.
• 🌐 In the router's web interface: view the current security settings.

❓ Do I need to change my Wi-Fi password if I change encryption?

Yes, this is mandatory. When changing the security protocol:

• The old password may not meet the requirements of the new standard (for example, WPA3 requires a password ≥8 characters long).
• This is an additional security measure - if someone knew your old password, they will not be able to connect after the change.

Use a password manager (eg. Bitwarden or KeePass) to generate and store a complex password.

❓ Can I use WPA3 on an old router?

Depends on the model:

• 🆕 Routers 2018 and newer (For example, TP-Link Archer C5400, ASUS RT-AX58U) support WPA3 after firmware update.
• 🆙 Routers 2016–2017 (For example, Netgear Nighthawk R7000) can get WPA3 support through alternative firmware (DD-WRT, OpenWRT).
• ❌ Routers older than 2015 (For example, D-Link DIR-615) do not support WPA3 at the hardware level.

Check the specifications of your model on the manufacturer's website or in the database wpa3.info.