WPA-PSK

WPA-PSK (Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key) is a mode of WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) network security designed for home and small office networks that do not require the complexity and costs associated with a more advanced WPA-EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) setup. It's a method of securing your wireless network using a password, or PSK (Pre-Shared Key).

WPA-PSK is tailored for home users or small offices where it is impractical to set up complex authentication servers. It simplifies the process of securing a wireless network by using a single shared key.

The key, or password, used in WPA-PSK is shared among all users of the wireless network. This key is used to authenticate devices joining the network and to encrypt data between devices and the access point.

WPA-PSK offers significantly improved security compared to the older WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) standard. WPA-PSK uses TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) for encryption, which dynamically changes keys to prevent unauthorized access.

Setting up WPA-PSK is relatively straightforward. Users only need to enter the PSK on their wireless devices to connect to the network. The security of WPA-PSK depends largely on the strength and secrecy of the pre-shared key. A strong, complex password is crucial to prevent unauthorized access and brute-force attacks.

While WPA-PSK is more secure than WEP, it is vulnerable to password-guessing attacks, particularly if a weak or default password is used. WPA-PSK is widely used in residential and small business wireless networks due to its balance of security and ease of use.

WPA-PSK has largely been superseded by WPA2-PSK, which provides enhanced security features, including the use of AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption. WPA-PSK is compatible with most modern wireless networking equipment and is supported by the majority of wireless devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets.

For larger organizations or networks that require individualized authentication, WPA-PSK is not ideal. In such cases, more advanced systems like WPA-EAP with a RADIUS server are recommended.