Network security protocols and routers.

[scylar19]

Today I changed from my crappy Telus router (T3200M) because of constant dropouts, to a Netgear RAX40 (got it cheap).  I set up the new Netgear router with the same name and password as my old Telus one, then turned off the wireless on the old router.  All the devices already had the info to log into my network since the name was the same. It was going so well until my daughters old Asus laptop (Win 8.1) didn't want to connect; if it did connect it would say "Limited".  After all the standard troubleshooting (restart devices, uninstall drivers, update drivers, etc.) I made a guest network with no security, BOOM.. it connected.  The network on the new router is using WPA2.  As soon as I enabled WPA2 security on the Guest network.. no connection.  I have since turned the  security on the Guest network to WPA/WPA2, and it works.

 

Long story short.... is the WPA2 protocol a hardware level security or software?  If I want to have all my devices using WPA2 is there a option in windows 8.1 I was missing? or do I need to get a new wireless card?  Am I less secure having a forward facing access to my network that is only WPA?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[Eigenvektor]

32 minutes ago, scylar19 said:

Long story short.... is the WPA2 protocol a hardware level security or software?  If I want to have all my devices using WPA2 is there a option in windows 8.1 I was missing? or do I need to get a new wireless card?  Am I less secure having a forward facing access to my network that is only WPA?

Software, but it has to be supported by the Wi-Fi NIC and/or its drivers. So you'll likely need to get a new wireless card that supports WPA2, better yet WPA3.