Nowadays, more and more devices are managed through Wi-Fi. Many of these new device types have little to no user interface, making configuration and Wi-Fi network connection cumbersome. The traditional Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) allowed you to log onto a Wi-Fi network with a PIN (Personal Identification Number) or a physical WPS button. For example, most routers today will have a physical WPS button that you can press. However, this has turned out to be an insecure feature that could make your Wi-Fi network more vulnerable to attacks.
The new Wi-Fi Easy Connect protocol was introduced by the Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA) as the solution. It is also known as the device provisioning protocol (DPP), an alternative to WPS.
Wi-Fi Easy Connect provides a simple and secure solution to adding Wi-Fi devices to Wi-Fi networks. It enables the utilization of another device with a more robust interface, such as a smartphone or tablet, to provision and configure devices by simply scanning a product quick response (QR) code, NFC tag, or downloading device information from the cloud.
Wi-Fi Easy Connect Key Features
- Simplifies the process of provisioning devices through the use of QR codes, especially for those with little or no user interface
- Ensures authentication security via public key cryptography
- Provides a standardized, consistent method for onboarding devices – devices from different vendors can be configured in the same way
- Supports provisioning for WPA2 and WPA3 networks
- Enables the replacement of APs without the need to re-add all devices to the new AP