How to Disable WPS
The procedure to disable WPS differs by the router manufacturer.
Apple Airport
WPS is not available for Apple Airport devices, so you should be protected.
ASUS
Belkin
Buffalo
Buffalo routers are not affected by the WPS problem.
Cisco Systems
D-Link
Linksys
In theory, Linksys routers are no longer affected by this problem. You cannot turn off WPS, but Linksys routers prevent brute-force attacks on the PIN, so these routers resist the sort of attempts made by common hacking tools.
Netgear
Trendnet
ZyXEL
How Does WPS Work?
The idea behind WPS is that when a button on the router and a button on the device are pressed, both items pair automatically. This way, you don’t have to do any technical configuration. If a device doesn’t have a WPS button, the router can be set up with a PIN. The PIN is entered in the setup screen for the device to create a connection instead of the long 16-character WPA password often provided by routers. The PIN is an eight-digit number and is easily hacked. For a human, hacking an eight-digit number takes some time. However, the process of hacking the WPS PIN of a router is as simple as installing a piece of software that does the hard work. There aren’t any difficult command-line options to enter.
Does it Matter if Somebody Uses Your Wi-Fi Connection?
With the right software, unauthorized users on your Wi-Fi connection can:
View all traffic sent to and from a computer over HTTP. Download illegal content using a network. Attempt to hack a computer. Attempt to access network shared hard drives on a home network. If the default username and password are set on the router, they can access the router settings and make changes. Perform a man in the middle attack by altering data sent from and to a computer.
