An enhancement to certified Wi-Fi products that makes it easy to add new devices to a secure Wi-Fi network. Introduced by the Wi-Fi Alliance in 2007 and initially called Wi-Fi Simple Config, there are four ways to implement Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), which automatically transfers the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and password from the access point (base station) to the Wi-Fi client device. The PIN method is mandatory, whereby a number assigned to the client device is entered into the access point, which is commonly part of a wireless router (see wireless LAN).
Push the Button
The push button configuration (PBC) method requires the user to push a physical button on the access point, which for a brief period of time synchronizes with any client device in the vicinity that has been activated to receive WPS data.
Two other WPS options are physically moving a USB drive between client and access point or the use of an RFID tag or similar IC-based tag. The latter Near Field Communication (NFC) mode works like E-Pass, by moving the client device close to the access point. See Windows Connect Now, Wi-Fi and access point.
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