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What Is a Wireless Key?

Wireless security starts with your router

By Bradley Mitchell Bradley Mitchell Writer Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Illinois An MIT graduate who brings years of technical experience to articles on SEO, computers, and wireless networking. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 24, 2019 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Home Networking The Wireless Connection Routers & Firewalls Network Hubs ISP Broadband Ethernet Installing & Upgrading Wi-Fi & Wireless Securing your home wireless network is an essential step to prevent unauthorized access to the network and the data that moves within it. However, just plugging in a router isn't sufficient to secure your wireless network. You need a wireless network security key for the router and for all the devices in your home that use the router. A wireless key is a type of password commonly used on Wi-Fi wireless computer networks to increase their security.

WEP WPA and WPA2 Keys

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is the primary security standard used on Wi-Fi networks. The original WPA standard was introduced in 1999, replacing an older standard called Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). A newer version of WPA called WPA2 appeared in 2004. All of these standards include support for encryption, which scrambles data sent over a wireless connection so that it cannot easily be understood by outsiders. Wireless network encryption uses mathematical techniques based on computer-generated random numbers. WEP uses an encryption scheme called RC4, which the original WPA replaced with Temporal Key Integrity Protocol. Both RC4 and TKIP as used by Wi-Fi were eventually compromised as security researchers discovered flaws in their implementation that can be easily exploited by attackers. WPA2 introduced Advanced Encryption Standard as a replacement for TKIP. RC4, TKIP, and AES all employ wireless keys of varying lengths. These wireless keys are hexadecimal numbers that vary in length—typically between 128 and 256 bits long—depending on the encryption method used. Each hexadecimal digit represents four bits of the key. For example, a 128-bit key can be written as a hex number of 32 digits.

Passphrases and Keys

A passphrase is a password associated with a Wi-Fi key. Passphrases can be a minimum of eight and up to a maximum of 63 characters in length. Each character can be an uppercase letter, lowercase letter, number, or symbol. The Wi-Fi device automatically converts passphrases of varying lengths into a hexadecimal key of the required length.

Using Wireless Keys

To use a wireless key on a home network, an administrator must first enable a security method on the broadband router. Home routers offer a choice among multiple options usually including WEPWPAWPA2-TKIPWPA2-AES Among these, WPA2-AES should be used whenever possible. All devices connecting to the router must be set to use the same option as the router, but only old Wi-Fi equipment lacks AES support. Choosing an option also prompts new devices to transmit either a passphrase or a key. Some routers allow entering several keys instead of just one to give administrators more control over adding and removing devices from their networks. Each wireless device connecting to a home network must be set with the same passphrase or key set on the router. The key should not be shared with strangers. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire An Overview of Wireless Protected Access 2 (WPA2) How to Fix a "Failed to Obtain IP Address" Android Error Can't Connect to the Internet? Try These 10 Tips What Is a Network Security Key and How Do You Find It? How to Encrypt Your Wireless Network What Is Network Encryption? What Are WEP and WPA? Which Is Best? WPA2 vs. WPA How to Turn Your Windows Laptop Into a Wi-Fi Hotspot Connecting a PC to a Wireless Home Network How to Connect a Router to the Internet Can Two Routers Be Used on the Same Home Network? How to Fix a Vizio TV That Won't Connect to Wi-Fi When and How to Turn Off Wi-Fi on Your Devices How to Hack-Proof Your Wireless Router How to Set up a Home Wi-Fi Network Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies