This topic

WiFi security

Angrymike — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 14:31:37 GMT

Why does my android mobile phone report weak security on my BT WiFi?

Re: WiFi security

licquorice — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 14:38:11 GMT

Because your Android is paranoid.

Re: WiFi security

Kimberlin — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:00:44 GMT

Up until recently, in the four years I was with BT, I never once got a security message reporting weak security on my BT WiFi on either Android or iPhone. Then again, I didn’t use a BT router nor their free antivirus security suite.

Re: WiFi security

WSH — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 18:48:58 GMT

Google, in their wisdom, deem that WPA2 is “weak” by today’s standards and we should all be using WPA3. In fact, WPA2 is perfectly adequate for home use, provided you use a decent password. For a start, Wi-Fi being Wi-Fi, someone would have to be within about 50m to get a stable enough signal to hack it. How tech savvy/dangerous are your neighbours?

Unless it’s changed since I last looked, current recommended password length for WPA2 today is at least 20 characters.

Re: WiFi security

Crimliar — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 18:11:46 GMT

Having just replace my Poco F3 with a Poco F7, I have needed to connect to WPA2 connections a couple of times (rather than my normal WPA3) with no grumbles from the system. I think a warning about an "insecure network" is a setting that is device manufacturer specific!

Re: WiFi security

Angrymike — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 19:01:27 GMT

Thanks WSH, I'll look into that. A bit more helpful than "Android is paranoid)!

Many thanks for all replies.

Re: WiFi security

licquorice — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 19:15:33 GMT

No, it was exactly the same response with more words.

Re: WiFi security

Angrymike — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 21:16:10 GMT

Apologies Licquorice but it does say beginner in my title.

Regards

Re: WiFi security

Crimliar — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 00:32:04 GMT

Honestly, when a phone displays "weak security" without providing any further details, it feels like something that hasn't been properly thought through.

Re: WiFi security

Angrymike — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:28:15 GMT

Thanks Crimliar, seems like I need a more secure router.

Re: WiFi security

WSH — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:52:23 GMT

Don't waste your money, mate.

Perversely in this situation, one of the few good things about Wi-Fi is that it operates over short range. Even if your security was "weak", (and as I said above, it's more of a sales encouragement/let's show the other companies up strategy than anything else), Wi-Fi range is such that someone would have to be within about 50m to get a stable enough signal to do anything useful. WPA2 has been cracked, (years ago), but it is not easy to do which is why manufacturer's have not rushed to phase out WPA2.

Edit: Oh, and incidentally, if you replace the router you'll also need to replace all your old equipment that is WPA2 only to get any benefit, so it won't be a cheap exercise.

Re: WiFi security

licquorice — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:52:27 GMT

Exactly

Re: WiFi security

Crimliar — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:56:10 GMT

The thing is that you almost certainly don't! The majority of home routers, including those from BT, in use today use the WPA2 standard. If you've any slightly older devices, the chances are that WPA2 is as secure as they are going to get. If I were to enforce WPA3 here, I'd lose most of my IoT including my heating controls.

Lets say a neighbour managed to gain access to your network, they're still unlikely to be able to access anything important, unless you've servers running password free on the network.

*My network here is more complex than most, but I'm still using WPA2/WPA3 on my 3rd party router. I can access my network and servers remotely if needed, but it's not quick, simple, or automatic. That your router keeps out anyone trying to attack from the internet is far more important right now.

**I'm looking to toughen my IoT security, which is no easy task, is probably going to be expensive, and not for the feint hearted.

Re: WiFi security

WSH — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 10:30:35 GMT

Where this "weak security" warning may be relevant is if you are connecting to public hotspots like down the pub.

Within your own home it's highly unlikely to be a problem. My main access point is on the upstairs landing, so it gives good coverage to the whole house. Last time I did a proper survey round here, I needed to be right up to my back garden fence or no further than immediately across the road at the front to get a connection from outside my property. As I said before, how dangerous are your neighbours or are MI5 sitting in a van across the road all day?

Re: WiFi security

Kimberlin — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 11:33:26 GMT

My TP-Link GX90 has built in security. I’m set up on WPA3 but of course it’s all backward compatible with WPA2 devices. The only iot device I seem to have issues with, is my energy provider smart meter display which to be honest is garbage anyway.

Im never going to use Norton security again after the hassle it gave me on my then new laptop, such an invasive program from my personal experience. Never had any issues with Windows Defender or Bitdefender.

Re: WiFi security

Angrymike — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 12:53:48 GMT

Very useful info, many thanks.

Re: WiFi security

Angrymike — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 12:59:11 GMT

Hi, neighbours ok, no probs there and I use a VPN so we will have a think about the best way to go.

Many thanks.

Re: WiFi security

WSH — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:37:49 GMT

Well, there again. Wi-Fi traffic is encrypted and browser traffic is encrypted with HTTPS anyway today, so what's the point in using a VPN all the time? All you are doing is encrypting the encryption and creating excess processing that will slow the connection down. The only time I use a VPN is if I want to hide which country I'm in.

Re: WiFi security

licquorice — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:06:20 GMT

Folks confuse privacy with security.

Although why folks are happy for a third party VPN provider to have access to their data rather than their ISP is beyond me.

As you say, the only reason to use a VPN (other than a true VPN into a corporate intranet) is to change geographical location.

Re: WiFi security

Kimberlin — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:11:21 GMT

But then why would you trust your ISP with your data over a reputable VPN provider? I trust neither with my data but I still use both, though I only use my VPN provider (which I subscribe to) in certain circumstances.