Wifi Password lengths (how to, work, router, Mac)

[robertpasa]

(I'm talking about the password you enter into a wifi device to access a wifi router.)

Is it true that WEP passwords are exactly 10 digits long -
and WPA2 passwords are 8-62 digits long?

I know that WPA2 is newer and is more recommended.

[VRE332]

WPA2 with AES encryption

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by VRE332

WPA2 with AES encryption

and a long passphrase, nothing that can be found in a dictionary.

[robertpasa]

Originally Posted by VRE332

WPA2 with AES encryption

Are you just saying that's the best one?

Follow-up question: are all wifi passwords digits and letters or in some cases, just digits?

[Macrina]

Use Diceware Passphrase Home to compose your pass phrase! It's totally free and a very secure pass phrase will be generated.

It was kind of fun to do; even I could understand how to do it.

[NHDave]

Originally Posted by robertpasa

Are you just saying that's the best one?

Follow-up question: are all wifi passwords digits and letters or in some cases, just digits?

That's a rather odd question, they are what ever you make them.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by robertpasa

Follow-up question: are all wifi passwords digits and letters or in some cases, just digits?

Yes at least for my router, I wouldn't doubt you could use punctuation either.

Having said that I use keepass to generate and store alphanumeric passwords in both upper and lower case. Keep in mind most passwords are case sensitive. I use an option in keepass to exclude look a likes like O and 0.

[Trackwatch]

Make them as long and as complicated as you want, the more the better ... You will only need to enter it once.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Trackwatch

Make them as long and as complicated as you want, the more the better ... You will only need to enter it once.

Not all the time. Usually I make them as long as will be accepted but not for wifi, if someone stops over and needs the wifi......... There is a button the top of mine you can use to allow access but that doesn't always work.

While on the topic if you really wanted to secure it against intrusions use mac address filtering.

[NHDave]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Not all the time. Usually I make them as long as will be accepted but not for wifi, if someone stops over and needs the wifi......... There is a button the top of mine you can use to allow access but that doesn't always work.

While on the topic if you really wanted to secure it against intrusions use mac address filtering.

That's called WPS, and disabling it is one of the things on my list when configuring a new router. And MAC filtering is easily bypassed if you know how to do it.

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