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You can connect your Mac to WPA2 Wi-Fi from the Airport utility section of your Mac. You have to select a base station. Choose a security option, and input the password when you choose WPA2. After inputting the password, you can save it to your keychain.
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What Is WPA2 Password for Wi-Fi?
Any recent Wi-Fi installation in your home most likely uses a WPA2 password for protection. One way to violate privacy and steal information is through open Wi-Fi networks. You know how open they are because you can connect to your neighbor’s Wi-Fi two flats away from yours.
WPA2, Security Key, or WPA Key, is a password you use to connect to your wireless network. It is a unique password that helps prevent unauthorized access to your network. This password is first created when you initially set up your Wi-Fi router.
After creating the password, you must input it whenever you want to connect a new device to the network. Other names for it include WPA/WPA2 Passphrase, WEP Key, or Wi-Fi Security Key, and they might be found on your router or modem.
History of WPA2
Wi-Fi protected Access 2 (WPA2)made its debut in 2006, and since then, it has been the choicest security protocol. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) was the 1999 original security protocol for all Wi-Fi networks.
After WEP was cracked in 2001, the first version of WPA filled its position in 2003. After three years, WPA2 came on the scene.
Safety and Security
Concerning Wi-Fi protection, WPA2 is the safest type for Wi-Fi routers. Because it uses a user-generated/custom password, strangers without the password cannot access it, nor can hackers infiltrate it remotely.
It would be best for you to switch your router’s security protocol to WPA2 if it is using another type.
To discover your Wi-Fi’s security settings, including its WPA2 password, you can use a web browser to log into your router’s settings page. If the router brand also has an app, you could also check the security settings using the app. Here are the steps to take:
- Find your router’s IP address – it is usually written on the bottom or side of the router. You could also check it out on your computer: it is the Default Gateway for Windows computers.
- Launch any web browser and enter the IP address in the address bar.
- Select Return or Enter.
- Log into your router’s settings page via the username and password you used when installing the router. These details can be found in the router’s setup guidebook, at the bottom or side of the router, or wherever you wrote them down (if you did.)
- WPA2 settings are usually found in the Wireless or Security section. Click on it to reveal a menu.
- The menu contains some security protocols you can choose from (WPA2, WPA, or WEP) and the current password.
If you can’t log in or locate the password, try to contact the person who set up the network or router. They often keep the WPA2 preshared passphrase or WEP key. The router’s manufacturer may also be able to help you with accessing the router’s settings.
You could also find the information in the documentation that came with your wireless router or access point, especially if your internet service provider set it up.
The WPA/WPA2 preshared key/passphrase or WEP key differs from the password for your wireless router. The router’s password allows you to access its settings, whereas the WEP key permits computers and printers to join your network.
How Do I Connect My Mac to WPA2 Wi-Fi?
If your Mac id already connected to a Wi-Fi network, you can change the security to WPA2 by:
- Open your Applications folder and scroll to Utilities
- Select Airport Utility
- A graphical overview comes up with base stations
- Choose the base station you want to set up and select Edit. You may need to input a password for the base station
- Select Wireless and choose a security method from the Wireless Security pop-up menu
- Choose WPA/WPA2 Personal of only WPA-supported devices will use your network.
- Choose WPA2 personal – it is the recommended security setting
- Select Remember this password in my keychain if you want your macOS keychain to remember this password.
- Click update to save your changes
If you don’t select update within five minutes of doing all of the above, everything returns to the default settings and password.
Sometimes, your Mac might be having Wi-Fi issues, and it will not connect to the wireless network even after you have inputted your WPA2password. This is common among Mac users, and it can be resolved by doing either one of these:
- Renew the DHCP Lease by Opening System Preferences > Network > Location > Automatic > Advanced > TCP/IP > Renew DHCP Lease
- Follow the sequence above up to Advanced, but don’t select TCP/IP. Instead, remain on the Wi-Fi page or return to it by selecting the + button to add the network. After this, put the network name and password, choose WPA2 Personal for your security and select OK or Apply.
If it doesn’t work, you can restart your Mac, update your OS X, or Remove login apps. Restarting your Mac is the easiest solution and may resolve the issue immediately. Uncheck the box for “Reopen Windows when logging back”.
When you uncheck the box, your Mac won’t open the last app it used before the restart. If the app was contributing to the problem, you would have solved the issue.
You can also change location to automatic and renew DHCD, confirm that your DNS server address is correct, or delete system configuration. Deleting your system configuration will erase all configurations, including whatever might be causing the issue.
How Do I Find My WPA2 Password on Mac?
You can easily find your WPA2 password on your Mac using its System Preferences menu. The preferences menu saves the configuration settings or every new wireless network you add to your Mac.
Knowing where to find a WPA2 password on your Mac is handy for you and helping your friends who cannot find theirs. Here’s how to find your WPA2 password:
- Select the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your Mac’s desktop
- Click on System Preferences on the drop-down menu
- Click on Internet & Network and select the Network icon
- Select Airport on the left side of the window
- Tap the Advanced option
- Click the Airport tab at the top of the window
- A network list comes up, and you can find your network connection
- Double-click on your router’s name to access its network configuration settings
- You can see your WPA2 key covered by stars
- Select Show Password to uncover the password.
What Are the Requirements for a WPA2 Password?
A WPA2 password must be strong and extended to provide maximum security, and longer is better. Passwords for both WPA and WPA2 often range from 8 to 63 characters, and many people suggest at least 20 characters for it.
Before you balk at the length, it is good to know that you don’t have to remember it, and you only need to input it once for every computer that accesses the wireless network with the password. Random passwords are often secure, and they are just as hard to remember.
If you want to keep the random characters in your head, there are some tips to note:
- Avoid using words in the dictionary because they are easy to crack.
- You can start a sentence and take all the first or middle letters of each word as the beginning of your password. For example, Rome is larger than the Vatican City has “RilttVC” as the first letter of each term.
- Complete with some special characters and numbers.
Alternatively, write the password on a tape and place it on the router since you are often close to it.