noun

WPS

DUB-uhl-yoo pee ES

WPS (noun) means Wi-Fi Protected Setup: a feature on many home routers that lets a device join the wireless network by pressing a button or entering an eight-digit PIN instead of typing the password. Example: “Press the WPS button on the router and the printer should connect within two minutes.”

noun

technical Wi-Fi Protected Setup: a feature on many home routers that lets a device join the wireless network by pressing a button or entering an eight-digit PIN instead of typing the password.

"Press the WPS button on the router and the printer should connect within two minutes."

"Security guidance now recommends disabling WPS on home routers."

trademark WPS Office: a free office software suite from the Chinese developer Kingsoft, offering a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation tool compatible with Microsoft Office files.

"He opened the .docx in WPS and the formatting held up fine."

technical Welding Procedure Specification: a formal document in engineering and fabrication setting out exactly how a particular weld must be carried out.

"Every joint on the vessel has to be welded to an approved WPS."

How to use WPS

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUsually the router button that connects a device to Wi-Fi without a password.

When to use it

Technical. Which meaning applies depends entirely on context: networking, software or welding.

Memory tip

On a router, WPS is the connection shortcut; WPA2 and WPA3 are the encryption standards. They are not alternatives to each other.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

WPS vs WEP WPS vs WPA2

Common pairings

WPS button press the WPS button disable WPS WPS PIN

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Press the _____ button on the router and the printer should connect within two minutes.

Etymology

An initialism, most commonly of Wi-Fi Protected Setup.

Origin: English

Frequently asked questions

What does the WPS button on my router do?

Pressing it opens a short window, usually about two minutes, during which a nearby device can join the Wi-Fi network without anyone typing the password. You normally press WPS on the router, then start the WPS or push-button connection option on the printer, camera or extender.

Is WPS safe to leave switched on?

The PIN method of WPS has a well-documented weakness that lets an attacker within radio range recover the router PIN and then the Wi-Fi password by brute force. Most security guidance is to disable WPS, or at least the PIN method, and connect devices with the password instead.

What is the difference between WPS and WPA2?

WPA2 is the encryption that protects traffic on the network. WPS is only a convenience method for handing a device the credentials in the first place. Turning WPS off does not weaken your encryption at all.

What is the meaning of WPS?

"WPS" (noun) means wi-Fi Protected Setup: a feature on many home routers that lets a device join the wireless network by pressing a button or entering an eight-digit PIN instead of typing the password.