Microsoft announced that Windows 10, version 2004 comes with Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3 support for gigabit speeds and better performance, as well as for more secure wireless network connectivity.
“Windows 10 (Version 2004) supports Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3,” Microsoft says. “Wi-Fi 6 gives you better wireless coverage and performance with added security. WPA3 provides improved Wi-Fi security by using the latest standard.”
Wi-Fi 6
To connect to a network that uses Wi-Fi 6 and take advantage of the increased performance and coverage, here’s what you’ll need:
- A router that supports Wi-Fi 6. To find out if your router supports this, check the documentation that came with it or visit the router manufacturer’s website. If you’re considering buying a new router, look for a Wi-Fi 6 label.
- Windows 10 (Version 2004) installed on your PC. To check and make sure you have the latest updates for Windows 10, Start button, then select Settings >Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
- A wireless network adapter that supports Wi-Fi 6. To see if your PC supports it, check the documentation that came with it or check the PC manufacturer’s website.
Tip: You can also check to see if your router supports Wi-Fi 6 by opening the Command Prompt, and then typing the command netsh wlan show drivers. Look next to Radio types supported and see if it includes 802.11ax.
WPA3
To connect to a network that uses WPA3 for security, here’s what you’ll need:
- A router that supports WPA3. To find out if your router supports this, check the documentation that came with it, or visit the router manufacturer’s website to see if an update is available to support WPA3. You might need to change settings on the router to turn on WPA3.
- Windows 10 (Version 2004) installed on your PC. To check and make sure you have the latest updates for Windows 10, Start button, then select Settings >Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3
Wi-Fi 6 (Wifi 6) is the sixth generation of Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11ax standard and it comes with several improvements including but not limited to higher data rates, lower latency, increased capacity, better performance in environments with a lot of connected devices, as well as improved power efficiency.
WPA3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 3) is a security standard and user authentication tech the Wi-Fi Alliance developed to tackle WPA2’s security shortcomings and to better secure wireless computer networks.
WPA3 was announced in January 2018, three months after security researcher Mathy Vanhoef disclosed the KRACK vulnerability impacting the WPA2 WiFi protocol used by billions of devices.
The standard was later released in June 2018 with more resilient, password-based authentication and the equivalent of 192-bit cryptographic strength for enterprise solutions.
One year later, in April 2019, security researchers Mathy Vanhoef and Eyal Ronen discovered a collection of new WPA3 security issues collectively known as Dragonblood which allow attackers to crack Wi-Fi network passwords, to access encrypted network traffic exchanged between connected devices, and to steal sensitive information like credit card numbers, passwords, emails, and more.
After the bugs were disclosed, the Wi-Fi Alliance said in a press release that “[t]hese issues can all be mitigated through software updates without any impact on devices’ ability to work well together. There is no evidence that these vulnerabilities have been exploited” and that “device manufacturers that are affected have already started deploying patches to resolve the issue.”
Impacted vendors were also notified of the WPA3 vulnerabilities by the WiFi Alliance, CERT/CC, and the researchers, allowing for backward-compatible countermeasures to be implemented.
