An essential aspect of setting up a Wi-Fi connection is enabling security with the correct settings. If these settings are configured incorrectly, Wi-Fi devices will not be able to connect to the local network. If settings are left at their default values or not configured at all, a network will not be protected from unwanted connections.

Of the steps involved in configuring security on a Wi-Fi network, the most important is managing wireless keys. A wireless network security key is a digital password that users of devices on a network must enter in order to connect to the network and to each other. All devices on a local Wi-Fi network share a common key.

Setting up security on a Wi-Fi network router, wireless hotspot, or client device involves choosing from a list of security options and entering a key sequence that the device stores. Wi-Fi security keys come in two basic forms:

Hex keys (strings like 0FA76401DB) are the standard format for Wi-Fi devices. ASCII keys are also called passphrases, because people often choose easy-to-remember words and phrases for their keys, such as ilovewifi and hispeed1234.