We are generally used to the blinking and solid LED lights on our router, but there is one specific light that we want to cover in this article. It’s the WPS light. So, Should the WPS light be on on my computer, or is it supposed to be off? This is something we will try to explain in detail in the next few paragraphs.
But first, let’s see what WPS is and what you should know about it.
What Is WPS And How Does It Work?
WPS means Wi-Fi Protected Setup and it was initially a system designed to make connecting devices to a wireless network much easier than before, i.e. to connect a device with a click of a button, without entering the WiFi password.
Normally it works like this. You have a WPS-enabled device (laptop, smartphone, printer, and so on) and you want to connect it to the network. You press the WPS button on your router and it enters into WPS pairing mode for the next two minutes. Then you enable WPS on your device and they should connect.
During the WPS pairing process the WPS light on the router is going to blink and when connection is established the blinking should stop and it will turn solid and then turn off.
Is WPS Safe To Use?
You have to admit that connecting your device over WPS is pretty simple, but this is exactly what makes it unsafe. Generally, if you are not using this option constantly, it is highly recommended to disable WPS on your router.
With this option enabled, anyone who has access to the router can press the WPS button and access your network without you knowing about it. Unfortunately, after that, it would be easy for that person to access your router settings and take control of your network. Even worse, that person can have access to your personal files and data, see your browsing history, use your connection for illegal activities, block you from the network, and so on.
So, one of the steps to avoid this is to disable WPS on your router.
Should The WPS Light Be Off, On Or Blinking?
Knowing what the router lights are trying to tell you is a good starting point if something goes wrong with your network and internet connection. When it comes to the WPS light it indicates the following:
WPS Light OFF – Normally, the WPS light should be off until you activate this option i.e. until you press the WPS button.
WPS Light Blinking – The WPS light is going to blink after you press the WPS button. Normally, this should last for 2 minutes or until your device connects to the router. During this period the router is into WPS pairing mode, looking for a signal from a WPS-Enabled device.
WPS Light ON – The WPS light will stop blinking when a connection is established. After a short period of time, it will turn off but it doesn’t break the connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Disable WPS?
WPS can be disabled from the router’s admin dashboard. Therefore, you have to login to your router first and then find the WPS Settings. Depending on the router brand and model you should find the WPS section inside the Wireless Settings. In most cases, there will either be a toggle on/off button.
Once you find it, you will have to set the button to OFF and save the settings. This will disable the WPS option on your router, so even pressing the WPS button on the router won’t activate it. This means that in order to connect a device to the network you will need to use the wireless password. This can be a little problematic if you want to connect a printer, but if that happens, you can easily activate WPS just for that occasion and then disable it again.
WPS Light Is On. When Will It Turn Off?
The answer to this question can be different and it depends on the router brand and model. In most cases, it shouldn’t last for more than two minutes after it is activated. And when the connection is established, it should stop blinking immediately and it will be solid for a while.
What Color Should The WPS Light Be?
The answer to this question also depends on the router model and brand. For example, the WPS button on some Belkin routers will be white, while some Linksys routers have this light colored blue. The WPS light can also be green on some other routers.
It is good to know that the yellow or red colored WPS light indicates a problem with the WPS connection or a failed pairing attempt.
Final Words
So, should the WPS light be on on your router? The answer is YES, but only when you are using this feature. Otherwise, it should be off.
What’s more important at the moment is to think a little about whether you want to have WPS enabled or disabled. If you are not using this option every day, feel free to disable WPS. It is much more secure for your network and when you want to use it, you can enable it in under a minute.