Software & Apps Windows How to Configure WPA Support in Microsoft Windows Windows XP and later supports the WPA/WPA2 network security standard by Bradley Mitchell Writer An MIT graduate who brings years of technical experience to articles on SEO, computers, and wireless networking. our editorial process LinkedIn Bradley Mitchell Updated on December 20, 2020 Jade / Blend Images / Getty Images Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide Tweet Share Email Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is one of several popular standards for wireless network security. To set up WPA for Windows, you may need to upgrade one or more components of your network including wireless adapters, the wireless access point, and your operating system. Instructions in this article apply to setting up WPA in Windows XP and later. WPA is not available for older versions of Windows. What You Need to Use WPA for Windows You will need the following to set up WPA for Windows: A Wi-Fi wireless router (or another access point)At least one client running Windows XP or later with a Wi-Fi network adapterInternet connectivity to download software updates WPA should not to be confused with Microsoft Product Activation (also known as Windows Product Activation), a separate technology that is also included with Windows. How to Configure WPA for Microsoft Follow these instructions to set up WPA on Wi-Fi networks with Windows computers: Make sure each computer on the network is running the latest service pack for their version of Windows. Visit the Windows Service Pack Update Center page to download the latest updates for your OS. If using Windows XP, make sure you have the XP Service Pack 3 or newer for the best WPA/WPA2 support. Verify that your wireless network router (or another access point) supports WPA. If necessary, visit the manufacturer's website for information on how to upgrade the firmware and enable WPA. Because some older wireless access points do not support WPA, you may need to replace yours. Verify that each client's wireless network adapter also supports WPA. Install the latest device drivers from the adapter's manufacturer if necessary. Because some wireless network adapters cannot support WPA, you may need to replace them. Verify that the network adapters are compatible with either the Wireless Zero Configuration (WZC) service or the Natural Wi-Fi API. Consult the adapter's documentation or the manufacturer's website for details about these services, then upgrade the driver and configuration software to support it if necessary. Apply compatible WPA settings on each Wi-Fi device. These settings cover network encryption and authentication. The WPA encryption keys (or passphrases) chosen must match exactly between devices. For authentication, two versions of Wi-Fi Protected Access exist called WPA and WPA2. To run both versions on the same network, ensure the access point is configured for WPA2 mixed mode. Otherwise, you must set all devices to WPA or WPA2 mode exclusively. Wi-Fi products use different naming conventions to describe types of WPA authentication. Set all equipment to use either Personal/PSK or Enterprise/*EAP options. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit