why no WPA3?

AndyHw10f · 08 Apr 2023

I often need to use my phone’s Wi-Fi Hotspot for internet connections. The setup for Wi-Fi Hotspot has a security section with four options:
None
WPA2-Personal
WPA3-Personal
WPA2/WPA3-Personal

While perhaps ill advised, None works. Better, WPA2 works, once the password is entered into the computer’s Wi-Fi connect dialogue. However, with either of the other two options, my up-to-date Windows 10 Pro system cannot connect. I can, and have, entered the correct passwords but to no avail.

While I have yet to find verification in any of the explanatory articles I perused, the experience leads me to guess that what works or doesn’t work for security is hardware rather than just software ruled; my computer must not have the necessary hardware. Is this correct or am I missing something?

garlin · 08 Apr 2023

Your Wi-Fi driver has to support WPA3. Check "netsh wlan show drivers" for a list of supported protocols.

Helmut · 08 Apr 2023

"my computer must not have the necessary hardware. Is this correct or am I missing something?"

You are correct. Many people will have older Wireless hardware that is not compatible with WPA3.
WPA2/WPA3 should be the best option, but maybe not with older hardware.

You list old hardware, however you could install an up to date Wireless Card.

bro67 · 08 Apr 2023

Your phone modem chip may be capable, but you have to have a network driver capable along with a network chip capable.

AndyHw10f · 08 Apr 2023

Putting in that command
netsh wlan show drivers
flashes a system command window onto the monitor screen but it is there and gone in less than a second, never long enough for me to see if there is even anything written in the window. I've never seen that happpen before; is it common under some circumstances? Is there a way to see the results?

There isn’t any Wi-Fi built into the motherboard. The computer’s wireless adapter is a USB connected dongle, not very old. Windows says it has the latest drivers. I guess the answer to my question is that the hardware lacks the capability for WPA3.

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Never mind about the command. I figured how how to see the results. Only WPA and WPA2 are listed.

TairikuOkami · 09 Apr 2023

AndyHw10f said:

The computer’s wireless adapter is a USB connected dongle, not very old.

Unfortunately manufacturers want to get rid of old hardware, so it will take some time.
I bought a laptop without LAN manufactured this year, yet Wi-Fi has only WPA2 option.

Helmut · 09 Apr 2023

WPA3 has only been defined and hardware available for 1-2 years, anything older will be up to WPA2.

Obviously you need to check the specs of any new USB WiFi dongle, or internal PCI-E/M.2 Card.

Try3 · 09 Apr 2023

AndyHw10f said:

Putting in that command
netsh wlan show drivers
flashes a system command window onto the monitor screen but it is there and gone in less than a second, never long enough for me to see if there is even anything written in the window. I've never seen that happpen before; is it common under some circumstances? Is there a way to see the results?

Yes, open a Powershell window or cmd window and paste the command into that. You can right-click on the Start button and choose whichever one of them you have listed there [by default, it will be Windows PowerShell].

My 2016 laptop's WiFi adapter does not have WPA3.
My 2020 desktop's WiFi adapter does have WPA3.
My 2021 phone's WiFi hotspot does have a WPA3 option but I use WPA2 so all my computers can connect to it without having to replace any computer WiFi adapters.

All the best,
Denis