Can a wifi network use both WPA and WPA2?

Todd102

Junior Member
Jul 12, 2017
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0
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The building I am at now provides wifi, and when connecting iPhone I get the 'security recommendation' message about making my wifi use WPA2 AES.

Anyway, I contacted the building manager who spoke with the internet people, and I was told both were enabled to allow more devices to be able to connect. Also, that, the device should automatically choose the best one.

I tried entering the network manually, selecting WPA2, but it would not let me connect.

Seems to me, iPhone (7 Plus) would choose WPA2 if available!

Does this seem odd?

I was sent a screenshot, here are the details, where after the colon is what was selected in the dropdown menu:

Broadcast: Yes
Client isolation: Enabled
Security Mode: WPA/WPA2 Mixed
Encryption: TKIP & AES
WPA Passphrase: the network password


Thanks!
 

MushyNAT

Junior Member
Jun 14, 2017
17
5
36
WPA/WPA2 Mixed mode does allow both to connect. WPA will use TKIP, and WPA2 will use AES for encryption.

Honestly, I would not be connecting to any network that still uses WPA, it's extremely insecure.
 
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MushyNAT

Junior Member
Jun 14, 2017
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I know, but how easily (for your average user)?

AND, once in, what kind of damage can be done?

How easy? You can download a tool, click a few buttons, and go grab a sandwich. By the time you're back, you have access. I can't post direct links to the how-to's as they're against forum policy, but just googling "how to crack WPA" will have *you* able to do it in minutes.

What damage can be done? Well, they have direct access to the entire network behind the firewall. From there it's as simple as running a network scan to identify every device on the network and every single security vulnerability on every single device. They could use those vulnerabilities to gain access to pretty much any system on the network, they can sniff all the traffic on the network and steal usernames/passwords, the sky is the limit. What could someone malicious do if they were inside your house because you left the front door unlocked?
 

mnewsham

Lifer
Oct 2, 2010
14,539
428
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I know, but how easily (for your average user)?

AND, once in, what kind of damage can be done?
Like the other poster said, at most you'd be looking at 20-30 minutes assuming they're using a low powered laptop.

If they've got a desktop with some real CPU power it wont take much time at all, a few minutes maybe.

They could inject malware, MITM attack to get bank info, passwords, etc. Possibilities are pretty much endless.
 

Todd102

Junior Member
Jul 12, 2017
6
0
66
As a follow-up, I had used a travel router and created my private WPA2 network on top of this. How does that fare? Thanks!
 

fkoehler

Member
Feb 29, 2008
193
145
116
As a follow-up, I had used a travel router and created my private WPA2 network on top of this. How does that fare? Thanks!

So, you used your travel router to connect to the bldg wifi, and then you connected to your travel router? I'd say no one was easily cracking your wifi, between your laptop and your travel router thank god. However the past several years you've been doing that your session, or your travel router's session have been snoopable all along from the travel router's connection to the bldg wifi.
Look at some of the public wifi vpn's available if you're really worried.