There are two ways to connect to the internet on the Canon printer. The first option is to connect the printer to a computer connected to the internet. The second option is to connect the printer directly to a wireless network, either via a router or your smartphone.
Recent Canon printers come with cool functionalities. That includes the WPS button. If you’ve seen the WPS button on your Canon printer and you’re wondering what the button is. The post is for you. This post explains what the WPS on your Canon printer is, where to find the WPS, how to use the button, and other details.
What is WPS on a Canon Printer? (What Does The WPS Button Do?)
The Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is a feature that helps you connect seamlessly to a secured wireless network. Before now, to connect to a wireless network, you needed an SSID or Password. The PIN or Password is used to secure the router from unauthorized users. This means that anytime you want to connect to the wireless network, you have to enter a network key. The network key or Password is made up of random letters, numbers, and symbols.
With the WPS, you can connect your Canon printer to a wireless router without entering a password or PIN. When you turn on the WPS button on your router, it searches for compatible devices within range and pairs with the device. The WPS stops searching for a device after two minutes, and this makes it more secure than a PIN.
Not all devices support the WPS functionality. WPS is only compatible on devices that use a password encrypted with WPA 1 or WPA 2 Personal Security Protocols. It doesn’t support wireless networks with Deprecated WEP security.
Does My Canon Printer Have A WPS?
Not all Canon printers have the WPS functions. But most recent Canon printers have the WPS feature. This allows you to connect your Canon printer to a router’s wireless internet without a password. One sure way to know if your Canon printer has the WPS feature is to check for the WPS button on the router. We will show you how to find the button on your router in the latter part of this post.
Where Is The WPS Button On Canon Printer?
The Canon printer has several buttons on the body of the printer. The WPS button is one of those buttons. The easiest way to identify the WPS button on a Canon printer is to check for the button with a ‘Wireless Icon’. Some Canon printers don’t have the WPS button. We will talk about how to enable WPS on Canon printers without the WPS button.
How To Enable WPS On Canon Printer? (Connect Canon Printer To Wi-Fi)
There are two ways to enable the WPS feature on a Canon printer. For Canon printers with WPS buttons, you simply press and hold the WPS button for a couple of seconds to enable it. Follow the steps below to enable the WPS on the Canon printer. Note that, there may be a little difference in the settings depending on the model you’re using.
Step 1. Press the ‘Setup’ button on your printer.
Step 2. On the ‘Settings’ page on the small display screen, use the arrow buttons to get to the ‘Wireless Setup’ or ‘Wireless Setup’ or ‘Network Setup’.
Step 3. Scroll to the ‘WPS Method’ or ‘Push Button Method’ and press enter to proceed.
Step 4. Press and hold the ‘WPS button’ on your router for a couple of seconds. The router will automatically search for and connect your Canon printer.
How To Disable WPS On A Canon Printer? (Disconnect Wi-Fi on Canon Printer)
You can disable the Wi-Fi on the Canon printer, press and hold the WPS buttons on both the printer and the router. Also, you can follow the steps below to disable the WPS connect option on your printer.
Step 1. Press the ‘Setup’ button on your printer.
Step 2. On the ‘Settings’ page on the small display screen, use the arrow buttons to get to the ‘Wireless Setup’ or ‘Wireless Setup’ or ‘Network Setup’.
Step 3. Scroll to the ‘WPS Method’ or ‘Push Button Method’ and press disable to turn off.
Step 4. Press and hold the ‘WPS button’ on your router for a couple of seconds. The router will automatically search for and connect your Canon printer.
Should WPS Be On Or Off?
Whether to use the WPS option on your printer is a personal decision you make. But you need to understand how the WPS works and its importance to help you make your decision. There are two ways to secure a Router.
a. PIN:
This method of WiFi protected setup involves using a PIN, usually an eight-digit PIN to protect your router. When you enter the PIN, the router checks just the first four digits or code. This makes the PIN vulnerable to hacks because there are only 11,000 possible four-digits codes. So brute force software can easily run through the 11,000 possible four-digit codes to get the correct password.
b. Push-Button-Connect:
This is where the WPS button comes to play. The WPS is more secure because devices only have a limited amount of time to connect to it after pressing the button. After that, the WPS automatically turns off. This limits the time needed for a hacking system to generate a password to hack the router. This makes it more secure than a PIN which is always active.
So, when it comes to security, the WPS feature is more secure than a PIN. So, it’s left to you to decide to turn it on or off.