As we have introduced, WPA2 is a security protocol that can be used on routers to better protect them from malicious attacks. WPA stands for Wi-Fi Protected Access, and it is the second version of WPA.

As of now, there are 3 versions of WPA. There is the original WPA, WPA2, and WPA3. Even though WPA3 is the newest security technology, many people still prefer WPA2 as it is more widely available and still really tough to crack.

WPA3 is still really new and the creators of WPA3 are still working on it. There aren’t nearly as many devices that are compatible with WPA3 as there are with WPA2.

WPA replaced WEP in 2003. WEP was the older version of the security measure, but it was much easier to crack and get through. People were experiencing security problems even when they had the WEP measure, so WPA was created.

Configuring your router for WPA2 is a straightforward and simple process. You just need to make sure that your router is compatible with WPA2, but with how old WPA2 is, it shouldn’t be a problem at all.

To check if your router is compatible with WPA2, head over to your computer or mobile device. Any of these devices that can connect to your Wi-Fi can find out what kind of security it is compatible with. If you have a SmartTV, you might even be able to find the information there as well.

On your computer, you will want to head over to the Wi-Fi settings. This can be done by searching “Wi-Fi settings” or “network and internet settings,” if you have Windows 10 or 11. If you have a Mac, press the option key and the Wi-Fi icon to be presented with the information.

The next step for a Windows computer is to select the Wi-Fi properties. From there, you will see a line of text that says security type. The text afterward will show what kind of security protocol your router is compatible with.

On an Android phone, go to your settings and select Wi-Fi. You will want to open the details section and you should see a spot that says the security configuration.

It is important to note that every Android phone can have a slightly different layout and that the security information might be in a different place amongst the Wi-Fi settings.

It is recommended that when finding what kind of security your router is compatible with through your phone, look up the specific information for your phone model.

When you are at the point where you see what kind of security your router is compatible with, take note of what the information says. To configure your router to WPA2, it needs to say WPA/WPA2 or something similar. On a computer, you might see WPA2-personal.

If this information says WPA3 because you have brand new technology that has this feature, you still might be able to configure WPA2.

This is because these pieces of technology sometimes can switch what kind of WPA can be used, allowing you to use either WPA3 or WPA2 depending on what works best for your technology.

Accessing the Router Settings

Now that you know that your router can be configured to WPA2, it is time to access the router settings to set it all up. There are several different ways that you can access the settings of your router.

First, if you haven’t changed the credentials of your router, you can use the default login. This default login can be located at the back of your router. It will include a username, password, and a general default gateway.

If you did change the credentials of your router, use those. However, if you can’t remember what you changed them to, you can reset the router and log in with the default login.

However, you will have to configure the router from scratch.

Some routers will have a QR code located on the box. This makes it super easy to log in as you just have to scan the QR code to access the settings.

Finally, more and more routers recently have been coming with their own app. If you have this app, all you have to do is log in and access the settings from there.

On the back of the router, there will also be an IP address listed. This is usually located right around the default login information of the router.

Enter this IP address into your internet browser to be sent to the place where you will change the network settings of your router.

However, if your router has a specific app that it comes with, you probably won’t need to do this step. Simply follow what your app tells you to do.

Each router might have a login screen that looks a little bit different. Follow the steps given to you by your specific router.

Changing the Network Settings

Now that you have accessed your router’s settings, you can now go in and change them. Look for “wireless settings” or “network settings”

Then click on wireless security. This is where you want to be to set up and configure WPA2. Now that you have clicked on the security page, you will be brought to a page that has a lot of information. Don’t get overwhelmed when you first view this page. It is still a simple process.

Find a line that says security. Next to it might be a drop-down box or some other method of inputting information, depending on the specific router page.

Let’s say that you see a drop-down box for the sake of an easy explanation. Click on the drop-down box and you will see an option that includes WPA2-personal.

Your router might also include some other options that you can choose from, but make sure to choose the WPA2 option. Click on this option and you will see the box be selected with the WPA2 option.

There might be a location further down on the page that also gives you the drop-down box to choose a security option.

Also, choose the WPA2-personal option for this box as well. Sometimes, you might be prompted to choose an encryption algorithm. Select AES from the drop-down menu.

To save your changes, you will be prompted to re-enter the password for your router. You’ll then want to reboot the router to make sure it is now working with the new security system.

Once your router is properly configured with WPA2, you might have to reconnect your devices to the router with the new WPA2 password. This is to make sure that all the connected devices are protected as well.

That’s It!

Once you have completed all of those steps, you have successfully configured your router to WPA2. Now you have extra security for both your router and all of your devices.

There are no downsides to having a security protocol set up with your router. Instead, you get all the great benefits that come from having extra security.

Still worried that you and your internet-connected devices aren’t as protected as you want them to, even after configuring them to WPA2? Well, you are in luck. You can still add extra security to your devices and even your router.

The best way to add extra security is to add a VPN. Not only are VPNs great for accessing shows that are being streamed in other countries and getting around locked websites, but they also add extra security to your device.

A VPN will essentially hide your device’s location from other devices and other servers. It adds a layer of invisibility to your device that can prevent viruses and other attacks from accessing your device.

On some router access pages, there will be a section to add a VPN along with the security protocol. This adds extra security to your router as a whole.

Configuring your router to WPA2 is so much easier than some people may think. It doesn’t take too much time and it isn’t too difficult to complete. Many times, you just have to follow what your specific router’s page tells you to do.

From there, you are promised so much extra security so you can access the internet on your devices with peace in your mind.

There are a lot of things about the S1 Pro that I loved, but there was one glaring gray area that needed resolving, and remains an important point of consideration with stacking this printer up against others in the same price range.

It’s a large FDM printer (490 x 455 x 625 mm) compared to its relatively small 220 x 220 x 270mm print bed. But, it’s also a very stable printer. Its size and weight give it a nice, sturdy printing base, and that wobble elimination is a win.

The Ender 3 S1 Pro also has both a Type-C USB slot, and an SD card port. This gives you more options for connecting your printer to external devices, like a Raspberry Pi.

Firstly, let’s take a look at what this printer does well. It absolutely hits some peaks for me, and on these, alone, it’s a worthwhile contender to many printers on the market.

Extruder and nozzle

The S1 Pro also has a “Sprite” full-metal dual-gear direct extruder rather than the more common Bowden design (where the filament is fed through a plastic tube at an angle). With an extrusion force of 80N. This is a manual loading and unloading process, but it allows for a bit more wiggle room when it comes to which filaments you use, and is generally very straight forward.

The S1’s new brass nozzle design can stand up to 300°C printing temperature, and is compatible with multiple filaments, such as PLA, ABS, PVA, Wood, TPU, PETG, and PA.

Build plate

The build plate is magnetic PEI Spring Steel, which is pretty common these days because of how easy it is to remove prints from the surface—no more worrying about scratching your build plate with a chisel as you try to pry the plastic off.

Lighting

A feature I enjoyed having added from the get-go was the LED light, built into the top of the frame. Yes, you can mod your own onto the Ender, but it’s a lovely touch to have it there from the beginning.

Problem detection

The Ender 3 S1 Pro has a filament sensor to ensure that you don’t suddenly run out of filament and ruin a print, and includes a power loss detection feature, which likewise keeps a sudden outage from making a mess of things. These are totally standard at this price range these days, but weren’t not that long ago, so it’s worth a highlight.

You can use it to shoot lasers

One of the immediate highlights about the Ender 3 S1 Pro is that it’s compatible with Creality’s line of laser modules, opening an exciting doorway to a truly multipurpose device capable of both 3D printing and laser engraving. You can read my review of the Ender 3 S1 Pro combined with a 10 watt laser module, here.

Now, one of the reasons I was most excited about the S1 Pro was because it touted “CR-Touch” a 16-point automatic leveling system. Anyone who’s been following me for a while knows that I love a 3D printer with a good automatic leveling system, and that the current king of this area is Anycubic. I’d been looking forward to seeing how the Ender 3 S1 Pro stacked up.

I manually level all my printers before running any automated system—no problem there. But, as soon as I ran the automated leveling program, I knew there was an issue. The system was setting the Z-vector (the vertical height of the extruder) about two centimeters higher than the bed!

I reached out to Creality for support and received what they could offer, but all to no avail. One way or another, the problem persisted, despite the best efforts of their engineering team, and my own attempts to solve the issue. Only when I took the machine apart entierly, cleaned and refit every main component, was I eventually able to get it to level even manually as well as needed to accomplish some basic print testing. Auto-leveling remained completely inaccessible, as the issue repeated itself without cease.

Given my experience with other printers that offer complete auto-leveling along the full XYZ axis, this was disappointing. However, the printer performed well when only manually leveled, allowing me to ascertain that it is indeed a speedy and stable printer by all accounts.

While I would like to assume that this was an issue with only the printer sent to me, and not one endemic to the well-liked series as a whole, I would still caution prompt and comprehensive testing before your return period expires. This especially because I found complaints online regarding issues extremely similar to mine: all involving problems with the printer’s ability to level itself correctly.

The Ender 3 S1 Pro has the best packaging of any printer I’ve reviewed. It’s well-packed in a tight case, and the parts are minimal. It’s nice to have a printer that comes partially assembled like this because it allows you to get started faster. The Anycubic products that I reviewed in 2022 were amazing, but often required a fair bit of work to set up. One of the downsides of pre-assembled printers is that the shipping container often has to be larger, but Creality’s done a great job of keeping the size compact.

As always, the printer comes with tools, screws for assembly, and misc. accessories.

Assembling

Setting this one up is far easier than most kit printers, and that’s a huge boon to people who are new to the world of 3D printing and just want to get straight into the fun. You can read my full assembly guide, here.

I love how few parts there are for this printer: it’s easy to assemble in the extreme, and I was able to have it up and running in about a half hour (not including the time it took me to take notes and pictures). Some printers that I’ve assembled would really have benefited from a two-person team, but this printer is clearly designed with the solo enthusiast in mind. Even someone with no prior experience assembling a 3D printer would be able to handle this.

Priced at the $450-$500 range ($500-$600 with the laser module combo), the Ender 3 S1 Pro is aiming to compete in a very stiff market of upper-mid-range printers.

There were remarked difficulties with the auto-leveling feature in my model, but even if there had not been, it is a less functional form of automatic leveling than other models on the market for a similar price. What sets it apart is its inherent modularity and companion pieces like the laser module.

Well worthwhile for an experienced 3D printer professional, I would not recommend this for anyone just starting out with this as a hobby.