On a router what does WPS button do

What does the WPS button actually do on a router. I am having a netgear router which has a wps button on it. I pressed that and nothing happens. I had checked on web which shows this is some kind of security features. But how does it really work. There is already a password provided on my router. So does I really need this.

It is to instantly configure a wifi protected setup. When you hit the button a random SSID is available with pin which is usually provided on the router or flash on the screen. Only after adding the pin other device can connect.

It is a strong feature. There are several benefit of using this SSID. It simply offers a random SSID. And the same can be only accessible after adding the pin number. So if there are any guest in hour house or office and wants to use your wifi then you can hit the wps button and provide them temporary access. It does not add any extra security. Many router also comes with guest access. This button allows a free wifi usage for sometime. When you hit the button the password is removed and anyone in coverage can use wifi. This is a bit insecure. Because here your network is open for all. The benefit of using WPS is that it is not easy for anyone to guess your password. Many of us use a common network name with common password.By WPS you can simply generate a random SSID and password. So that it remains hidden from others. In terms of authentication it used EAP. EAP stands for Extensible Authentication Protocol. This is a very powerful authentication protocol which that makes your network more secure and your password is not easy to crack. So if you want o keep your then just hit the wps button and get a random ssid with auto generated strong password.

It does not work with all devices. If your smartphone or tablet or pc is not having wps support then this feature is useless. There must be compatible devices on the network or else it worthless to use.

WPS is just a configuration settings. Those who does not want to mess with the internal settings can use wps. When you activate it, the network ask for a pin number to give you access. This pin is reflected on the pc where router is configured. Some routers also provide you a internal feature of assigning default pins and password. So that you remember them and you can switch from one to another. In many routers the pin number is simply printed on the router sticker. So if anyone is smartphone enough to know that can access your wifi instantly. So it is also considered as a less safer method. The best way to keep your wifi secure is using a long and strong password. There must be random numbers and characters. It becomes complicated for the attacker to simply access your network. Many experts does not considered using WPS because it is a bit easy to hack. There are certain tools available that can retrieve the pin number quiet easily compare to the password which you apply.