Though a router may be running “perfectly well” in your parents’ eyes, obsolescence carries with it some significant dangers. Relatively recently, the world of Wi-Fi made a significant move: the old security protocol WPA 2 was confined to history and the world welcomed WPA 3.
WPA 3 actually made its debut back in 2018, and from 2020 all new Wi-Fi devices have it built in as standard. Even if WPA 2 was still supported, the level of encryption offered by WPA 3 is vastly greater and the upgrade is certainly worth it. But support for WPA 2 has been withdrawn, and that makes the situation much more pressing. An obsolete Wi-Fi security protocol opens your parent’s network, and every device connected to it, up to potential attackers.
While there’s a chance they don’t trust online banking, there could still be a lot of personal information on whatever phones, tablets, and computers your folks are using. Specialist and high-end routers can cost several hundred dollars, but there are plenty on the market for a very reasonable price. You can upgrade your parent’s network security and give them access to a higher-speed connection, such as Wi-Fi 6e, with a very minor investment.
