The Realities of Transition Mode

Phil Morgan • February 11, 2025

The Grim Realities of Transition Mode


Summary of a recent experience relating to Transition Mode.


I have been quite vocal of my hatred of Transition Mode (for WPA3).


We have a solution for this - dual SSIDs: https://wifisecuritywizard.com/general/problems-with-wpa3/


IMHO - Transition Mode is dumb! Turn on WPA3, and for everything that doesn’t support it, create a second SSID for now... while you upgrade everything!


I have actually said “it’s 2025 for goodness sake, how many devices do you have that don’t do WPA3?!”


Well, the other day, the universe decided to mess with me...


Scenario: in one of our smaller offices, we are upgrading to Ubiquiti. 


I arrive on site, I upgrade the system, 5GHz only WPA3, everything is working great!


I do one last check, and one of the users mentions, “Oh, the Brother color laser printer isn’t working.” (It’s a nice little device. Prints really well. Cheap to run.)

Pesky Printer

 Oh, of course, I’d changed the SSID name and password!


H’mmm... it doesn’t see the Wi-Fi SSID (obviously I have enabled 5 GHz only, since it’s 2025).


I enabled 2.4GHz to see if that was the problem, and it was. Oh... so the Brother printer only supports 2.4??? I’m disappointed!


Ok... well, let’s connect it then…


Brother asks me to enter the WEP key, “I am sorry? What, now? WEP key?”


To cut a long story short, I eventually realize the Brother printer doesn’t understand WPA3. (Obviously, I have enabled WPA3 only, since it’s 2025).


So, I turn on WPA2 Transition Mode, and... Bingo! It works again!


I am not one to be disillusioned easily, so I think “Let’s just plug this into ethernet” Oops! No ethernet port!


I remember after we’d bought the printer were installing it, we found it had no ethernet port! (It was a good-priced laser printer that they needed in the office. We had just experienced some irritating issues with an HP Laser Jet, and decided to try Brother for the first time – since they were cheaper.)


So, I am stood there (in 2025, remember), with a printer that’s only 3 or so years old, that won’t do WPA3, and doesn’t have a 5GHz capable radio! (Sigh)


Now to be fair to Brother, I never tried to upgrade the firmware, but now I am really disappointed!!! No Transition Mode for us. I create a second SSID, 2.4GHz only, nice secure long password, and we are done. Turn Transition Mode back off on the original SSID (I really do hate it)!


Next job: searching for a new laser printer for the remote office. Back to HP it is!!!

My advice: make sure your printer supports WPA3 - it'll save you many headaches!!


Published with permission. Original post here: https://wifisecuritywizard.com/uncategorized/the-realities-of-transition-mode/ 


===

About NC-Expert

NC-Expert is a privately-held California corporation and is well established within the Wireless, Security, and Collaboration industry certification training, courseware development, and consulting markets.

Led by its Founder and CEO, Rie Vainstein, NC-Expert has won numerous private contracts with Fortune level companies around the world. These customers have depended on NC-Expert to train, advise, and mentor their staff.

So, remember, if you are looking for the best IT training just call us at (855) 941-2121 or contact us

NC-Expert Blog

Troubleshooting Wireless Networks with Ekahau

By Phil Morgan • March 13, 2025
Troubleshooting Wireless Networks with Ekahau: A Professional Engineer’s Guide Wireless networks have become the backbone of modern business infrastructure. From office environments to large-scale enterprises, ensuring a seamless wireless experience is essential for productivity. However, despite advancements in Wi-Fi technology, network performance issues often arise, ranging from signal interference and dead zones to capacity overloads and channel mismanagement. To tackle these issues efficiently, professional engineers rely on powerful tools. One such tool, Ekahau AI Pro, has become a gold standard in the wireless industry for troubleshooting and optimizing Wi-Fi networks. This blog delves into troubleshooting wireless networks using Ekahau tools, providing practical examples and technical insights to guide professional engineers in improving network performance.

Post-Quantum Cryptography: The Future of Digital Security?

By Rie Vainstein • March 3, 2025
Futureproofing Our Security In our increasingly connected world, the security of digital information has never been more critical. From banking transactions to private communications, our data is constantly transmitted and stored across the internet. The current systems that protect this data rely on cryptography, a branch of mathematics that helps keep information secure by encoding it in ways that are difficult to decode without the proper key. However, with the rise of quantum computers, traditional cryptography is facing new and significant threats. This is where Post-Quantum Cryptography comes into play. What is Post-Quantum Cryptography? Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) [1] refers to cryptographic algorithms that are specifically designed to be secure against the power of quantum computers. Quantum computers, once they become practical, will be capable of solving complex mathematical problems much faster than classical computers. This will render many of the encryption methods we rely on today [such as RSA (Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman – initials of the inventors) and ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography)] vulnerable to attack. Quantum computers operate on quantum bits, or “qubits”, which can exist in multiple states simultaneously, unlike classical bits that are either a zer (0) or one (1). This allows quantum computers to perform certain calculations exponentially faster than classical computers. For example, in a matter of seconds, a quantum computer could potentially break an RSA key, which is considered secure by today’s standards. As quantum computing technology advances, the need for PQC becomes even more urgent.

Designing a Wi-Fi Network

By Phil Morgan • February 27, 2025
Designing a Wi-Fi Network This is the first in a series of blogs on Wi-Fi operation, design, and troubleshooting. Designing a Wi-Fi network is much easier if you have the right procedures and tools in place. First you must collect data about the network: What are the requirements of the network? What is the goal of the new network? What is it meant to achieve? Are there any constraints you have to overcome? Next you have to decide what wireless vendor is being used? One of the most important things to get is an accurate map (or plan) of the site and the various floors.
Share by: