Getting “weak security “ message, what should I do?

iPadOS produces these information messages to indicate that the security settings are far from ideal.

This support page will describe the more secure (recommended) settings for WiFi:

Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points – Apple Support

It is possible that your WiFi Router is too old for you to be able to set more secure settings on the router - so you can either configure the most secure settings that your Router will support, or update your Router for something that provides better security features.

Strol wrote:

I’m having this problem and my broadband supplier has sent a new “up to date” router but I’m still getting “weak security” and WPA2 (TKIP) is not considered secure and says about configuring the router to use WPA2(AES) or WPA3. My iMac doesn’t give out this message! Surely this is an iPad issue?

This is not a fault of your iPad - or your WiFi Router - but is an indication that you should improve the security settings of your WiFi network (i.e, WiFi Router and/or WiFi Access Points).

Your iPad is no less secure today than it was prior to the update to iPadOS14. However, your iPad is now better able to [warn] bring to your attention security deficiencies of your WiFi network and iPad settings.

To reiterate my reply to the OP, this support page will describe the more secure (recommended) settings for WiFi:

Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points – Apple Support

It is possible that your WiFi Router is too old to be (or not capable of being) configured for more secure settings. As such, you can either configure the most secure settings that your Router will support - or replace your Router with something more advanced that provides better security configuration options. 

TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) is insecure; TKIP was introduced many years ago to improve the security of the fundamentally broken WEP protocol. Whilst WPA3 is the newest standard, you should aim to use WPA2 as a minimum.

ISP provided WiFi Routers are principally intended to provide a cheap and generally reliable connection - of the subscriber to the ISPs services. Quite often, the router will provide “adequate” (but not cutting edge) features, including security. In many cases, the subscriber will have no alternative other than to use the ISPs Router.

The “weak security” warnings that are seen by some users, following update to iPadOS14, are the iPad providing warnings that the WiFi security settings are less than ideal - usually because the current security configuration is using an insecure security protocol.

To be abundantly clear, the warning does not imply that your iPad or WiFi Router are broken - or that they are any less secure than they were prior to updating of Apple devices to iOS/iPadOS14; instead, for those that do not necessarily understand the strengths and weaknesses of their iPad and WIFi network security settings, your device now produces visible information about your WiFi security.

If you are genuinely concerned for your security and privacy, you would treat any equipment that you do fully control, such as equipment provided by your ISP, as untrusted. As such, you will ideally provide your own network equipment (that is entirely within your control) upstream of your ISP-provided kit - that includes a firewall. For many, this level of network segregation is either beyond the capabilities of the user - or presents additional cost that the user is not prepared to accept.

There is a half-way position - where at least you can easily apply and use strong WiFi security. A good quality WiFi Router or WiFi Access Point, that supports WPA2/WPA3 is a relatively inexpensive investment. Once added via a wired ethernet connection, you can disable (or simply not use) the WiFi network provided by your ISP-provided Router. Whilst a significant generalisation, your additional Router/AP will provide much stronger security settings, better range and increased local throughput.

In conclusion, I recommend that you purchase and incorporate an additional Router/AP. Any concerns (and security warnings) will evaporate - and your home WiFi network will be technically improved in all respects.

See these articles https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/ipad/ipad32488b23/

https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/ipad/ipadd11f1468/

I’m having this problem and my broadband supplier has sent a new “up to date” router but I’m still getting “weak security” and WPA2 (TKIP) is not considered secure and says about configuring the router to use WPA2(AES) or WPA3. My iMac doesn’t give out this message! Surely this is an iPad issue?

It has nothing to do with your device - it does have to do with your router. It always had weak security settings, you just were not aware of it.

Re: "... I checked with my ISP ... [they] had no clue what WiFi security settings it would have ... "

There's the TRUE security problem. :-(

It is not strange.

It is simply Apple's efforts of keeping you and your data secure that they decided to inform you about the weak security features of your router/WiFi network.

Semantics - I guess the correct way would be "it is the ISP's lack of being responsible and offering up to date equipment to their customers".

FWIW, I don't believe I ever said it was the router's "fault"; I said it had to do with the router.

According to Talktalk my router is the most up to date they have and all settings have been checked and are also correct and up to date, They also confirm this is an on going issue since IOS14 upgrade, I have been told it’s totally secure but !

I am thinking of adding an extender or whatever if CenturyLink comes back with the news that they do not offer any with WPA2 AES or WPA3. The "customer advocate" I am now in contact with is checking with their tech people. I have no choice with the modem - this is a DSL line and requires their equipment. So, mine works well as far as signal - how would I go about adding another router and how do i find something that will work with a CenturyLink DSL router?

I am still waiting on my CenturyLink rep to get back to me (he is not bad, solved a wrong billing problem a month ago) - he said he is not knowledgeable about the security protocol, so he is checking with their tech dept and will get back to me. At least he's not blowing me off or telling me it's secure.

Unfortunately, i agree with every word you uttered!

We are paying $45/month for a DSL line which is supposed to give us 20M (and it did that in the beginning), but now shows about 11M and my iPad showed 4.5M in a speed test the other day. The CenturyLink rep said that they no longer offer 20M in my area, only 10M, but he claimed that my install of 20M would still apply. That is a bit questionable to me: if they either added too many customers since to maintain the 20M or changed something in their unit (which is 1/2 mi from our house), then wouldn't all customers be affected? And, adding another router wouldn't change the connection speed, just add the newer security protocol. So, the slow connection would still be present, right?

It is an iPad issue in the sense that the iPad detected a condition that it considers low security but that the system on your iMac does not yet consider insecure.

The only streaming I do is via iPad apps of European TV stations, so I'd think there is no local file server - this is directly through their app from the TV stations in Europe.