weak security (WPA)

I’m guessing that box was from your ISP. Check with your ISP, and see if they’re replacing 802.11n (old) boxes with newer. That box is now known as Wi-Fi 4 (Wi-Fi 6 is current), is roughly ten years old, and is probably getting a little creaky.

Here’s the manual:

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/video/at_home/Cable_Modems/3800_Series/4021196_C.pdf

Page 41 has the wireless security settings.

Before making changes, please post the Wi-Fi setting—probably WPA personal—and the encryption type selected. For your usage, also note the pre-shared key, but please don’t post that here. Also post whether one or more of your Macs is wired to or can be wired to this box, or if they’re all connected wirelessly.

Where this is eventually headed—make no changes yet, though!—is using the same pre-shared key shown (again, write that down, but don’t post that), and switching to WPA2 Personal, and switching the encryption to AES, which should upgrade your network security. But not yet, as we need a path into this box that will be accessible should the Wi-Fi somehow disconnect and not reconnect.

Do you have a particular question?

macOS is detecting a wireless network connection that is insecure.

As the message states, if this is your Wi-Fi network, consider reconfiguring it, or—if the connections don’t support WPA2 personal with AES, or WPA2/WPA3/transitional, or WPA3—consider replacing the Wi-Fi router with a less-aged (and probably faster) model.

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

Well, what you have to do here depends greatly on your particular Wi-Fi router.

If you want help with that, we’ll need to know the Wi-Fi router vendor and model.

A Mac running High Sierra can use WPA2, and WPA2/WPA3 transitional.

Older routers are also slower.

Or you ignore the security warning, of course.

I’m guessing that box was from your ISP.

No it is not - at least not on iOS devices. It is the latest Mac OS/iOS "feature" warning you that you have your router configured to an older security setting, which can either be changed by going to the modem/router's webside at 192.168.x.x or contact the ISP and ask about a router with newer security features.

@suefromvictoria:

You've always had weak security, you just weren't aware of it. I got the same warning when I updated; my older router did not have options to use a more secure security setting, so I got a new one from my ISP. FWIW, I pay for mine - I do not rent them. Cost me about one year's worth of rental payments.

babowa wrote:

I’m guessing that box was from your ISP.

No it is not - at least not on iOS devices. It is the latest Mac OS/iOS "feature" warning you that you have your router configured to an older security setting...

Apparently I was unclear. I’m well aware of the origin of the Wi-Fi security diagnostic. And by “box”, I referring to the Cisco DOCSIS cable-modem-Wi-Fi box, which is effectively other end of that diagnostic; that’s the box providing the older Wi-Fi with the older security. And the WPA personal security was probably an appropriate choice a decade or so ago, too. It’s that DOCSIS cable modem thst needs to be reconfigured.

babowa, if you want this thread, it’s yours.