The Realities of Transition Mode

 

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...

 

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/ 


===

#General #Security #TransitionMode # WiFi #WPA3

===

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

Wi-Fi Myth Series – Myth #9: More Bandwidth Always Means Better Performance

By Rie Morgan • August 6, 2026
If there's one thing network users love, it's bandwidth. Need faster Wi-Fi? More bandwidth. Application running slowly? More bandwidth. Video buffering? More bandwidth. Someone sneezed near the wireless network? Probably needs more bandwidth. :) As Wi-Fi engineers, we've all heard it. Somewhere along the way, bandwidth became synonymous with performance. But while bandwidth certainly matters, it's only one ingredient in a much larger recipe. In many deployments, increasing available bandwidth produces little improvement and, in some cases, it can actually make things worse! Like many Wi-Fi myths, this one contains just enough truth to be convincing. Let's bust it...

Wi-Fi Myth Series - Myth #8: Wi-Fi 7 Will Fix My Wireless Problems

By Rie Morgan • July 30, 2026
Every new Wi-Fi generation arrives with a wave of excitement: faster speeds; lower latency; more efficient use of the spectrum; and better handling of dense environments. Wi-Fi 7 is no exception. It brings some genuinely impressive technological advances but, unfortunately, it also brings a familiar myth: "If we upgrade to Wi-Fi 7, all of our wireless problems will disappear." If only wireless engineering were that simple. Wi-Fi 7 is an outstanding technology, but it isn't a magic wand. Poor design, interference, bad client behavior, and unrealistic expectations don't suddenly vanish because the APs have a shiny new logo on the box. Let's bust another myth...

Wi-Fi Myth Series - Myth #7: Roaming Problems are Always Client Problems

By Rie Morgan • July 23, 2026
Few phrases trigger a knowing smile from experienced Wi-Fi engineers quite like this one, "It's the client's fault." Someone's video call drops while walking through the office or a warehouse scanner pauses between aisles, voice handsets crackle as users move from one floor to another... then, almost immediately, someone points at the device and confidently declares, "Well... clients decide when to roam." Technically, they're correct. But, practically, that's only part of the story. Roaming is one of the most fascinating aspects of Wi-Fi because it isn't controlled by a single device or a single setting. It's a partnership between the client, the infrastructure, and the RF environment. When that partnership breaks down, blaming one side rarely tells the whole story. Let's bust another myth... Yes, Clients Make the Decision Let's start with the important truth: in almost every Wi-Fi deployment, the client device ultimately decides when to leave one AP and join another. Laptops, smartphones, tablets, barcode scanners, medical devices, and countless IoT products all use their own roaming algorithms. Some roam aggressively whereas some cling to their current AP for far too long. Others seem convinced that losing the connection entirely is preferable to switching. Every Wi-Fi engineer has encountered at least one stubborn client that appears almost “emotionally attached” to a particular AP. :) Client behavior matters, but that's not where the story ends.