Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a wireless LAN technology based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. Its combination with QR codes is highly practical: SSID, password, and encryption type are encoded in a single QR code, and scanning it auto-connects the device. This is widely used in hotels, cafes, and office guest networks.

The Wi-Fi QR code format is WIFI:T:WPA;S:network-name;P:password;; where T specifies the encryption type (WPA, WEP, or nopass). WPA2 or WPA3 is the current standard; WEP should never be used due to known vulnerabilities. Semicolons, colons, and backslashes in SSID or password must be escaped with a backslash.

An important caveat: passwords in Wi-Fi QR codes are not encrypted. Anyone who scans the code can read the password. For public displays, use a separate guest network and rotate passwords regularly. Dynamic QR codes cannot help here since Wi-Fi credentials must be stored directly in the code.