How to Connect a PSP to Wi-Fi: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Ensure your Wi-Fi network is compatible with PSP and connect

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 Fact Checked

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Connecting Your PSP

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Changing your Wi-Fi Security Settings

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FAQ

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Video

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Q&A

It’s easy to connect a PSP to a wireless internet network. However, the PSP doesn’t support newer security protocols, such as WPA2 and WPA3. If you can't connect your PSP to Wi-Fi, you may need to change your network security settings. This wikiHow teaches you how to connect a PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld device to Wi-Fi and how to change your wireless security settings if you need to.

Quick Steps

Make sure your router’s security settings are set to “WPA-PSK” or earlier.
Turn on your PSP's WLAN switch.
Open the Settings menu on the XMB bar.
Go to Network Settings > Infrastructure Mode > New Connection.
Select Scan and select your wireless network.
Select the security protocol and SSID and enter your password.

Section 1 of 3:

Connecting Your PSP

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Check your Wi-Fi security settings. The PSP doesn’t support more recent Wi-Fi security protocols. If your W-Fi security settings are set to WPA2 only or WPA3, your PSP will not be able to connect to your wireless network.^{[1]
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Research source} Log in to your router’s web interface and set the security settings to “WEP,” “WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES]” or “WPA2 Personal TKIP+AES.”
- Be aware that setting your router to an older security setting will leave your Wi-Fi network less secure and more vulnerable to attacks. You may want to change your Wi-Fi settings back when you are done using your PSP.
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Ensure the WLAN switch is ON. You will need to toggle the WLAN switch on your PSP in order to enable Wi-Fi connections. Here's how:
- On the PSP-1000 and PSPgo, the switch is on the left side, next to the analog nub. Slide the switch up.
- On the PSP-2000 and 3000, the WLAN switch is on the top of the PSP, to the left of the UMD drive. Slide the switch right.
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Update your PSP. You must have at least version 2.0 of the PSP's operating system to connect to the Internet.
- The most current PSP operating system is 6.61. You can download it from here. If you are not able to connect to the internet, you can load it onto a memory stick and update your PSP without an internet connection.^{[2]
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It's the suitcase icon on the far-left side of the XMB menu.
This option is at the bottom of the Settings column of options.
This allows your PSP to connect to a wireless access point, such as your home network's router.
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Select New Connection and press ✕. This will allow you to create a new connection to be saved on your PSP.
- If you already have a working connection saved, select it and press X. Doing so should connect you to the Internet. You can save up to ten different connections.
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Select Scan and press ✕. Your PSP will look for any available wireless networks.
- If your PSP can't find any networks, move closer to your router.
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Select your network and press ✕. After scanning, a list of available networks will be displayed; select the one that you want to connect to.
- The signal strength for each network will be listed next to the network name. Opt for a signal strength of more than 50%.
- If all the networks are greyed out and you are unable to select them, this means your PSP doesn’t support the security protocol. You will need to log into your router’s web interface and change your security settings.
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Press the "Right" arrow on the "SSID" screen. This will select your current network's name.
- Changing the name here may cause issues with your Internet connection on other devices.
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Select the WPA-PSK (AES) option and press the "Right" arrow. This will set your network's security type as WPA, which is supported by the PSP.
- If your Wi-Fi settings are different from WPA (i.e., WEP), select that instead.
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Enter the password. Press X on the "WPA Key" screen, enter your network's password and press X, and then press the "Right" arrow.
- Wireless passwords are case-sensitive, so make sure to enter the password exactly.
Doing so lets the PSP use the router's default settings.
This will confirm your network's name.
You will be shown a list of all of your settings. Make sure everything looks correct, then press the "Right" button on the directional pad to continue and press X to save your settings.
This will test your PSP's connection to the Internet. If you see "Successful" on the Results page, then your connection was properly configured.

Section 2 of 3:

Changing your Wi-Fi Security Settings

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1
Find your router's IP address. This will be used to access the configuration page. Use one of the following steps to find your router’s IP address:
- Windows - Open Start, and type “CMD.” Right-click the Command Prompt and click Run as administrator. Type “ipconfig” and press Enter. Note the “Default Gateway” address.
- Mac - Open the Apple menu and click System Settings. Click Network. Then click Wi-Fi (or Network). Click Details next to your active Wi-Fi connection. Click the TCP/IP tab. Note the IP address next to “Router.”
You can do so on your computer or mobile phone.
This will open your router's web interface, which allows you to make changes to your router settings.
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Log in with your administrator account if prompted. You will need to enter your username and password to be able to access your router's settings.
- If you cannot figure out the login information, you can manually reset the router by pressing and holding the "Reset" button on the back for at least 30 seconds.
- The default username and password can be found in the documentation that came with your router or printed on a sticker on the router itself.
The exact wording here will vary on different routers.
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Change your security type. Select either WEP, WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES], or WPA2 Personal TKIP+AES.
- If you choose "WPA2 [AES] only” or WPA3, you will not be able to connect.
You may first have to open the Advanced Wireless Settings. Again, the wording may vary.
If MAC address filtering is on and you can't disable it, add your PSP's MAC address to the list of allowed devices. You can find your PSP's MAC address in the "System Information" section of the PSP's Settings menu.
If you still can't get the connection to work, you'll have to take the PSP into the tech department for further evaluation.

Section 3 of 3:

Frequently Asked Questions

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Is WPA-PSK a security risk? It’s more of a security risk than WPA2 or WPA3. Older security protocols are much more prone to attacks and hacking. If you are concerned about security, you may want to change your router’s settings back when you are done using your PSP.^{[3]
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Will changing the security settings affect other devices? Yes, if you have other devices connected to your Wi-Fi, you may need to reconnect those devices to your Wi-Fi.
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Can I connect the PSP without affecting other devices? Only if your router supports it. If your router supports multiple SSIDs or has a guest mode, you may be able to change the security settings on those without affecting other devices. Then, you can connect your PSP to one of the other SSIDs or the guest network. You may also be able to make an exception for your PSP and allow it to connect.
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Why can’t my PSP find any Wi-Fi networks? Make sure the WLAN on the top or side of your PSP is turned on. If it's on, try moving closer to your wireless router. If it still can’t connect to your wireless network, try restarting your router. If that doesn’t work, see if it can connect to a different wireless network. If it can’t, the network interface may no longer be functional.^{[4]
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Can I connect my PSP to a mobile hotspot? Yes, you can try connecting your PSP to a mobile hotspot. However, you will need to disable the security settings or make sure your security settings are set to WPA or WEP.

Community Q&A

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Question

It says my PSP needs its own IP address. When I punched in the IP address I knew, it said the PSP needs its own beyond the MAC address. What should I do?

Community Answer

Turn on WLAN and go to the internet and when it asks for wifi, punch it in with the wep/wep2 and password.

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What if my WiFi is WPA2 and not WPA?

Community Answer

In general, a device that can connect to WPA should be able to connect to WPA2. If you're having trouble connecting, try accessing your router's interface and enabling UPnP. This setting allows the easy addition of external devices.

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Question

What should I do if it says "Connection failed"?

Ishmam Dhrubo

Community Answer

It's not a problem with your PSP problem. Maybe your router has turned off the main connection to go to proxy.

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