Shoutbox

Hey guys, I got this problem which never occured before.

I'm trying to put a password, so I can secure my home network, but everytime I do, all of the computers I try to connect to are able to connect, but are limited / no connectivity.

Any help? I got a D-LINk DI-614+

What you need to do is make sure that each computer has the same "Network Key". If they don't have that "key", they generally come up with the limited / no connectivity.

The best way to check is to always use the software given for you network adapter. Never let Windows XP do it unless the wireless adapter is inbuilt to your computer/notebook.

If any computers use a network cable to connect to the router, then there shoudn't be any problems.

The computers connected with the wires have no problems, but it's the wireless that isn't working properly.

What is the key? Is it the encryption code (10 numbers) ?

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Originally posted by alby
The computers connected with the wires have no problems, but it's the wireless that isn't working properly.

What is the key? Is it the encryption code (10 numbers) ?

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In the image below (this is a screenie from my router),  there are series if numbers and letters which make up a "Network Key" depending on what router you have it can vary (A "Network Key" can also be called a "Security Encryption Key"). Mine being NETGEAR it has 26 characters (from memory) at Wired Equivelant Privacy. There are various types of settings that can be used. But remember, if the "Network Key" plays a major role in a wireless network. Without it beimg on the computers, it will cause computer to not share files, access the internet, etc.

quote:

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Originally posted by alby
What is the key?

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quote:

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Originally posted by alby
I'm trying to put a password, so I can secure my home network

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They're the same thing

Hi,

There are several schemes to securing a wireless connection.  The most univerally supported one is WEP with pre-shared key.

To use WEP, you need to choose 64 or 128-bit WEP encryption,  pre-shared key authentication mode, select a key index (1-4) and supply a key.  The key should be 10 hex digits (0..F) for 64-bit, 26 for 128-bit WEP.  For example, this is a valid 64-bit WEP key:

AB12CF345D78

I should note that WEP in general (and particularly at 64-bit encryption strength) is not very secure.  However, it is plenty secure to keep the neighbors off your Internet connection and the 64-bit keys are short enough to be humanly possible to remember when your friend comes over with his laptop. 

Your wireless access point may have an option to generate a key from a passphrase.  If you use that, keep in mind that you should still remember the resulting hexadecimal key for use on clients.  You may be better off just making up one of those to begin with.

You will need to reproduce the same settings on your Windows clients to get them to connect. 

Without some third party software for managing wireless connections, Windows XP doesn't prompt you to supply WEP settings when you try to connect to a secured network -- it just fails.  The best way is to add your wireless network manually.  When you do that, be sure to type the SSID correctly and in the same case as on the access point, select all the same WEP settings, and use the same key.