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change wep key on router, unable to get laptop to connect

T

Tommunist

Golden Member
I changed the WEP key on my router and I changed the connection profile in windows XP on my laptop to match the new WEP key. I get stuck in "acquiring network address" for a while and then I get the infamous "limited or no connectivity" message. I know the modem and router are working fine because my PC internet connection is doing fine.

If I switch the WEP key back to the old one I can get the laptop to connect again. What gives?? TIA.
 
youre probably screwing up the new key somewhere. try again, do it slow....but do it with WPA2, because WEP is considered worthless
 
It means that you did not really changed the Passphrase in the Router.


If you did it via Wireless, switch to Wire.

As a principle Router's menus should not be configured via Wireless.
 
Also agree you have a key mismatch - because that's the symptom. You connect to the wireless network but can't communicate with anything.
 
I changed the WEP key via my PC and was very careful about typing in the key. I also had to type in the old key to get the laptop working again when I switched back so I think I'm typing everything alright. Are there key limitations (can't use all ASCII characters, symbols, etc.)?

My other security modes that I have available are WPA-PSK and WPA. Would one of these be better? Thanks for the help so far.
 
From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Break" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(A little Harder, but "Hackable" too).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Break).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).

Note 1: WPA-AES the the current entry level rendition of WPA2.

Note 2: If you use WinXP and did not updated it you would have to download the WPA2 patch from Microsoft.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357

The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with your Wireless hardware.

All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass phrase.

Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible of one of the Wireless devices.

I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.

If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the device with a better one.

Setting Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

The Core differences between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 - http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html
 
Yeah - currently my laptop only supports WEP. This still doesn't explain why I can't change the key though. I've been very careful with my typing and other keys still won't work. The fact that I can successfully type in the old password again and again tells me my typing is fine. I even uninstalled the network card driver and reinstalled and still nothing...
 
The only way to be sure is copy/paste. You have an encryption mismatch somehow - could be key, could be key length, could be which key on the list of 4 you're using. But this is an encryption mismatch.
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
The only way to be sure is copy/paste. You have an encryption mismatch somehow - could be key, could be key length, could be which key on the list of 4 you're using. But this is an encryption mismatch.
Click to expand...

I just tried a copy/paste on the ASCII string and still nothing (when I tried using the HEX version earlier I also used copy/paste). I was still able to get the connection working again when I switched back to the old key.
 
If it's working with the old key, the new key didn't go through properly on the wireless router. Only 1 key will work. Also, please tell me your not using WEP encryption? Use WPA or WPA2. Wep is too easy to get in to.
 
Originally posted by: kevnich2
If it's working with the old key, the new key didn't go through properly on the wireless router. Only 1 key will work. Also, please tell me your not using WEP encryption? Use WPA or WPA2. Wep is too easy to get in to.
Click to expand...

So I got WPA-PSK working on the laptop and I changed the security on my router to WPA-PSK and that seems to work fine. I still don't know why I couldn't change the WEP key before but that's a moot point now. Thank you all for the help. :thumbsup:
 
Originally posted by: Tommunist
Originally posted by: kevnich2
If it's working with the old key, the new key didn't go through properly on the wireless router. Only 1 key will work. Also, please tell me your not using WEP encryption? Use WPA or WPA2. Wep is too easy to get in to.
Click to expand...

So I got WPA-PSK working on the laptop and I changed the security on my router to WPA-PSK and that seems to work fine. I still don't know why I couldn't change the WEP key before but that's a moot point now. Thank you all for the help. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

yay

wpa-aes or wpa2 is better if your hardware supports it, but wpa is still a good step over wep 🙂
 
Originally posted by: xSauronx
Originally posted by: Tommunist
Originally posted by: kevnich2
If it's working with the old key, the new key didn't go through properly on the wireless router. Only 1 key will work. Also, please tell me your not using WEP encryption? Use WPA or WPA2. Wep is too easy to get in to.
Click to expand...

So I got WPA-PSK working on the laptop and I changed the security on my router to WPA-PSK and that seems to work fine. I still don't know why I couldn't change the WEP key before but that's a moot point now. Thank you all for the help. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

yay

wpa-aes or wpa2 is better if your hardware supports it, but wpa is still a good step over wep 🙂
Click to expand...

Yeah - my router doesn't have an option for wpa2. I don't know if a firmware update could possibly remedy that...
 
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