Need help setting up WEP wireless network

[roc17]

Trying to help a friend here - he has Verizon DSL w/Westell router. Currently has his wife's laptop setup w/no problems. Someone else had helped with that awhile ago.
Trying to get another laptop with RaLink card and Dell desktop with Belkin USB FSD7050 adaptor. Seems like I can config each to successfully connect to internet, but then the connection is lost after a shutdown/reboot (??) I am inputting the WEP number from the bottom of the router for each machine....do I need some type of unique number for each or do they share that number? Also, is it being lost on reboot because I have to save the config...and if so...how?

Thanks so much in advance.

P.S. both machines cabled to the router work fine so it's definitely a wireless config thing.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Are you using the Windows wireless configuration tools? For the RALink card I personally prefer their software. Either way that information should be saved automatically I believe.

All machines will use the same WEP key.

 

[roc17]

I am using the card config software for both. I am not in front of the machines now...but I remember a checkbox to connect automatically or something like that. And yet still....it needs to be configed from scatch each time.

Should I be creating a profile somehow and saving that?

 

[n0cmonkey]

In the RALink software you create what (I think, the software isn't handy at the moment) they call a profile for the network. You add a profile, fill in the necessary information (SSID and WEP key) and save it. I think that's about all you need.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: roc17 I am inputting the WEP number from the bottom of the router for each machine....

I think you are confusing WEP with MAC number.

May be this can Help, http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

Here is an example how WEP is done, you generate the encryption key in the Router's Wireless section and then you configure the same in the Wireless computer, http://www.ezlan.net/example/wep_pass.jpg

 

[roc17]

Thanks for the links.......there is actually a WEP number, along with a MAC address on the bottom of the Westell router. That number matched the number that I found listed in the networking software on the one laptop (IBM Thinkpad) that is working fine on this network.