Wireless Security Questions

[AndyCambs]

Hi - just been out and bought myself a new wireless router from PC World (Linksys WRT54GS-UK). I previously had an Actiontec router with the NTL version software.
I have two laptops running Windows XP, both fully updated.
One laptop has the options under the wireless properties - Network Authentication of Open, Shared, WPA, and WPA-PSK. The second laptop only has the option of Open or Shared, which means I can't use WPA encryption.
Secondly, this laptop can see the network, as it appears in the list, but cannot connect - and that is even on an unsecured network with no encryption. Incidentally, I'm using the Actiontec USB Wireless adaptor for this laptop.
As a workaround - I've put the Actiontec router in one of the spare wired ports of the Linsys router, and it means I have two networks for two laptops. It works, but it's a bit clumsy.
Anyone have any ideas why the laptop can see but not connect to the Linksys router?

[kfridge]

So, the first laptop that can handle WPA etc. is connected to the network and is fine?

The second laptop uses the actiontec adaptor and cannot connect to the router?

If this is the case, then maybe the adapter is not compatable with the new router - the router is obviously working fine as the other laptop connects with no problem? Not sure how you could check this though without buying another adaptor...

[AndyCambs]

Laptop 1 - has built-in wifi and connects with Linksys and Actiontec
Laptop 2 -uses the Actiontec wifi USB adaptor, and although it can see the Linksys network, fails to connect, and doesn't have the WPA facility.
At the moment, as I've mentioned, I've worked around this by connecting the Actiontec router to the out port 2 of the Linksys router. I suppose at some point it might be worth trying a Linksys adaptor - I'll wait for PC World to sell them individually so I can take it back if it doesn't work...

[jellybaby]

is the USB adapter setup just to connect to the Actiontec?
Maybe the SSID or something

[jem]

Anyone have any ideas why the laptop can see but not connect to the Linksys router?

Yes it's because your Linksys router is broadcasting its SSID value which the second laptop can see but can't negotiate the encryption for so hence can't attach to. Open and Shared refers to WEP (wireless equivalent privacy) encryption which is not particularly effective but better than nothing WPA is far better, PSK stands for Pre Shared Key which is a form of WPA where you manually specify an initial encryption key on both the laptop and the router.

Now reading through the posts it looks like that the second laptop can't connect even with encryption swiched off. If so then I'd be tempted to condemn the Actiontec adapter. In theory they should all conform to the standards and anything should work with anything else but in practice it never quite works out like that. I'd recommend that you get yourself a new PCMCIA wireless card for the second laptop and forget USB. If you can get a Linksys card then it's virtually guaranteed to be compatible. Use WPA-PSK if you can and you should be good to go.

Good luck

John

[Chris W]

*moving to networking...*

[AndyCambs]

Originally Posted by jem

Yes it's because your Linksys router is broadcasting its SSID value which the second laptop can see but can't negotiate the encryption for so hence can't attach to. Open and Shared refers to WEP (wireless equivalent privacy) encryption which is not particularly effective but better than nothing WPA is far better, PSK stands for Pre Shared Key which is a form of WPA where you manually specify an initial encryption key on both the laptop and the router.

Now reading through the posts it looks like that the second laptop can't connect even with encryption swiched off. If so then I'd be tempted to condemn the Actiontec adapter. In theory they should all conform to the standards and anything should work with anything else but in practice it never quite works out like that. I'd recommend that you get yourself a new PCMCIA wireless card for the second laptop and forget USB. If you can get a Linksys card then it's virtually guaranteed to be compatible. Use WPA-PSK if you can and you should be good to go.

Good luck

John

My guess was that the Actiontec USB aerial was not compatible with the Linksys system - I am assuming it is the driver which will add the variety of encryptation? You're right, even with the SSID unhidden, and no encryptation, I can see but not connect - it came back with some error, like speak to your systems administator, which is a fat lot of good! I was trying to use the equipment I already had - I'll probably lash out on a new Linksys USB aerial shortly, although at the moment, the Actiontec router is sitting happily daisy-chained to the Linksys router.