Want to make the router secure, but when i chose 1 of the 3 options (WEP / 802.1x / WPA) and set the passwords the other computer wont connect to the network even with the password. (error message saying: The network password needs to be 40bits or 104bits depending on your network configuration. This can be entered as 5 or 13 ascii charecters or as 10 or 26 hexadecimal charecters.) Thanks for any answers.
NETWORK WIRELESS security?
OK, first, every item you attach to your wireless network has to be compatible wiith the wireless encryption method you use. In addition to the hardware compatibility, you software firewall also must be compatible.
Now, I have used Panda Internet Security Suite since early '05, after Norton crashed my system with a disaterous virual infection. It was such a bad infection, it wiped out my Dell Recovery Partition.
When I first attached a router to build my first network, I too had a horrific deal getting my wireless to actually connect to the Internet. While the wireless connection reported the Status as Connnected, along with the signal strength, and the fact it was secured, everytime I attempted to open my browser, I received an error message. My connection also would not be able to receive an IP address, it kept stating, "Aquiring IP address".
Now, the first error, with a valid connection, encryption all configured, turned out to be due to a corrupted winsocket. I ended up running a diagnostics, via my browser, and it then reported the winsocket was corrupt and did I wish to reinstall it, Yes, No? I did so, and then while that corrected that issue, I still was unable to reach the Internet, with the second error, "Attemptimg to aquire IP address".
It turned out that my Panda firewall was not compatible with WPA. So, I removed the security software package, and then reinstalled without the firewall, using instead the Windows firewall, combined with the routers hardware firewall. Immediantly, my connection was established.
A few months later a program update fixed the compatibility issue and I was able to install and use the Panda firewall again. For a while.
Now, years later, my Panda '07 had a program update, which lost me my connectivity. It couldn't receive a IP address from DHCP. I did a lot of digging to find out what was wrong, and finally located a new additon to my Wireless Connection's Properties. You know where all the protocols are listed, on the first page? Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), QoS Packet Scheduler, File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks, and Client for Microsoft Networks? Well, a new one was added, called the Panda NDIS IM Filter.
What I did was uncheck the box in front of this Protocol, to see what would happen. Immediantly, without a reboot required, my connection aquired an IP address and reported as connected with a strength of 108mb.
I phoned Panda and it was explained that when the program was updated, this component was added to the firewall for added security. That all DSL connections began having troubles with the Panda NDIS Filter, and it had to be uninstalled. I was reasured that the issue was corrected in the '08 version. Well, it is partially corrected in the '08 version, with the protocol working fine in wired connections, but not in wireless connections.
The reason I am sharing this with you is so you can see that many things can cause connectivity issues. Compatibility is a huge issue with encryption.
Check the compatibility of your software firewall and see if that might be causing your issue. You may need to call your Vendor's technical support.
Now, did you run the Wireless Connection Wizard? Are you sure that the encryption method you have chosen is compatible with all of your adapters?
WEP is the least secure, but it is also the most compatible with adapters. This is because it is the oldest method, and so hardware has had the opportunity for the Vedor's to make it compatible. WPA and especially the newest WPA2 still has compatibility issues.
The only method of ensuring compatibility is to contact each Vendor and ask if it is compatible, or at the very least, read the manuals, or go to the support website and try to locate this information.
Running the Wireless Setup Wizard is needed to set the wireless network settings up properly. While this can be done manually, it is not reccomended, even for those people who are advanced with technology, as the Wizard is the best way to make sure the registry receives the appropriate configurations.
Also, once you run the Wizard on one computer, you can easily place the configuration settings onto a thumb drive, and then it takes only a moment to update each new computer or network node you wish to add to your wireless network. Here is a page about Connect Now technology. While it is only partially implimented in XP, it is fully supported in Vista. You can even configure a modem and/or router if it has a USB port.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using...
If you are using Vista there is a Wizard to help you setup your encryption. Open the Network and Sharing Center and then click on Setup a Network or Connection, and then click on Setup a Wireless Router or Access Point. Click Next.
On the next page click Next again.
Click Create Wireless Network Settings And Save To USB Flash Drive.
Enter a name for your wireless network. This is the SSID, which you already are aware. lol Make up your own name, don't use the default, it is far too bland, plus, it isn't secure. Don't bother to hide your SSID, because it only causes trouble for Users, not anyone who is serious about locating Wireless Networks in an area, they can scan and locate even so called "hidden" ones. Your use of MAC addressing filtering is far more effective than hiding your SSID.
Click Show Advanced Network Security Option. Then select the best security supported and which you know is compatible with all of your computers, adapter, and software firewalls. WPA-Personal probably has a better chance of compatibility than WPA2, but if you are running all new hardware and have the latest software firewall, then you may be able to use WPA2.
*note* If you don't display the advanced options, Windows Vista defaults to WPA-Personal.
Now, enter a passphrase, which Windows uses to generate a security key. Windows suggests a gobbledygood "phrase", but you can replace it with one of your own choosing. (You should create one which is memorable and easily remembered by you, but not easily guessed by other, even others in your household. Consider using letter substitutions, or misspellings, it can be up to 63 charactors long for WPA and WPA2, and may contain letters, upper and lower case, mumbers, spaces, 'not in front or back of phrase', and a WEP security key must be 26 hexadecimal characters 'numbers 0-9 and letters A-F or 10 letters 'case sensitive, numbers and symbols). Click Next.
Select an option for file and printer sharing over the network. You can opt to change this at any point later.
Plug a USB flash drive into your computer, select it from teh list and click Next. (You don't even need to use a UFD--USB Flash Drive--dedicated to this purpose, it can contain other data. All the files (Autorun.inf and Setupsnk.exe in the root folder, plus a handful of files in the \smrtnky folder, take only a few kilobytes of space, and don't interfere with the other files on the UFD.
Remove the UFD from the computer, and plug it into the router. Most routers give some indication when they have accepted the information from the UFD, such as a pattern of blinking lights or some type of message in an LCD Panel. Your router's manual should let you give you this information.
*note* Before you close the Setu UP a Wireless Router Or Access Point wizard, click the "for more detailed instructions" link. Doing this opens a document in WordPad that includes the network name SSID for your wirelesss network and the passphrase or security key you created. Plus, the document includes instructions for adding other devices, wired or wireless, to your network. YOu might want to save or print this document for future reference. If you accidenlty click close before you open the document, you have another option to access it. Open the \Smrtntky\\Wsetting.txt file on the UFD. Although this plan-text document doesn't include the instructions, it does include all the details of yoru wLAN configuration.
*tip* You might be tempted to delete the files from the UFS after you finish with your network configurations. Don't. While you should for security purposes, as leaving it around would give unfettered access to an attacker who wound up with the UFD, instead copy the \Smrtnky folder to one of your profile folders on your computer's hard disk drive. (there isn't any security risk in doing this, because if an attacker has access to your hard drive, you are already as compromised as you could ever possibly be. lol) You might need these files again for several reasons:
Adding a new computer or device to yoru entwork
A visiting friend wants access to yoru wirelss network to use the connection.
You upgrade the firmware in yoru router or other wireless device, and it loses allits settings, and You reinstall Windows on one of your networked computers and need to reconfigure its network settings.
Now, all of this information is of course for a Vista system. However, XP has this ability too. It just uses the Wireless Network Setup Wizard instead. You can still plug a UFD into the Wizard to load the settings, same as in Vista.
This also assumes you are starting from scratch with your security settings. It isn't a huge deal to start over. When you run these Wizards your new settings will overwrite the old, and probably is all you need to correct whatever error you made.
After you finish with the Router, all you do is open the Wizard on each computer you wish to add to the network, and plug in the UFD when instructed. It takes only a moment or two to setup a computer with the UFD.
Now, if you need to you can start from scratch with your entire router setup. If running this Security key wizard doesn't fix your issue, (it should) you may want to take your router back to factory default and start from scratch. This will allow you to create the configuration all over again, and possibly correct any errors which were made initially.
Most new routers have a reset button which allows you to reset it to factory specifications, which wipes out all configuration settings. While you have to start over again, it is often worthwhile to do so.
My Belkin has a reset button which I would hold down for ten seconds to reset factory defaults. Look in your manual for how to reset your router. Some need to do it from the configuration pages, and while mine offers both, due to how there are times when you simply are unable to access those pages, some routers do not.
It sounds like it is one of two issue, or even a combination of both. A compatibility issue, or a security key misconfigurtion.
Before changing anything, be sure to check on compatibility on all adapters, computers, other network nodes, such as print servers, game consoles, etc. Then, check for compatibility for software firewalls. If everything is compatible with the security encryption you have chosen, then go onto to the possibility of a security key/passphrase misconfiguration.
You also need to check on the Workgroup Name. While Vista states that all networked computers do not need to have the exact same Workgroup Name, the network simply works better when it does. Especially for Network Discovery, or Network Topology. Where each node is shown in a icon like structure in each computers Network and Sharing Center.
Each Windows XP Machine *must* be in the same Workgroup for any Network sharing to work, period.
You can check on each computers Workgroup Name by opening up your System Info dialog box, clicking on the Computer Name tab, and it appears part way down the tab. To change the Workgroup Name, click on Change, and then enter the name of your choice at the bottom of the new dialog box which appears.
To quickly and easily open System Info, click on the Pause key, while holding down the Windows Logo key.
I hope you find the error and fix it quickly. It is probably something simple. However, due to how many parts of configuration make up the whole working shaband, it is amazing how that one little configuration can stop the entire connectivity of a network.
Here are some more pages where you can locate further information:
http://support.microsoft.com/ph/11732
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows...
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using...
Consider putting these pages into your Favorites, as they contain a load of information on setting up, managing, and using computers, not just about Networking.
Good luck and I am sorry this became so long. It just is difficult to explain it all in this forum. I wish you a very pleasent evening.
Reply:The ascii password option is not standardised across devices so this may well be your problem. Manually enter the key using the hex key option on both the computer(s) and the router and you should not have any problems.
Also make sure that MAC filtering isn't causing a problem and check that your "open" or "shared" key options are the same on both devices.
Reply:Have you tried all of the security options and still can't connect all the computers to it? If you have tried all of them and are still unable to connect them to the network, I'd get the software and book that came w/ the router and find the phone number for tech support. Call them and they will walk you through it.
Reply:look at this page for help ,wep is normally the 10 to 26 characters and make sure what u put in is the same as u use to connect - ie if you use wep setting up the password you need the pc to be on wep settings
https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm
Reply:Do all that WPA, WEM, YMCA insecure nonsense, it's all easily hackable, then do something better.
Hide your SSID and lock your router down to MAC addresses, job done. No one knows you're there to be hacked and will have a pretty tough time doing so even if they do.
Sorted.
Reply:wpa-shared key
update ur router firmware also . check for updates
do not use words in the dictionary.
change your router default login password also
as said before once your SSID is set up hide it. and don't call it something identifiable to u.e.g. your address etc..
but I use wired , no one can piggy back it etc =)
Reply:if you're using a WEP key for wireless, avoid using a passphrase because it causes problems when networking certain devices.
Instead, enter the keys manually.
Reply:wpa
Reply:try the network key.... like if its a sky one its on that little card you get... or try looking on the modem... i just go my wireless net hooked up =P
Reply:Choose wpa. It should allow you to make the password anything you want.
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