Configuring WEP

[peterkronenberg]

I configured a WEP key on my router. My 2 computers running WinXP (pre-SP1 plus all updates that don't have SP1 as a pre-req) have no problem connecting. But the computer that is running all the latest updates (SP1 + the rollup fixes, plus all other critical updates, etc), cannot connect. It doesn't seem to be accepting the key (13 character ASCII).
What can the problem be?

Peter

[cszeto]

13 ASCII characters does not sound like the proper amount of characters required for a hex WEP key. It is either 10 hex numbers for 64-bit WEP or 26 hex numbers for 128-bit WEP.

You probably want to take a closer look at your wireless manager. 13 ASCII characters is probably a pass phrase that is used to generate a hex WEP key. Not all wireless managers supports the use of a pass phrase generator (i.e. XP wireless manager).

[peterkronenberg]

13 Ascii characters is the same as 26 Hex characters.

It works fine for 2 of my systems. Only the one running SP1 has problems.

[cszeto]

If you firmly believe so...

The hex strings that are typically used for 128-bit WEP are 26 entries of hex numbers from 0 to F (big hint here if your entries contains any characters outside of this range or if there is only 13 entries in the hex number range). You might double check that the hex strings are not somehow being intermingled with pass phrases which are used to generate the hex strings.

Some wireless managers are pretty good about being very strict on qualifying the entries. Others will perform no validation and will simply not work.

[peterkronenberg]

I tried using a 26 character hex string and I still get the same exact problem with the SP1 system. The pre-SP1 systems have no problem at all.

Peter

[cszeto]

SP1 includes a built-in wireless manager that works with some wireless network cards. You might check to ensure that maybe two wireless managers are not conflicting.

In the worse case scenario... Since you already have machines that are not running SP1, you can also roll back the problematic machine likewise.

[Daz15_Trapcity]

can you help me with my msn messenger its not working its saying error code 00x8100370 everytime I try to log in

[cszeto]

This "messenger" issue does not seem to have any relation to this existing thread. If "messenger" is the only network application having difficulties, then it is probably a software specific issue with the application and not related to basic SOHO network or anything to do with security. The is probably the wrong forum for assistance in that area. You will probably get a quicker and more accurate answer in a software forum that actually deals with the "messenger" application.