Problem with wireless security

nst68 · 28 Dec 2006 at 12:04

Hi

I bought a Linksys WAG54GS for my parents in the summer and originally set the encryption up as WEP and they had no problems with it.
After reading posts on here about how easy WEP was to break and being up there just before Xmas I deceided to change it to use WPA.

Was working fine was I was there, but (typically) since I've left its starting to play up and now refuses to work.
I set the router to use TKIP & AES mixed mode and for it to cycle the key every hour.
They sometimes can use the wireless and sometimes not.
(i'm asking them to connect to the router admin page in case its a problem with the actual ADSL connection).
PC is using a USB wireless "thingy"

and using the Linksys connection software.

Any ideas why WPA isn't working?
They live 4 hours away and I don't get mileage!!!!

meths · 28 Dec 2006 at 17:08

Does it still work okay if you go back to using WEP?

nst68 · 28 Dec 2006 at 17:19

Looks like I'll have to try that, but means having to do it all over the phone and prob resetting the router first or I guess connecting it via a cable will get round the encryption.
Despite the stuff I've read if I can get WEP to work will leave that installed.

ns400r · 28 Dec 2006 at 17:54

You should have configured the remote management in the router.

If the router is rotating keys, is the workstation also configured with multiple keys ?

dalepearson · 28 Dec 2006 at 17:59

Sounds like the client doesnt have information on all the keys, hence it only working sometimes i.e when the keys match.

I would just set it to one key if I were you.

nst68 · 28 Dec 2006 at 19:30

dalepearson said:
Sounds like the client doesnt have information on all the keys, hence it only working sometimes i.e when the keys match.

I would just set it to one key if I were you.

Sounds like this could be the problem, how do I set it to only one key? (is it to do with the key cycle time that I left at 3600 seconds?)
Am pretty sure when I set up the router I could only enter a single key.

tolien · 28 Dec 2006 at 20:16

The 3600 seconds thing sounds like Group Key Renewal, which is a totally different thing - what it sounds like dalepearson's thinking of is with some routers you can give multiple wireless keys, and the machines should rotate through them or something. IIRC it's only for WEP though.

nst68 · 28 Dec 2006 at 20:24

tolien said:
The 3600 seconds thing sounds like Group Key Renewal, which is a totally different thing - what it sounds like dalepearson's thinking of is with some routers you can give multiple wireless keys, and the machines should rotate through them or something. IIRC it's only for WEP though.

Just to check, I should set the same WPA pass-phrase on both the router and the PC.
Does it make much difference if I use the Linksys software to config the USB adapter or just use the Windows Wireless config?
Would getting a wireless PCI card in the first place have made things easier?

tolien · 28 Dec 2006 at 20:29

nellystew said:
Just to check, I should set the same WPA pass-phrase on both the router and the PC.

Yep.

Does it make much difference if I use the Linksys software to config the USB adapter or just use the Windows Wireless config?

Not really, other than I've found WZC can connect before you login versus having to wait for the software to load and do its thing.

Would getting a wireless PCI card in the first place have made things easier?

Possibly, but probably not.

BenST · 28 Dec 2006 at 20:59

ns400r said:
You should have configured the remote management in the router.

Do this if the adsl IP is static! It will make your life so much easier