Soldato
The PSP Interweb Mini-FAQ
1. Before you start
Q. What do I need to use the PSP's Internet browser?
A. You need a PSP patched with the version 2.0 firmware and wireless access to the Internet via a router, or public access point.
Q. Where do I get the version 2.0 firmware?
A. UK PSP owners can find it on the demo disk. First plug your PSP into the mains. Then let the PSP boot up to the main menu by not inserting the UMD, and then put in the demo disk. Press right on the d-pad until you reach the game icon, and look one item down to an icon which looks like a UMD with two arrows in it, which is labelled 'PSP Update ver 2.00'. Select this option and follow the on-screen instructions.
Japanese or US PSP owners check the PSP website for your PSP's region.
Q. But I am t3h l33t hax0r and don't want to upgrade to 2.0 as I won't be able to run my r0ms!!!
A. Tough. Either stick with the earlier versions or give up your l33t ways and upgrade, there is no other way to get access to the 2.0 PSP browser.
2. Security information you need
Q. SSID? WEP? WPA? OMGWTFBBQ!
A. These are common terms associated with wireless networks.
A SSID (Service Set Identifier) is the name associated to the wireless network and is often broadcast publicly. For more security, some people chose to withhold the SSID. In this case you must ask the network administrator for the SSID, or if that's you, check your wireless connection settings for the name.
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was the first (and still most common) form of encryption to secure data travelling over wireless networks. WEP keys, the method of accessing WEP protected networks, are normally either 64 digits long (10 hex) or 128 digits long (26 hex). Again the system administrator will have this information.
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is a newer, more robust method of encrypting wireless networks, designed to patch the flaws found in WEP. There are many flavours of WEP, but 99% of the time you will find that your WPA connection is of the TKIP (beyond the scope of this FAQ) PSK (Pre-Shared Key) variety. This is the only flavour that the PSP supports currently. This form of WEP requires user to possess a Pre-Shared Key, which ranges between 8 and 63 hexadecimal digits long, again usually known by the system administrator.
Q. The network uses no form of encryption, what information do I need?
A. Is it your network? First of all that's just insane, consider adding WEP or WPA encryption to it. Is it someone else's you happened to find? If so, it is against the law to gain access to it. Is it a free access point? Cool! For an unsecured network, you need only the SSID.
Q. The network uses WEP encryption, what information do I need?
A. You will need the SSID and the WEP key.
Q. The network used WPA encryption, what information do I need?
A. You will need the SSID and the WPA Pre-Shared Key.
3. How to set up your PSP to access a wireless network
1. Boot up your PSP without a UMD in the drive to load the main menu. Browse all the way down the settings menu until you reach the 'Network Settings' option.
2. Select this option. Select 'Infrastructure Mode'.
4. Select '[New Connection]'.
4. Enter the name of the connection using the PSP text entry system. This is the name under which the connection settings will be stored; it does not have to be the same as the SSID. Press right on the d-pad.
5.a If the SSID is broadcast publicly, select 'Scan' and press right on the d-pad. Select the wireless network you wish to access and press x, and then press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to part 6 of this FAQ].
5.b If the SSID is not broadcast publicly, using 'Scan' in 4.a did not find any networks, or you just want to enter the SSID manually, select 'Enter Manually'. Enter the SSID using the PSP text entry system, and then press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to part 6 of this FAQ]
6.a If the network has no encryption, select 'None' [Please jump to section 7 of this FAQ]
6.b If the network uses WEP encryption, select 'WEP' and press right on the d-pad. Enter the WEP Key using the PSP text entry system and then press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to section 7 of this FAQ]
6.c If the network uses WPA encryption, select 'WPA-PSK (TKIP)' and press right on the d-pad. Enter the WPA key using the PSP text entry system and then press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to section 7 of this FAQ]
7.a Almost all routers assign all of the rest of the network settings using DCHP (check your manual), therefore select 'Easy' and press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to section 8 of this FAQ]
7.b If the router does not have DCHP, using 'Easy' fails, or you like spending hours using the PSP text entry system, select 'Custom' and go through the options one by one. The information required here can be found in your router's setup pages or provided by your system administrator. [Please jump to section 8 of this FAQ]
8. Review the settings list and then press right on the d-pad when you are happy. Press x to save these settings.
9. Press x to select 'Test Connection'. The PSP should find the network and then display a lot of network information to you. If you have got this far, you should be able to use the Internet Browser.
10. Press circle twice to return to the main menu.
4. How to use the Internet Browser
Q. Where is the browser?
A. The Internet Browser can be found under 'Network', the last option on the main menu.
Q. How do I enter an Internet address?
A. Make sure the menu system (the grey 'letterbox' bars with several options' is visible, if it is not, press triangle to show it. Use the d-pad to highlight the address bar and press x. Then use the PSP text entry system to enter the address.
(This section will be expanded on if more questions are asked)
5. Troubleshooting
Q. I am getting the error 'The WLAN switch is not turned on'!
A. This is the seemingly most common problem people are having. Using the wireless facility of the PSP can drain the batteries needlessly if it is not needed, so Sony put a switch to turn it on or off on the left side of the PSP next to the analogue nub. Move it to the up position to turn the WLAN on, however remember to turn it off when you don't need it.
Q. I have followed this guide step by step but I cannot connect to the 'net, I am using WPA encryption
A. Forum users have reported a lot of difficulty trying to connect to networks using WPA. Please post your problem in this thread and someone may have the answer. If an error number appears, try Googling that number and see what comes up. Unfortunately the only reliable way to access the Internet if you have this problem is to downgrade to WEP encryption.
Q. I am getting error number 80410D07.
A. A Google search of the error code reveals "This is sort of a generic - "your network configuration is ****** up" error message. The problem is either that you don't have the PSP-to-WAP setup correctly (usually the security settings) or the PSP can't get an IP address from your DHCP server." This error code is also used when your router is incompatible with the PSP. Lastly, this code is used when running in 802.11g mode rather than 802.11b (info courtesy of Windle).
To see if this error message is caused using 802.11g mode, check your router's settings to see what mode it is running it. If it is running in 802.11g, try changing it to 802.11b (this will have the side effect of making your entire network slower). If it is set to 'mixed mode' also try setting it to 802.11b.
(This section will be expanded on if more questions are asked)
6. Miscellaneous questions
Q. Can I access the Internet by connecting my PSP to my PC using USB?
A. No. Confusion exists here as you can download updates such as game packages from the PSP portal to your PSP using a USB cable, however this method download the package to your PC and then transfers the data over USB.
Q. Can I use my wired network?
A. Unless it has a wireless access point, no.
7. Please read before posting in this thread
This thread details how to use the Internet on the Sony PSP, a common question on this forum. Please feel free to reply to this thread if you have any other PSP network related questions, can offer any advice you think needs adding to the FAQ or notice any spelling mistakes or factual errors. Any other PSP questions, advice or flaming belongs in other threads.
Contributors: BoomAM, pioneer2000, Windle
1. Before you start
Q. What do I need to use the PSP's Internet browser?
A. You need a PSP patched with the version 2.0 firmware and wireless access to the Internet via a router, or public access point.
Q. Where do I get the version 2.0 firmware?
A. UK PSP owners can find it on the demo disk. First plug your PSP into the mains. Then let the PSP boot up to the main menu by not inserting the UMD, and then put in the demo disk. Press right on the d-pad until you reach the game icon, and look one item down to an icon which looks like a UMD with two arrows in it, which is labelled 'PSP Update ver 2.00'. Select this option and follow the on-screen instructions.
Japanese or US PSP owners check the PSP website for your PSP's region.
Q. But I am t3h l33t hax0r and don't want to upgrade to 2.0 as I won't be able to run my r0ms!!!
A. Tough. Either stick with the earlier versions or give up your l33t ways and upgrade, there is no other way to get access to the 2.0 PSP browser.
2. Security information you need
Q. SSID? WEP? WPA? OMGWTFBBQ!
A. These are common terms associated with wireless networks.
A SSID (Service Set Identifier) is the name associated to the wireless network and is often broadcast publicly. For more security, some people chose to withhold the SSID. In this case you must ask the network administrator for the SSID, or if that's you, check your wireless connection settings for the name.
WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was the first (and still most common) form of encryption to secure data travelling over wireless networks. WEP keys, the method of accessing WEP protected networks, are normally either 64 digits long (10 hex) or 128 digits long (26 hex). Again the system administrator will have this information.
WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is a newer, more robust method of encrypting wireless networks, designed to patch the flaws found in WEP. There are many flavours of WEP, but 99% of the time you will find that your WPA connection is of the TKIP (beyond the scope of this FAQ) PSK (Pre-Shared Key) variety. This is the only flavour that the PSP supports currently. This form of WEP requires user to possess a Pre-Shared Key, which ranges between 8 and 63 hexadecimal digits long, again usually known by the system administrator.
Q. The network uses no form of encryption, what information do I need?
A. Is it your network? First of all that's just insane, consider adding WEP or WPA encryption to it. Is it someone else's you happened to find? If so, it is against the law to gain access to it. Is it a free access point? Cool! For an unsecured network, you need only the SSID.
Q. The network uses WEP encryption, what information do I need?
A. You will need the SSID and the WEP key.
Q. The network used WPA encryption, what information do I need?
A. You will need the SSID and the WPA Pre-Shared Key.
3. How to set up your PSP to access a wireless network
1. Boot up your PSP without a UMD in the drive to load the main menu. Browse all the way down the settings menu until you reach the 'Network Settings' option.
2. Select this option. Select 'Infrastructure Mode'.
4. Select '[New Connection]'.
4. Enter the name of the connection using the PSP text entry system. This is the name under which the connection settings will be stored; it does not have to be the same as the SSID. Press right on the d-pad.
5.a If the SSID is broadcast publicly, select 'Scan' and press right on the d-pad. Select the wireless network you wish to access and press x, and then press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to part 6 of this FAQ].
5.b If the SSID is not broadcast publicly, using 'Scan' in 4.a did not find any networks, or you just want to enter the SSID manually, select 'Enter Manually'. Enter the SSID using the PSP text entry system, and then press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to part 6 of this FAQ]
6.a If the network has no encryption, select 'None' [Please jump to section 7 of this FAQ]
6.b If the network uses WEP encryption, select 'WEP' and press right on the d-pad. Enter the WEP Key using the PSP text entry system and then press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to section 7 of this FAQ]
6.c If the network uses WPA encryption, select 'WPA-PSK (TKIP)' and press right on the d-pad. Enter the WPA key using the PSP text entry system and then press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to section 7 of this FAQ]
7.a Almost all routers assign all of the rest of the network settings using DCHP (check your manual), therefore select 'Easy' and press right on the d-pad. [Please jump to section 8 of this FAQ]
7.b If the router does not have DCHP, using 'Easy' fails, or you like spending hours using the PSP text entry system, select 'Custom' and go through the options one by one. The information required here can be found in your router's setup pages or provided by your system administrator. [Please jump to section 8 of this FAQ]
8. Review the settings list and then press right on the d-pad when you are happy. Press x to save these settings.
9. Press x to select 'Test Connection'. The PSP should find the network and then display a lot of network information to you. If you have got this far, you should be able to use the Internet Browser.
10. Press circle twice to return to the main menu.
4. How to use the Internet Browser
Q. Where is the browser?
A. The Internet Browser can be found under 'Network', the last option on the main menu.
Q. How do I enter an Internet address?
A. Make sure the menu system (the grey 'letterbox' bars with several options' is visible, if it is not, press triangle to show it. Use the d-pad to highlight the address bar and press x. Then use the PSP text entry system to enter the address.
(This section will be expanded on if more questions are asked)
5. Troubleshooting
Q. I am getting the error 'The WLAN switch is not turned on'!
A. This is the seemingly most common problem people are having. Using the wireless facility of the PSP can drain the batteries needlessly if it is not needed, so Sony put a switch to turn it on or off on the left side of the PSP next to the analogue nub. Move it to the up position to turn the WLAN on, however remember to turn it off when you don't need it.
Q. I have followed this guide step by step but I cannot connect to the 'net, I am using WPA encryption
A. Forum users have reported a lot of difficulty trying to connect to networks using WPA. Please post your problem in this thread and someone may have the answer. If an error number appears, try Googling that number and see what comes up. Unfortunately the only reliable way to access the Internet if you have this problem is to downgrade to WEP encryption.
Q. I am getting error number 80410D07.
A. A Google search of the error code reveals "This is sort of a generic - "your network configuration is ****** up" error message. The problem is either that you don't have the PSP-to-WAP setup correctly (usually the security settings) or the PSP can't get an IP address from your DHCP server." This error code is also used when your router is incompatible with the PSP. Lastly, this code is used when running in 802.11g mode rather than 802.11b (info courtesy of Windle).
To see if this error message is caused using 802.11g mode, check your router's settings to see what mode it is running it. If it is running in 802.11g, try changing it to 802.11b (this will have the side effect of making your entire network slower). If it is set to 'mixed mode' also try setting it to 802.11b.
(This section will be expanded on if more questions are asked)
6. Miscellaneous questions
Q. Can I access the Internet by connecting my PSP to my PC using USB?
A. No. Confusion exists here as you can download updates such as game packages from the PSP portal to your PSP using a USB cable, however this method download the package to your PC and then transfers the data over USB.
Q. Can I use my wired network?
A. Unless it has a wireless access point, no.
7. Please read before posting in this thread
This thread details how to use the Internet on the Sony PSP, a common question on this forum. Please feel free to reply to this thread if you have any other PSP network related questions, can offer any advice you think needs adding to the FAQ or notice any spelling mistakes or factual errors. Any other PSP questions, advice or flaming belongs in other threads.
Contributors: BoomAM, pioneer2000, Windle
(the router that is, good god not the PSP).