The PSP Interweb Mini-FAQ

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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. :p

Contributors: BoomAM, pioneer2000, Windle
 
Windle said:
SiD, might want to add in that a lot of people have problems getting their psp onto a wifi network which is encrypted with WPA-PSK as the psp doesn't appear to be too good with it (couldnt get mine to work) and there's plenty of people online that are also complaining that it won't work with WPA-PSK, in which case they'll need to drop down to WEP.

Yeah I'll do that now. Shame I can't work get the problem myself, I just reconfigured my network to use WPA PSK and it works fine on the PSP. The only side affect was I managed to boot my Dad off his laptop, as he's sitting in the garden doing some work!
 
iamgud said:
I went on a WiFi hunt last night, Was a bit bored so I walked down the road with my PSP, constantly scanning for Wirless networks. Found about 6 by just walking down my road. Quite funny seeing what people call their SSID.

I was always suspicios of some people on my street. They have a Wirless network with a dodgy SSID and WPA Encrypion.(The strongest type)

I know thy are up to something LOL.

If only my PSP had some kind of Windows Explorer so you can view shared folders. :D

(sorry if we arn't supposed to post in here, I can delete).

Nah its relevent so feel free to post!
 
pioneer2000 said:
Right, no matter what i do i keep getting Error "80410D07".

I've tried pretty much everything-

Standing next to router (100% reception)
Using "easy" settings on Psp
Using manually configured settings
Reserving an ip address for the psp on the router

I have disabled encryption on my router.

It is a Netgear DG834G.

Well I was going to suggest entering everything manually and perhaps trying to run it without any encryption but seeing as you have already done this, I dunno! The only non-helpful advice I can give is that I have had 3 DG834G in the past, and not one was stable or reliable so they all went back (it went back, they sent a replacement even though I asked for a refund, and that did't work, so only after I returned the 2nd (3 total) replacement did they give me a refund!

I might suggest updating the firmware on the router itself. Seeing as you can't access even with zero encryption, it can't be a WPA problem, but a problem with either the PSP or the router.
 
pioneer2000 said:
cheers sid! I've always had problems with netgear routers! :(

Will give updating the firmware a try- don't suppose u know if it will remove my setings when updating firmware?

Cheers

Check the readme files: sometime it does reset them others it doesn't. If I recall however, there is a menu option on the router to save the settings to a text file if you are worried about losing your settings.

Out of curoisity what type of DG834 do you have, the big grey one or the Ipod-esqe small one? Though I had difficulties with the latter, apparently the former was the most buggy.
 
BoomAM said:
Just minor things like descriptions of what the various abriviations mean, but im a little too techy for my own good, and fleshing the descriptions out wouldnt really benefit anyone. :)

They are correct according to my Networking textbook :p Though you are right, not exactly the most important part of the post.
 
Windle said:
A quick google chucked up lots of these, here was one reply from a diff forum

"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."

And apparently is also the error code when your router is incompatible (according to Sony some routers just don't like the psp), and apparently can also be a problem with 802.11g as the psp should be using 802.11b

Ah ha! You may have stepped on a great point there. Pioneer change your wireless speed from mixed mode or 802.11g to 802.11b and see if that makes any difference. Not sure if its a DHCP problem though as Pioneer said he did enter all the info manually with no success...
 
pioneer2000 said:
Lol- NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! I thought u guys had solved it then when i read the "a hah".

I've tried setting my router to mixed mode (b & g)- that made no difference :(

Only other thing now is that i guess my router might just be incompatible - which to be fair takes the michael 100%.

Gah I thought that might be it. Have you tried setting it to purely b mode? My only other answer would be to run it throw it out of the window :rolleyes: (the router that is, good god not the PSP).

Also, perhaps a quick mosey down to Starbucks or a friends house to check if you can get 'net access at all to make sure its not a problem with the machine itself.
 
pioneer2000 said:
haha, I would love to chuck the router out the window! I've tried setting it to just b but it still won't have it.... :o

Dang, I'm fresh out of ideas then :( I'd still give it a go on another wireless network if you can get to one (like a public hotspot) to see if that works.
 
unknown79 said:
So if i had a wired router, like i do.. if i bought a wireless access point, i could access the PSP's internet? :rolleyes:

Bit of a noob when it comes to networks :p

In theory- the wireless access point gives your rired router wireless capabilites. There are two problems, firstly the access point must be compatible with the router (check your manual to see if one of the RJ45 ports has 'uplink' capabilities) and the PSP must be compatible with it, which as you can see from this thread, some aren't. I would suggest if you really want to buy one (using the Interweb from the PSP is, for me, just a novelty) you phone Sony and ask what models are compatible.
 
nickels said:
eeerrr guess its an access point, i have a pci network card im like unknown79, a noob when it comes to networks

Is this network card for a wired network or wireless? If its the former, you need to actually buy a wireless router or access point :p If its the latter, you should have a wireless router or access point already. Do you have something with one or more aerials comming out of the back?
 
nickels said:
woops left out the wireless bit :p its a wireless network card..... i have a wired network though :D

I don't understand. I wireless network card would be one with an aerial in the back, which connects over the airwaves to a wireless router which also has an aerial. A wired network card would be one that connects by a cable to a wired router. One cannot connect to the other....
 
unknown79 said:
Well tbh my router manual ( i think ) has well gone now :p So i just did a little search for my router and found it. This is my router and read its specs it looks like its got uplink capabilities..

Its the "Mercury KOB SDH5P"

Couldnt just give it a quick check for me could u ;)

Thanks

Hmm complicated. This product is a switch, which controls a network but not access to the Internet. How do you access the Internet?


The manual is here by the way: http://www.mercury-pc.com/downloads_list.php?productid=100
 
BoomAM said:
Its a bit poor on Sonys part that only certain WAPs work with the PSP.
Prehaps they'll release a software update down the line which'll add compatibility.

If I remember my networking lectures properly, its not actually Sony's fault for a change. The wireless 802.11 standard is huge and buggy, and the only reason half of computer can connect to wireless routers is through drivers that plug holes and issues, obviously something the PSP can't do.
 
nickels said:
right i have a wired network to connect to the internet.... then i thought if i got a pci wireless adaptor i could connect through that with my psp.... loads of people said you could

Wireless networks can exist in what is known as Ad-Hoc mode, where there is no router or other controlling box, and each PC connects to the next, with no PC being in control. This requires complex algorithms and drivers to create the pseudo router. As I understand it (I could be wrong) the PSP does have Ad-Hoc mode, but it is specificially designed to allow PSPs to connect to PSPs, and does not include the nessecerry (sp) drivers to be part of a PC Ad-Hoc network. As far as I am aware, the only solution to your set up would be to buy a wireless access point and add it to the wired network.
 
unknown79 said:
atm directly, but it used to be..


Internet > Modem > (In) PC 1 Network Card 1 > (Out) PC 1 Network Card 2 > Router/Switch > PC 2 / PS2

Holy cow thats a complicated set up :p

If I am reading this correctly, you have an ADSL modem now?

Before you had a modem with an RJ45 port (like a square phone socket) which connected to your PC, which was used as a gateway to the Internet by having a separate 'out' network card to another PC or the PS2.

What equipment do you have now then?
 
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