Unable to set up wireless network encryption

Gilly · 21 Dec 2008 at 18:47

Got Sky broadband and using the provided wireless router.

It appears that the old laptop I'm using to try and set it up doesn't support WPA so I'm wanting to use WEP. The auto-setup CD doesn't cover WEP so I'm trying to configure it manually.

Unless the security is turned off completely I can't get a connection. It connects straight away without, but with WEP set up and/or with an access list turned on and configured I get nothing. Even if I set the router to auto-configure.

It may be that the laptop I'm using is just old, but is there anything obvious I'm missing?

tolien · 21 Dec 2008 at 18:55

So if you set the router to do WEP, don't bother with a list of allowed MAC addresses and attempt to connect to it, it fails? What are you using on the laptop as the key to connect to the router - the passphrase used to generate the WEP key, or the key itself?

That aside, WEP's useless, and so is MAC address filtering (on it's own). If it's less hassle, you're not really losing much security by not using WEP.

Gilly · 21 Dec 2008 at 19:08

I'm using the generated WEP key.

I don't want the scuzzers round here stealing my bandwidth

[edit]Now I've managed to get connected using WEP but it won't allow connection to the net. Ive not even changed anything :confused:

I get destination host unreachable when pinging the gateway over wireless. I think it's a problem getting IP info.

tolien · 21 Dec 2008 at 19:21

Gilly said:
I don't want the scuzzers round here stealing my bandwidth

Using WEP's probably not going to change that much, given how easy it is to crack.

[edit]Now I've managed to get connected using WEP but it won't allow connection to the net. Ive not even changed anything

Are you actually getting an IP from the router, or is the laptop just picking an IP - i.e. can you access the router's web interface?

Gilly · 21 Dec 2008 at 19:29

Yeah I was thinking that. Just rebooted and not picked up an IP at all.

I can access the net and the router with encryption off :/

gillywibble · 22 Dec 2008 at 12:08

Are you using Windows to configure the wireless connection on the laptop or the manufacturer of the wireless card/stick?

Might be worth switching to see if one works. Also check for a software upgrade.

mejinks · 22 Dec 2008 at 14:39

what laptop/wireless card?

Gilly · 23 Dec 2008 at 08:43

gillywibble said:
Are you using Windows to configure the wireless connection on the laptop or the manufacturer of the wireless card/stick?

Might be worth switching to see if one works. Also check for a software upgrade.

Just windows. Wasn't given any proprietary software by Sky.

mejinks said:
what laptop/wireless card?

It's a fairly old Dell Inspiron with the onboard card. Don't have it with me so can't be too specific as yet.

tolien · 23 Dec 2008 at 11:18

Any proprietary software would be with the card - if it was a built in card, it's probably Intel.

Skidilliplop · 23 Dec 2008 at 11:21

The Dell driver resource CD should have the Intel Proset wireless (or equivelent) software on it. Alternatively it'll be on t'internets. Safest option is to uninstall the drivers and software then re-install the latest versions off the dell site.

Gilly · 23 Dec 2008 at 11:58

I'm not sure I understand. Would the drivers for the wireless card cause an issue with encryption? The card functions fine when encryption is turned off...

errata · 23 Dec 2008 at 12:20

Gilly said:
I'm not sure I understand. Would the drivers for the wireless card cause an issue with encryption? The card functions fine when encryption is turned off...

Yes, old drivers or connection software can all have problems.

You seem to get an ip for the laptop from the router but possibly no default gateway. any chance you can try connecting via a wire see if the internet connection works at all?

R4z0r · 23 Dec 2008 at 15:23

Skidilliplop said:
The Dell driver resource CD should have the Intel Proset wireless (or equivelent) software on it. Alternatively it'll be on t'internets. Safest option is to uninstall the drivers and software then re-install the latest versions off the dell site.

I'd agree with this, wireless can be a right PITA at times and most of the time (re)installing the latest drivers works.

Skidilliplop · 23 Dec 2008 at 17:16

Gilly said:
I'm not sure I understand. Would the drivers for the wireless card cause an issue with encryption? The card functions fine when encryption is turned off...

Wifi is based on Ethernet. Ethernet spans both physical and data link OSI layers. The datalink layer has two sublayers, LLC upper and MAC lower. MAC functions are done in hardware as a rule and LLC is mostly the responsibility of the device drivers. With Wifi Encryption falls under the LLC (logical link control) side of things. I.e it prevents you extablishing a logical link without a password as the nature of radio waves means a physical/MAC link is always possible.

</technical> basically replacing the drivers replaces the whole LLC for that interface which has a massive impact on it's interaction with upper layers, primarily layer3 and 4 IP/TCP.