Wireless Adapter cannot connect with AES (but works with TKIP)!

Sumanji · 16 Feb 2009 at 15:48

Hey,

I'm using a 3Com 3CRUSBN175 USB wireless-N adapter to connect to a 3Com 3CRWDR300A router with WPA2 enabled. The PC with the USB adapter and a laptop with an Intel 4965AGN can both see and connect to the network when TKIP encryption is used.

However, when I turn on AES, the USB adapter is not even able to see the network! It is fully certified for 128-bit AES according to the website. I am using the latest drivers/firmware for all kit involved.

Any ideas please?!

Cheers,

Suman

Sumanji · 18 Feb 2009 at 06:44

*Bump*

Sumanji · 22 Feb 2009 at 19:44

*Bump again!*

NiCkNaMe · 22 Feb 2009 at 20:08

Does the laptop connect to the router when AES is enabled... is it just the USB adapter that does not?

Have you tried earlier driver versions?

Tried upgrading/downgrading the firmware on the AP?

Sumanji · 22 Feb 2009 at 20:22

Yeah the laptop is fine (although with TKIP it only connects at 54g speeds - with AES it connects at 144Mb).

Tried all driver and firmware versions, for both the USB adapter and the router...

Cheers,

Suman

yashiro · 22 Feb 2009 at 20:30

So.
PC+3comUSB. Works with WPA | TKIP. Fails with WPA2 | AES.
Laptop+Intel card. Works with WPA | TKIP. Works with WPA2 | AES.

Looks like a driver issue with the USB doodad. Which is odd as I have some real garbage USB modules here that have no problems via WPA1 or 2.

You could try a good desktop LiveCD Linux distribution to test it out perhaps. They don't install anything and just run from the CD. If the distro has a driver for your dongle and it works via AES then you know what the deal is.

My router allows me to do mixed mode auth so my cruddy WPA devices work via WPA/TKIP and my proper gear uses WPA2.
If you want N speeds you do need to get AES to work though, aye.

Sumanji · 25 Feb 2009 at 22:41

SOLVED!

Realised that the adapter was plugged into a USB1.1 port (old Asus A7V333), so plugged it into a USB 2.0 - now works perfectly, at up to 270Mbps. Very random, but wooooo!!

Cheers

Suman

yashiro · 26 Feb 2009 at 02:10

Indeed. Although some dongles have settings in their driver panel to enable it to work as normal via USB1. I have one myself.