Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B router. When I installed it, I used
128-bit WEP compression on it and saved a passphrase.

My laptop's OS crashed a couple of weeks ago and I figured it was a good
time to upgrade to Windows XP.

I can see my router from the 'Available Wireless Networks' window. However,
(correctly) according to windows the router is WEP-encrypted. But for some
reason, when I enter my passphrase, I get a Windows message saying that it
has to be a 40-bit or 128-bit key and can only be a certain number of ascii
characters.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.
Schiz

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

First, if your router and access card support it, switch from WEP to WPA.
That should solve things and encryption will be much stronger. On the other
hand, if you can't...

Unlike with WPA, there is no standard for generating a WEP key from a
passphrase. Thus, you need to know the key your passphrase generates when
you enter it in the router (your router should display this). This key then
needs to be entered in XP. For whatever reason (and I do not know if this
has been fixed in SP2), you cannot copy and paste the key from a web page.
Apparently, XP's wireless config program cannot properly handle formatted
text. What you can do is copy it from the router's config page (formatting
is present), paste it into Notepad (formatting is removed), copy it from
Notepad (no formatting is present) and now paste it into XP's wireless
config program.

-Yves

"Schizoid Man" <schiz@sf.com> wrote in message
news:cm6q8m$jas$1@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...
>I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B router. When I installed it, I used
> 128-bit WEP compression on it and saved a passphrase.
>
> My laptop's OS crashed a couple of weeks ago and I figured it was a good
> time to upgrade to Windows XP.
>
> I can see my router from the 'Available Wireless Networks' window.
> However,
> (correctly) according to windows the router is WEP-encrypted. But for some
> reason, when I enter my passphrase, I get a Windows message saying that it
> has to be a 40-bit or 128-bit key and can only be a certain number of
> ascii
> characters.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Schiz
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

The problem is that I don't have access to the router, therefore I don't
have the key.

If I had access to the router, I would have simply deleted the WEP
encryption.

"Yves Konigshofer" <yvesk@sStTaAnNfFoOrRdD.edu> wrote in message
news:cm7bqk$pbu$1@news.Stanford.EDU...
> First, if your router and access card support it, switch from WEP to WPA.
> That should solve things and encryption will be much stronger. On the
other
> hand, if you can't...
>
> Unlike with WPA, there is no standard for generating a WEP key from a
> passphrase. Thus, you need to know the key your passphrase generates when
> you enter it in the router (your router should display this). This key
then
> needs to be entered in XP. For whatever reason (and I do not know if this
> has been fixed in SP2), you cannot copy and paste the key from a web page.
> Apparently, XP's wireless config program cannot properly handle formatted
> text. What you can do is copy it from the router's config page
(formatting
> is present), paste it into Notepad (formatting is removed), copy it from
> Notepad (no formatting is present) and now paste it into XP's wireless
> config program.
>
> -Yves
>
> "Schizoid Man" <schiz@sf.com> wrote in message
> news:cm6q8m$jas$1@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...
> >I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B router. When I installed it, I used
> > 128-bit WEP compression on it and saved a passphrase.
> >
> > My laptop's OS crashed a couple of weeks ago and I figured it was a good
> > time to upgrade to Windows XP.
> >
> > I can see my router from the 'Available Wireless Networks' window.
> > However,
> > (correctly) according to windows the router is WEP-encrypted. But for
some
> > reason, when I enter my passphrase, I get a Windows message saying that
it
> > has to be a 40-bit or 128-bit key and can only be a certain number of
> > ascii
> > characters.
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> > Schiz
> >
> >
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

40 bit ascii can be a word like apple
128 (actually 104) can be a word like appleandpeach

You are probably trying to input the key in hex. You might search for a hex
to ascii conversion table and see if you can transate the hex back to ascii.

apple in this case is hex 61 70 70 6C 65



"Schizoid Man" <schiz@sf.com> wrote in message
news:cm6q8m$jas$1@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...
> I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B router. When I installed it, I used
> 128-bit WEP compression on it and saved a passphrase.
>
> My laptop's OS crashed a couple of weeks ago and I figured it was a good
> time to upgrade to Windows XP.
>
> I can see my router from the 'Available Wireless Networks' window.
However,
> (correctly) according to windows the router is WEP-encrypted. But for some
> reason, when I enter my passphrase, I get a Windows message saying that it
> has to be a 40-bit or 128-bit key and can only be a certain number of
ascii
> characters.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Schiz
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Schizoid Man wrote:

> The problem is that I don't have access to the router, therefore I don't
> have the key.
>
> If I had access to the router, I would have simply deleted the WEP
> encryption.
>
> "Yves Konigshofer" <yvesk@sStTaAnNfFoOrRdD.edu> wrote in message
> news:cm7bqk$pbu$1@news.Stanford.EDU...
>
>>First, if your router and access card support it, switch from WEP to WPA.
>>That should solve things and encryption will be much stronger. On the
>
> other
>
>>hand, if you can't...
>>
>>Unlike with WPA, there is no standard for generating a WEP key from a
>>passphrase. Thus, you need to know the key your passphrase generates when
>>you enter it in the router (your router should display this). This key
>
> then
>
>>needs to be entered in XP. For whatever reason (and I do not know if this
>>has been fixed in SP2), you cannot copy and paste the key from a web page.
>>Apparently, XP's wireless config program cannot properly handle formatted
>>text. What you can do is copy it from the router's config page
>
> (formatting
>
>>is present), paste it into Notepad (formatting is removed), copy it from
>>Notepad (no formatting is present) and now paste it into XP's wireless
>>config program.
>>
>>-Yves
>>
>>"Schizoid Man" <schiz@sf.com> wrote in message
>>news:cm6q8m$jas$1@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...
>>
>>>I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B router. When I installed it, I used
>>>128-bit WEP compression on it and saved a passphrase.
>>>
>>>My laptop's OS crashed a couple of weeks ago and I figured it was a good
>>>time to upgrade to Windows XP.
>>>
>>>I can see my router from the 'Available Wireless Networks' window.
>>>However,
>>>(correctly) according to windows the router is WEP-encrypted. But for
>
> some
>
>>>reason, when I enter my passphrase, I get a Windows message saying that
>
> it
>
>>>has to be a 40-bit or 128-bit key and can only be a certain number of
>>>ascii
>>>characters.
>>>
>>>Any ideas?
>>>
>>>Thanks in advance.
>>>Schiz
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

So, you are trying to steal service from somebody's router? And we should
help you why?

OK, if you have permission to use the WAP but don't personally have physical
access, then ask a person who does have access to log into the router's
WEPkey setting page and copy down the passkey. You can then type this into
your WirelessWidget's configuration page.
--
Cheers, Bob

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Schizoid Man wrote:
> I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B router. When I installed it, I
> used 128-bit WEP compression on it and saved a passphrase.
>
> My laptop's OS crashed a couple of weeks ago and I figured it was a
> good time to upgrade to Windows XP.
>
> I can see my router from the 'Available Wireless Networks' window.
> However, (correctly) according to windows the router is
> WEP-encrypted. But for some reason, when I enter my passphrase, I get
> a Windows message saying that it has to be a 40-bit or 128-bit key
> and can only be a certain number of ascii characters.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Schiz

Reset the router to factory: hold in the reset button for a minute.
Connect to the router wirelessly without security, enter the WEP
passphrase, and *copy the first generated key* to use on the computer.
Alternatively, connect to the router by ethernet and copy the key.

Q

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 00:19:24 -0800, "Schizoid Man" <schiz@sf.com>
wrote:

>The problem is that I don't have access to the router, therefore I don't
>have the key.

I'll assume that it's your router. Just reset the router to defaults
and start over. Then use either a 5 character (40bit) or 13 character
(128bit) WEP key. What's happening is that when you enter the WEP key
in ASCII text, the firmware converts your text into hexadecimal
gibberish to use as a key. That key has to be the exact correct
length (10 or 26 hex chars). To make it easier to invent a suitable
WEP key, some vendors allow longer keys, and just use the first 10/16
hex chars. That works fine until you run into a vendor that doesn't
believe in truncation and demands that you use the correct length key.
It's really ugly in a mixed environment. If that seems to be the
problem, try using on the first 5 or 13 ASCII characters of the known
WEP key, or just use a hex WEP key with is always the correct 10 or 26
hex chars in length.

>If I had access to the router, I would have simply deleted the WEP
>encryption.

On the other hand, if it's NOT your router, methinks you should make
your peace with the owner or cease trying to abuse his wireless
system.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Jeff Liebermann" <jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us> wrote in message
> On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 00:19:24 -0800, "Schizoid Man" <schiz@sf.com>
> wrote:
>
> On the other hand, if it's NOT your router, methinks you should make
> your peace with the owner or cease trying to abuse his wireless
> system.

Please read my response to Bob regarding router ownership.

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Bob Willard" <BobwBSGS@TrashThis.comcast.net> wrote in message

> So, you are trying to steal service from somebody's router? And we should
> help you why?

Bob, please read my original post. I wiped my hard drive and upgraded the OS
after I encrypted the router. I remember the passphrase, but unfortunately
Windows XP does not accept passphrases, it only accepts encryption keys.

So no, I am not trying to steal service from anyone else's router.

>
> OK, if you have permission to use the WAP but don't personally have
physical
> access, then ask a person who does have access to log into the router's
> WEPkey setting page and copy down the passkey. You can then type this
into
> your WirelessWidget's configuration page.

I have physical access to the router, but how do I enter the passphrase when
Windows only accepts a key?

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote in message

> Schizoid Man wrote:
> > I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B router. When I installed it, I
> > used 128-bit WEP compression on it and saved a passphrase.
> >
> > My laptop's OS crashed a couple of weeks ago and I figured it was a
> > good time to upgrade to Windows XP.
> >
> > I can see my router from the 'Available Wireless Networks' window.
> > However, (correctly) according to windows the router is
> > WEP-encrypted. But for some reason, when I enter my passphrase, I get
> > a Windows message saying that it has to be a 40-bit or 128-bit key
> > and can only be a certain number of ascii characters.
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> > Schiz
>
> Reset the router to factory: hold in the reset button for a minute.
> Connect to the router wirelessly without security, enter the WEP
> passphrase, and *copy the first generated key* to use on the computer.
> Alternatively, connect to the router by ethernet and copy the key.
>
> Q

The laptop I use at home is an old, clunky Dell machine that does not have a
ethernet card, so I couldn't directly plug it into one of the ethernet port
on the wireless router. I have temporarily circumvented the problem by
connecting a USB directly from the cable modem to the laptop.

I remember the password of the router and was trying to connect to the
192.168.1.1 address wirelessly but I couldn't.

So I am thinking of taking my office laptop home today and connecting to the
router by ethernet. If I am directly plugged into the router, will I be able
to access it?

Also, I thought the WEP encryption would prevent me from going online, but
will let me access the router. It does not let me do even that.

On another note, does WEP degrade performance? Are there any alternatives
anyone can recommend?

Thanks in advance.

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

WEP will encrypt everything between your computer and the router. Thus, if
you do not have the correct key, you cannot connect to the router
wirelessly.

As has been mentioned by others, the easiest solution is to just reset the
router. There should be a button somewhere on the router that you would
need to press for a few seconds (perhaps while turning on the router). That
will restore the router to its factory defaults and will turn off WEP
encryption. You router will also assume the name Linksys (or something like
that) and, until encryption is turned on again, anyone in the area with a
wireless card will be able to connect to it.

-Yves

"Schizoid Man" <schiz@sf.com> wrote in message
news:cm8icv$ms0$1@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...
>
> "Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote in message
>
>> Schizoid Man wrote:
>> > I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B router. When I installed it, I
>> > used 128-bit WEP compression on it and saved a passphrase.
>> >
>> > My laptop's OS crashed a couple of weeks ago and I figured it was a
>> > good time to upgrade to Windows XP.
>> >
>> > I can see my router from the 'Available Wireless Networks' window.
>> > However, (correctly) according to windows the router is
>> > WEP-encrypted. But for some reason, when I enter my passphrase, I get
>> > a Windows message saying that it has to be a 40-bit or 128-bit key
>> > and can only be a certain number of ascii characters.
>> >
>> > Any ideas?
>> >
>> > Thanks in advance.
>> > Schiz
>>
>> Reset the router to factory: hold in the reset button for a minute.
>> Connect to the router wirelessly without security, enter the WEP
>> passphrase, and *copy the first generated key* to use on the computer.
>> Alternatively, connect to the router by ethernet and copy the key.
>>
>> Q
>
> The laptop I use at home is an old, clunky Dell machine that does not have
> a
> ethernet card, so I couldn't directly plug it into one of the ethernet
> port
> on the wireless router. I have temporarily circumvented the problem by
> connecting a USB directly from the cable modem to the laptop.
>
> I remember the password of the router and was trying to connect to the
> 192.168.1.1 address wirelessly but I couldn't.
>
> So I am thinking of taking my office laptop home today and connecting to
> the
> router by ethernet. If I am directly plugged into the router, will I be
> able
> to access it?
>
> Also, I thought the WEP encryption would prevent me from going online, but
> will let me access the router. It does not let me do even that.
>
> On another note, does WEP degrade performance? Are there any alternatives
> anyone can recommend?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Yves Konigshofer" <yvesk@sStTaAnNfFoOrRdD.edu> wrote in message

> WEP will encrypt everything between your computer and the router. Thus,
if
> you do not have the correct key, you cannot connect to the router
> wirelessly.
>
> As has been mentioned by others, the easiest solution is to just reset the
> router. There should be a button somewhere on the router that you would
> need to press for a few seconds (perhaps while turning on the router).
That
> will restore the router to its factory defaults and will turn off WEP
> encryption. You router will also assume the name Linksys (or something
like
> that) and, until encryption is turned on again, anyone in the area with a
> wireless card will be able to connect to it.
>
> -Yves

Thank, Yves. That seems to be the simplest solution. You had mentioned
something about WPA encryption. Is it more efficient that WEP? How do I know
if my router/wireless card is capable of handling this type of encryption?

Thanks,
Schiz

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

WPA is not faster but WEP encryption can be broken. Whether or not WPA is
supported depends mostly on the age of the wireless equipment (and whether
or not you have XP, which you do). If it's less than a year old, it
probably supports WPA. If it's older, it might not. Check with the
manufacturers of your devices.

If the router supports WPA through a firmware upgrade, DO NOT upgrade the
firmware over wireless. You would need to do this using a wired ethernet
connection. Also, do not turn on WPA unless you know that your wireless
card supports it. The moment you turn on WPA, you will not be able to
wirelessly connect to your router unless your card supports WPA.

-Yves

"Schizoid Man" <schiz@sf.com> wrote in message
news:cm93ae$35d$1@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...
>
> "Yves Konigshofer" <yvesk@sStTaAnNfFoOrRdD.edu> wrote in message
>
>> WEP will encrypt everything between your computer and the router. Thus,
> if
>> you do not have the correct key, you cannot connect to the router
>> wirelessly.
>>
>> As has been mentioned by others, the easiest solution is to just reset
>> the
>> router. There should be a button somewhere on the router that you would
>> need to press for a few seconds (perhaps while turning on the router).
> That
>> will restore the router to its factory defaults and will turn off WEP
>> encryption. You router will also assume the name Linksys (or something
> like
>> that) and, until encryption is turned on again, anyone in the area with a
>> wireless card will be able to connect to it.
>>
>> -Yves
>
> Thank, Yves. That seems to be the simplest solution. You had mentioned
> something about WPA encryption. Is it more efficient that WEP? How do I
> know
> if my router/wireless card is capable of handling this type of encryption?
>
> Thanks,
> Schiz
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Schizoid Man wrote:

> "Bob Willard" <BobwBSGS@TrashThis.comcast.net> wrote in message
>
>
>>So, you are trying to steal service from somebody's router? And we should
>>help you why?
>
>
> Bob, please read my original post. I wiped my hard drive and upgraded the OS
> after I encrypted the router. I remember the passphrase, but unfortunately
> Windows XP does not accept passphrases, it only accepts encryption keys.
>
> So no, I am not trying to steal service from anyone else's router.
>
>
>>OK, if you have permission to use the WAP but don't personally have
>
> physical
>
>>access, then ask a person who does have access to log into the router's
>>WEPkey setting page and copy down the passkey. You can then type this
>
> into
>
>>your WirelessWidget's configuration page.
>
>
> I have physical access to the router, but how do I enter the passphrase when
> Windows only accepts a key?
>
>

Use a PC which has a wired connection to the router to log into the router
and capture its passkey. That is one of the reasons why it is a good idea
to have at least one PC wired to a router for a network subnet which is,
basically, wireless.

If you do not have and cannot borrow a wired PC, then you can try giving
the router a hard reset: turn off its power and leave it off for a minute
or so. Some routers will forget all stored params, including the pass stuff.
It may help if you hold down the reset button while powering it back up,
and you may want to try resets, both soft and hard, a couple of times
because some routers are a bit flaky.
--
Cheers, Bob

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Schizoid Man wrote:

> Thank, Yves. That seems to be the simplest solution. You had mentioned
> something about WPA encryption. Is it more efficient that WEP? How do I know
> if my router/wireless card is capable of handling this type of encryption?
>
> Thanks,
> Schiz
>

Since your laptop is old, its NIC is also almost certainly too old
to support WPA, unless the WiFi NIC is much newer than the laptop.
--
Cheers, Bob

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Schizoid Man wrote:

> "Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote in message
>
>
>>Schizoid Man wrote:
>>
>>>I have a Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless-B router. When I installed it, I
>>>used 128-bit WEP compression on it and saved a passphrase.
>>>
>>>My laptop's OS crashed a couple of weeks ago and I figured it was a
>>>good time to upgrade to Windows XP.
>>>
>>>I can see my router from the 'Available Wireless Networks' window.
>>>However, (correctly) according to windows the router is
>>>WEP-encrypted. But for some reason, when I enter my passphrase, I get
>>>a Windows message saying that it has to be a 40-bit or 128-bit key
>>>and can only be a certain number of ascii characters.
>>>
>>>Any ideas?
>>>
>>>Thanks in advance.
>>>Schiz
>>
>>Reset the router to factory: hold in the reset button for a minute.
>>Connect to the router wirelessly without security, enter the WEP
>>passphrase, and *copy the first generated key* to use on the computer.
>>Alternatively, connect to the router by ethernet and copy the key.
>>
>>Q
>
>
> The laptop I use at home is an old, clunky Dell machine that does not have a
> ethernet card, so I couldn't directly plug it into one of the ethernet port
> on the wireless router. I have temporarily circumvented the problem by
> connecting a USB directly from the cable modem to the laptop.
>
> I remember the password of the router and was trying to connect to the
> 192.168.1.1 address wirelessly but I couldn't.
>
> So I am thinking of taking my office laptop home today and connecting to the
> router by ethernet. If I am directly plugged into the router, will I be able
> to access it?
>
> Also, I thought the WEP encryption would prevent me from going online, but
> will let me access the router. It does not let me do even that.
>
> On another note, does WEP degrade performance? Are there any alternatives
> anyone can recommend?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>

WEP does degrade performance, but not much. On some quick tests, I could
see a little loss, but certainly less than 10%.
--
Cheers, Bob

Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

"Bob Willard" <BobwBSGS@TrashThis.comcast.net> wrote in message

> Schizoid Man wrote:
>
> > Thank, Yves. That seems to be the simplest solution. You had mentioned
> > something about WPA encryption. Is it more efficient that WEP? How do I
know
> > if my router/wireless card is capable of handling this type of
encryption?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Schiz
> >
>
> Since your laptop is old, its NIC is also almost certainly too old
> to support WPA, unless the WiFi NIC is much newer than the laptop.

Bob,

My wi-fi NIC is a Linksys WPC11 and is probably a lot newer than the laptop.