Auto connect to wireless network from sleep

[stv1701]

I've just enabled WEP on my wireless router (D-link). Now when I wake my powerbook from sleep I have to select the network from the airport icon in the menu bar in order to connect again. Before I had the WEP enabled it used to connect automatically. Is there a way automatically connect to my network when I wake my powerbook from sleep with WEP enabled?

Cheers

[michaelsanford]

I've had a similar annoyance (I personally believe it to be a bug in the AirPort software).

Is your D-Link WiFi network in the "Connect automatically to..." field in Network Preferences ? If not, add it, along with your credentials, and make sure you save your password to the keychain.

[MDLarson]

I think I am having the same problem, except I haven't tried to put my wife's new iMac G5 that I got her for Christmas(!) to sleep - I have restarted a few times and it doesn't connect automatically.

I have a Linksys WRT54G wireless router and here are its settings:
Security Mode: WEP
Default Transmit Key: 1 (with options of 1, 2, 3 or 4)
WEP Encryption: 128 bits 26 hex digits
Passphrase: <a password>
Key 1: <big long string of numbers and letters>
Key 2: <big long string of numbers and letters>
Key 3: <big long string of numbers and letters>
Key 4: <big long string of numbers and letters>

When I try to connect to the router using the passphrase, it fails. I can only connect through the Internet Connect app when it prompts me for a WEP key. I enter it in, and boom, I'm on the network.

BUT, when I go to my System Prefs and try to join a specific network, I don't have the option of entering in a WEP key; I can only do a password, which doesn't work...

Here's another question... why does the Internet Connect application exist? All that functionality should be in the Network preference pane.

[MDLarson]

Hmm, I was digging around Apple's support site and came across this link describing how to connect to an encrypted network, but it doesn't address the issue we're having.

And I did try putting the iMac to sleep and waking it up - it did not reconnect - same problem we're all having.

[WinWord10]

Originally Posted by MDLarson

When I try to connect to the router using the passphrase, it fails. I can only connect through the Internet Connect app when it prompts me for a WEP key.

If you're using a HEX wep password, you need to type "0x" before it in the password box. (i.e. 0x3b09148a...)

[MDLarson]

Originally Posted by WinWord10

If you're using a HEX wep password, you need to type "0x" before it in the password box. (i.e. 0x3b09148a...)

Hey, that works! Nice tip - how the heck did you come across that?!?

p.s. The quote in my signature is better!

[MDLarson]

I came across this page in the AirPort Extreme Card User's Guide:

Joining a 128-Bit Encrypted Wireless Network

If you want to join a third-party wireless network that requires 128-bit encryption, you have two options for entering a password, depending on the password scheme the network's administrator has setup.

If you were given a password that is 13 characters, you may need to use double quotation marks before and after the password. Thirteen-character passwords are usually case sensitive.

Example: "password12345"

If you were given a password that is 26 characters, you may need to put a dollar sign ($) before the password.

Example: $12345678901234567890abcdef

If you need additional information on your 128-bit password, contact your network administrator.

[WinWord10]

Originally Posted by MDLarson

Hey, that works! Nice tip - how the heck did you come across that?!?

p.s. The quote in my signature is better!

Because hexadecimal numbers always start with 0x. The dialog boxes that have the drop down option for hex just hide it from you.