# Cannot connect to WPA-PSK network



## will.smothers (Jul 30, 2006)

Okay, I have done quite a bit of research and I still cannot resolve my problem because of this, I am turning to this user community.

Here is what I know as of right now:

I am running Windows OS X 10.4.7 with AirPort Update 2005-001. My Access Point is a 3COM 8250.

The AP is setup not to broadcast its SSID, to use WPA-TKIP (or in Apple terminology, WPA Personal) and the password is set to use alphanumeric.

When I try to connect my PowerBook with the SSID name, WPA Personal and the correct password, I get the following error:

The password you entered is not correct for the Airport network *********.

To troubleshoot here are the test I have run and their outcomes:

Test
- Result
-------------------------------------------------------------
Set the AP to completely open 
- Connected
Set the AP to open, didn't broadcast the SSID 
- Connected
Set the AP to WEP, broadcast the SSID 
- Connected
Set the AP to WEP, didn't broadcast the SSID 
- Connected
Set the AP to WPA & WEP, broadcast the SSID
- WEP : Connected
- WPA : Not Connected
Set the AP to WPA & WEP, didn't broadcast SSID
- WEP:Connected
- WPA:Not Connected
Set the AP to WPA only
- Not Connected.

Now, I should mention that when I was running 10.3.3 I could not connect either. The AP is running the newest firmware and I have three Windows XP SP2 laptops / workstations that can connect with no problems.

I have tried to find a compatibility matrix on both 3COM's and Apple's websites to see if it might be a compatibility issue but I have not been able to find one on either site.

Any help that anyone could provide would be greatly appreciate.

Thanks in advance.


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## camgangrel21 (Jul 30, 2006)

Did you set the AP to use shared open keys or did you set the AP to what is known as WAP2.
If you did set it to WAP2 I think it's called WAP-PSK on some hardware.
Now if you have set that, Apple says that there 802.11g chips will work with WAP2 only on there Airport hardware.

I have that same thing happen on my G4 laptop with a 2Wire DSL Modem that has WiFi in it. What had to do was back to the WAP-Shared and it would work.
WAP-Shared is what came out after WEP was shown to not work.
So to be able to use WAP2 I had to get a WiFi card that could and would do WAP2.
That is the one big bitch that I get when someone that I know gets one of then new Intel Laptop.
Because Apple did away with putting a PCMCIA Slot on them. So they can't just go and get a 3rd party WiFi card.
Hope that helps you out.
---
I can also be found at The Cam Report. I take a look at Mac Software and Hardware and other thing that is Macintosh.


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## hawki18 (Jul 30, 2006)

You can try putting a $ sign if front of your password. I had them same issues with wep and my I Book.  Some thing about Mac and WEP on non airport routers do not play nice.  I am using linksys router went to WPA and no problems


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## will.smothers (Jul 31, 2006)

Camgangrel21 - Thanks for the response. WAP-PSK stands for Wireless Application Protocol - Pre-Shared Key. Yes, my AP is set for WAP-PSK not WAP2. The AP is in hidden mode so that it cannot be detected on a fast scan.

I had thought that maybe it was my PSK but I reset it to something very simple (No special characters, no numbers) and it still did not work!

At this point I am at a lose! I wish OS X would write a log or that I could turn up debugging so I can could find out exactly what is happening!

One other strange thing I am seeing is that even though OS X says it fails to authenticate, my AP shows the MAC address of the airport card as a client! I really think it is a bug in the OS X code but I do not have support with Apple to get them to work on it.

Again, thanks for the response.

- Will


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## will.smothers (Jul 31, 2006)

hawki18 - I believe that you are referencing something for WEP, not WAP. WEP is the older standard that has been replaced by WAP. WAP was introduced in the RFC that updated 802.11 to the G standard.

- Will


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## hawki18 (Jul 31, 2006)

Wep does also work with wirless g standard


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