# Linksys + WEP + AirPort Card = No workey. Help?



## TranceMaster (Dec 13, 2002)

Okay, I got such good quick help with my speakers question, I've decided to ask another one. Tougher this time.

I have the Linksys Wireless Router/Switch/cheese grater hooked up to my cable modem. Everything works just fine over the ethernet, and the wireless works, but I don't like having the WAP active without WEP. Problem is, I can't seem to get my PowerBook (Pismo, 10.1.5) to sign on if I turn on WEP. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I've tried both the 64 and 128 bit keys, I've tried a few tips I've seen from random places, but all to no avail. Any Mac networking gurus here who can shed some light on this for me? Thanks.


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## jaeyongdavid (Dec 13, 2002)

Insert $ in front of your password.


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## cq107 (Dec 13, 2002)

I haven't gotten the 128bit encryption to work with the airport yet.... but 64bit works fine...


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## bossa nova (Jan 2, 2003)

jaeyongdavid, What's with the "$" in front of the password??? Should it be setup on 64bit or 128 and does it matter?

Thanks in advance,
J.


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## bossa nova (Jan 2, 2003)

I found it. 

After a long search and reading many explanations on how to get the wep key to work with my setup here it is and it is easy. Just post me a message if you need any clarification. This solution was found on macosxhints.com under the title "Enabling WEP with passwords on a Linksys BEFW11S4" unfortunately the poster did not put his name so I can't give him credit. So a big thanks to "Anonymous"

I have added a couple of lines myself to make it even more clear.

Here is the dope without further delay: this is for the following setup that i have... a BEFW11S4 Linksys wireless router, and a G4 Titanium running 10.2.3. 
1.) Open your favorite web browser and type in the routers address (192.168.1.1) in the address line. You will get prompted to enter the password. You do not need to enter a user name just type the password which for the linksys is "admin" (You should change this though-I did!) You should be presented with the setup page once admitted. 

2.) Scroll down the setup page and look for and click the radio button "make WEP mandatory." Then click on the "WEP Key setting" button, a window will pop up, type in your password in the "Passphrase" box, and press 'Generate.' Copy the numbers in the first box titled "Key 1" (the remaining keys...key2, key 3, key 4-do not matter) Once you have copied the numbers in the "Key 1" field close the windows and move on to step 3.

3.) Go to the System Preferences in OS X, select the Network pane and then click the Airport tab. Next click "Join a specific network," choose your access point's name then enter a "$" (without the quotes) and then paste the characters you copied earlier right after the "$" in the password box. Here is an example; say the code you copied was D6AE08 (it would actually be alot longer) It would look like this:
$D6AE08 

Once you have done this the airport card will connect to the linksys automatically with out you having to type in a password.

Some really great tools to help you are; "MacStumbler" and "iStumbler" You can use them for "War Driving" or as I do, which is to check my WAP to make sure I am picking up signals from it.

For some real fun drive around town with Macstumbler or iStumbler (or both at the same time) running on your laptop. You will be amazed at how many wireless networks you will find. You will be even more amazed at how many do not have wep encryption enabled.


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