wireless router connection problems

i have a Linksys wireless router in my house with personal WPA password on it.

i also have a five year old Dell computer in my room that i enherited.

i also have a USB wireless receiver.

i plugged the wireless receiver into the Dell, it then asked for the drivers, i then went to the Linksys website and put the drivers on a USB flash drive, and transfered them to the Dell.

Now my problem:
When i try to log into my wireless router signal, it asks me for a WEP password. wtf? i though i had a WPA password, not a WEP password.

now what?

USB wireless transciver:
Linksys WUSB54GSC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124076

Wireless Network Router:
Linksys WRT54GX2

http://www.wifiknight.com/wep-vs-wpa-a-brief-primer-article/

Here is some info on the differences. It looks like a patch or update may have occured to update your router maybe?

JohnB said:

http://www.wifiknight.com/wep-vs-wpa-a-brief-primer-article/

Here is some info on the differences. It looks like a patch or update may have occured to update your router maybe?

Click to expand...

i just now updated the firmware on my router (which is connected to my nice computer, not the dell i was talking about). but over at that Dell computer again, its still asking for a WEP password to connect the USB transciever

You want WPA. (WEP was rushed to market with flaws. WPA fixes them. WPA2 cleans up the remaining rough edges and is what they should have started with.) I don't know your hardware or software. It sounds like your router and good computer are doing WPA fine. If so, then your Dell computer or the USB adapter must be the problem. It may be as simple as updating the adapter driver on the Dell. However, if your Dell OS or the adapter HW isn't capable of WPA, well it'll be more trouble.

(I assume Windows. I don't remember if Windows did WPA 5 years ago. Linux didn't get it going reliably until maybe 18 months ago. I just bought an ASUS Eee PC which has a WPA bug I'm waiting for them to fix....)

the Dell is running XP. it was assembled in 2002 or 2003. the drivers for the USB wireless transciever are the ones from the Linksys website so i'm sure they're new.

Have you tried using the password anyway?

I have no idea, honestly - I use an open network with Chillispot instead of any connective security. Connect to my wifi, see if I care - you're not getting past that without a username and password that I assign..

yeah, i've tried the password anyways, it still asks for a 40bit encryption or something. can't remember the exact message, may not even be 40bit.

Do a reset on the router by pushing in and holding the reset button for about 30 seconds. This will default it back to factory settings. Then try and set to WPA.

Are you using the free Linksys EasyLink Advisor? It may help you out...I don't remember all the options it offers.

StevieRay said:

Do a reset on the router by pushing in and holding the reset button for about 30 seconds. This will default it back to factory settings. Then try and set to WPA.

Click to expand...

my router does have a WPA password right now, but that Dell computer on the other side of the room is asking for a WEP password and i can't connect.

jayhackett03 said:

... XP... in 2002 or 2003....

Click to expand...

I found:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...25-CE2B-47A4-ABEC-274845DC9E91&displaylang=en

which says MS patched XP to do WPA in 3/2003. I'm guessing your Dell started life unable to use WPA. It seems like the update wasn't made or didn't take. I'd start researching with the link above and experiment with the OS updates. (Or, rather *I'd* give up. This is the reason I don't do Windows. But if you're looking for a challenge... )

Good luck. I hope you find the right trick.

LED_astray said:

I found:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...25-CE2B-47A4-ABEC-274845DC9E91&displaylang=en

which says MS patched XP to do WPA in 3/2003. I'm guessing your Dell started life unable to use WPA. It seems like the update wasn't made or didn't take. I'd start researching with the link above and experiment with the OS updates. (Or, rather *I'd* give up. This is the reason I don't do Windows. But if you're looking for a challenge... )

Good luck. I hope you find the right trick.

Click to expand...

wow! thanks!

i downloaded the update onto my flash drive, and tried to install it onto the Dell. It told me i had to install Service Pack 1 first. Currently its installing Service Pack 1. I'll let you know, once i install the wifi update, if we made any progress.

I have used those USB wireless adapters and personally I think they perform poor. Does your laptop have a PCMCIA slot? If it does I would try a linksys PCMCIA wireless card.

I bet the SP2 full update will work, but I hope you don't mind if I brainstorm the first and most frequent thing that I get calls about --

Are you sure the network that's asking for WEP is in fact the same one coming from your router (could it be a neighbor's WiFi?). If it's just SSID="Linksys" as default then it's often mixed with others.

Sorry to ask the obvious, but I don't know your experience level and even so ... well... it happens to most of us at some point.

i got it to work after i installed Service Pack 1 and the Windows Wireless update. I then updated with Windows Service Pack 2.

A PCI wireless card for the computer almost arrived via DHL today (too bad i wasn't here to receive it from DHL)

if only i could find some cheap RAM for these.

PC133 512MBx2 SDRAM

Yes, WPA was not a part of XP originally. You have to update.