beginner wireless security part 2

I am new to Wireless Technology.I bought the BT Voyager Wireless router,I have a windows 98SE desktop,and a Windows XP laptop.I bought and installed the card for the desktop, and PC card for the laptop.

I wanted to make my laptop my main computer as it is a pentium 4 and the desktop is a Windows 98SE Celeron.

Everything works fine,I can connect to my broadband from both computers at the same time,but what i want to do is share files and use the desktop printer for my laptop.This does not seem easy to do.

If you know JoJo how to connect the two i would be grateful for a step by step guide.Maybe we can share ideas more as we learn more.

I also secured using WPA/PSK but on links it says Security WEP. strange.

Thank in advance

Kevin

well...we have different routers, but the same setup. both machines are wireless.

I don't know about making anything the "main computer". As far as I know, both are just computers on the same wireless network.

I have not gotten that far yet. As soon as I have basic security, I'll try the same thing. Someone in another thread said something about making sure AP was selected. I don not know how to do that or where it is yet...so you are a little ahead of me.

Be happy to work with you, as long as you know up front that I am clueless too! ;-) Let me get to that point, or let me know if you reach it first.

I don't understand that! you secured WPA/PSK and WEP on the XP and WEP only on the 98? How does the router let you through?

Sure, jojo

Taking a moment's reflection, jojo mused: | | I enables WPA on the XP machine and router and all was fine. | Then I put a wireless card in my Windows 98 SE desktop | and it could not access. The card has the ability , but I guess 98 does | not? Doc said I could only upgrade XP machines.

WPA is so much better than WEP, that I would recommend connecting the 98 box with a wire rather than wireless. 98, I have found, does not really support WPA out of the box. There may be a third party application that will do it (Funk Software perhaps), but no free solution I can find to add WPA support to 98. The Netgear and Linksys drivers for the wireless cards I have support WPA, but it will not work when installed in 98 (2000 and XP are fine).

I might be able go wire the 98...depends on how the house is wired.

JoJo My router,my desktop card,my pc laptop card are all installed.I am getting my normal broadband internet on both just like normal. The signal strength is excellent.

I hid my SSID so when i click the signal icon on taskbar it does not show my router name.I did this as instructions advised.I now need to type this instead,when I make changes to each card settings.

I installed WPA/PSK on both my laptop and desktop and I could not get any internet while this was doing it/until i had done both cards/adaptors.I give a password for this when setting up.Now this is done everything working well.

What is strange when i click the signal icon on taskbar and click the link tab it gives a overview of what is set up. under security it says WEP/TCIP not WPA/PSK.......but the program i set it up on says WPA/PSK....strange.

This is how far i have gone.

I just need to sort out the file/printer sharing.I think it may be because a windows 98SE/Windows XP clash.

Keep in touch

kevin

Taking a moment's reflection, Kevin mused: | | I hid my SSID so when i click the signal icon on taskbar it does not show | my router name.I did this as instructions advised.I now need to type this | instead,when I make changes to each card settings.

Doing this adds nothing to security. The SSID is attached, unencrypted, to every packet transmitted. Anyone who can receive your packets can detect your SSID whether you broadcast it or not ... and it may cause issues with connectivity down the road.

| What is strange when i click the signal icon on taskbar and click the link | tab it gives a overview of what is set up. under security it says WEP/TCIP | not WPA/PSK.......but the program i set it up on says WPA/PSK....strange.

This is common. The software "monitors" check for encryption, and report "something" ... most are not very accurate.

Which card do you have? The WG311v2 did not support WPA-PSK in the native GUI until about two weeks ago. If this is the card you have then download the latest firmware and it should work.

-- Simon Pleasants "Keep a dream in your pocket.... ....never let it fade away"

Taking a moment's reflection, Simon Pleasants mused: | | Which card do you have? The WG311v2 did not support WPA-PSK in the native | GUI until about two weeks ago. If this is the card you have then download | the latest firmware and it should work.

Linksys WPC54G and Netgear WG511. Both support WPA under 2000 and XP, and are supposed to support it under 98 ... but neither will associate with WPA under 98.

kevin,

did you check your xp firewall settings (regarding printing from your

98 to the xp)? they tend to default back a couple of times here and

there when you first network (or such has been my experience on more

than one computer and occasion). if one of my team says they can't

print, i even still check the firewalls on all the computers involved

and it's usually that (because my ips change addresses due to the

DCHP). although after the initial few times on the xps i didn't have

trouble with them. now its only occasional someone's ip is out of the

zone.

babs