newbie - how to change WP key index in MS XP Home?

On 23 Apr 2007 05:36:38 -0700, Baron Samedi wrote in :

Switch to WPA with a strong passphrase -- WEP is too easily cracked to be of any real value.

1) I would prefer to, but I seem to recall that XP did not support WPA. 2) the new deveice does not support WPA 3) thanks for helping. Do you know where I can see the WEP key index in XP home and just change "3" to "1"?

On 23 Apr 2007 16:49:50 -0700, Baron Samedi wrote in :

WPA _is_ supported in Windows XP

Good reason to get a different device. Seriously. Would you wear a condom with a hole in it?

No. But if you are going to stay with unsafe networking (WEP), you could just switch to Index 1 -- there's no advantage to Index 3

Thank you very much for your reply, I do appreciate that you are trying to help - but the way to do that is to answer the question which I did ask, rather than the one which you think that I ought to have asked.

I do realise that that comes over as sounding round, and I do not mean it to do so, but I just want an answer to a question which I am now coming to suspect I should have asked in a Windows group, rather than this one.

Good news indeed. When I first set up this network, WPA was only supported on XP pro, not XP home.

My problem is still that, no matter how much I gogole, nor no matter how much I click around on Windows settings 9and I am no newbie in that respect), I cannot, for the life of me, see how to change the WEP key index, or, to change to using WPA (I presume that they are on the same or neighbouring tabs).

Can anyone help?

I just did - and it doesn't (appear to) support WPA< although the documentation is rather cryptic (and there was no point in asking the kid selling it). Look, let's try one thing at a time. First I must get WEP working on Windows XP home, simply by changing the Key index from 3 to 1 - but HOW? After that, I will worry about the new device.

A what?

That's the whole point - HOW do I make that change on XP home?

Having a fully patched XP SP2 Laptop that is capable of WPA2 and I have no problems changing a Key Index for WEP using the windows utility.

1.rt click on the wireless icon in sys tray. 2.click on "Status". 3.click on the "Properties" tab in the pop-up window. 4.click on the "wireless networks" tab in the next pop-up window. 5.Highlight the network you wish to access and click on "properties". 6.On the "properties" pop-up you will see the details of that network including your WEP Key and "Key Index (advanced)" and I can either input manually 1-4 in the box or I can use the up and down arrows. Then press "OK".

If your new device doesn't appear to support WPA I would suggest you check to see if there is a driver upgrade to provide this functionality.

Supports it fine (with SP2 anyway).

yuck - swap it.

Probably depends on your client software - don't think you can do it with WZC.

On 23 Apr 2007 21:58:38 -0700, Baron Samedi wrote in :

The "problems" with asking for free support are that you don't have the right to demand anything, and that when you get snotty about it, people stop trying to help you. I personally think messing with WEP is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, and thus isn't a good use of my time. Likewise trying to help people that can't be bothered to give careful and polite consideration to whatever advice is provided.

condom n. a thin sheath, usually of very thin rubber, worn over the penis during sexual intercourse to prevent conception or sexually transmitted disease.

Using WEP for security is like using a condom with a hole in it for sex.

XP Home only allows one key, but does let you specify the index of that key (1-4). The confusing thing is that XP Home 1-4 may correspond to

0-3 in other implementations.