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WEP vs WPA-PSK

Hi. I've recently set up a wireless network in my house and I am able to get online without any problems (amazingly enough). My housemates, on the other hand, have older systems and are having issues connecting. We believe this to be that they are not compatible with WPA-PSK encryption, to which our router is set. I changed this to WEP, and then for some reason the internet kept cutting out and not working on MY computer. It was slow and spotty. However, the housemates were at least able to connect. But, obviously this solution is unacceptable. ;) I need something where all the computers can be online without issue.

Now, it would be nice if they would all to upgrade their systems. ;) However, I'll try this first. Does anyone know why WEP would be causing bandwidth and/or connection issues for my computer? Or, preferably, how to get an older computer to be compatible with WPA-PSK? They are running Windows 2K and and Win XP, with internal wireless hardware - not sure of the make at the moment. Perhaps a new driver would help? I'm stuck.

Any help appreciated. Thanks!

Reply to
Papafrita
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Bad news for you. Looks like the owner of that Win2k must upgrade both the OS and probably the WiFi NIC as well. Win2k does not support WPA/WPA2 encryption. If I were you, I'd stop troubleshooting WEP slowness and concentrate on getting WPA working properly.

Reply to
Ron

I'm using wpa-psk on win2k as I type.

But... I'm using the Proxim supplicant software that came with my Orinoco gold.

So if the win2k users on the network can find the appropriate supplicant software that'll work with their built in wireless cards, they should be in good shape. Googling...

This thread shows several software-only upgrades they can do to get it workin' and 3 of them appear to be free:

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As you probably know, WEP is easily and rather quickly breakable with freely available tools. Although, WPA-PSK is too unless you've got a very good passphrase that is immune to dictionary attacks.

Best Regards,

Reply to
Todd H.

On 30 Oct 2006 16:28:50 -0800, "Papafrita" wrote in :

The problem is more likely caused by something else, probably interference.

See the wiki below for WPA supplicants and lots of other relevant info.

Reply to
John Navas

Thanks everyone. I'll explore and see what happens!

John Navas wrote:

Reply to
Papafrita

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Yeah I take it back. I should've said W2k doesn't support WPA out of the box. Thanks for the correction.

Reply to
Ron

No worries. It is rather inconvenient that it doesn't include a WPA and 802.1x supplicant the way XP does.

I wonder if hte manufacturers of the machines with built in wireless the OP has in his house might have added a supplicant solution for their later model machines that might work just fine?

Reply to
Todd H.

John Navas wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

I have used this supplicant on a Windows 2000 box with an older Linksys wireless PCI card.

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It took some time to get it running but so far it has worked several months without issues and comes right up on reboot.

Reply to
Frank Hahn

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