Mom's iPhone can't connect to WiFi (WEP - "incorrect password")

[Leah Frances]

My Mom got one of those refurb'd AT&T iPhones ($200!). Who knew she was so cool? She does NOT have the data service because everywhere she goes she has access to WiFi. Here's the problem: Dad has set up a WEP WiFi at home and Mom can't connect.

Here's what happens:
- iPhone can 'see' the network'
- iPhone requests password (Dad insists that it is not a password because it is really a passkey, or something)
- I disabled the auto-caps and entered the 13 character passkey
- iPhone reports back with a "incorrect password" error.

I've poked around the forums and am having some trouble.
1. When I click on the network with the blue arrow it does not give me the option to "forget this network". It's just not there.
2. I do not get the option to change the WEP password from WEP hex or ASCII - it just isn't there.

Any ideas on how to proceed? Or why the phone is missing these things? I am going back tomorrow and would like to help her get online.

Thanks

[Eraserhead]

Prefix with a Dollar ($)

Better yet use WPA security, as it can withstand more than a trivial assault (WEP can be cracked in less than 1 minute).

[Leah Frances]

I know WEP isn't the best security. But, it isn't my network, and for some reason (god knows what) Dad wants to use it. So, Mom is stuck with trying to connect to the WEP.

[wandererrob]

I just got around thisa problem myself just minutes ago and am now making the rounds to the forums I sought info in.

Here's what I did to get onto my home network with my new iphone. I had to enter the WEP key. Not the password my laptop uses, but the 26 character Hex key. I can only hope I only have to ebter it once though! LOL!

But it did work for me and my iphone is now on our home network wifi.

Good luck! :D

[Rushmore]

Had this problem for a couple of days now, and finally cracked it!

Bear with me through explanation, as I'm sure it'll solve your problem. With my router, I have WEP protection. The passkey (i.e. 7A533AA1C7) is generated by me inputting some text (in this case 'nickiscool') and the router converting it to hex or something. I then have four options of codes similar to the above (let's call them 1,2,3 & 4). I select one of these, apply the settings, and thats the passkey set.

Then, I go to my wireless settings on my PC, try to connect to the wifi and input the passkey. Crucially, beneath the passkey entry bit is a 'Key Index', this has to be set to the correct number (1,2,3 or 4) for the connection to work.

For example, I have chosen passkey 2, so I must set my key index is set to 2. Everything works and I'm all happy. That is until I try to find the wifi on my new iphone...

It finds the network, but every time I input the correct passkey, it says it's incorrect. Frustrating! But, what it seems to me is that the iphone's 'Key Index' is permanently set to 1. So, to fix...

- Go into your router settings, generate passkeys and pick option 1.
- Go into your wireless settings, input the new passkey and set 'Key Index' to 1 so your wireless keeps working.
- Attempt to connect with your iphone, use new passkey.
- Bet it works!

Best of luck with it. Tricky and annoying problem, but this seems to have fixed it for me, and I tested it a couple of times to make sure the theory is correct.

Cheers

Nick