Can't connect to wireless network

[Thomas Harte]

Hi,

I'm at a parent's house for a week or two and I'm having difficulty getting my Core Duo MacBook Pro to connect to the wireless network here. This, Windows, computer seems to have no problem.

The network is a WPA-PSK/TKIP type and the MacBook Pro detects the network and correctly identifies it as "WPA Personal". But when I enter the network's personal key, all I get is an error saying that a connection could not be made. The console doesn't seem to contain any further useful information.

From the Windows PC I can access the web interface to the wireless router and I have verified the personal key by resetting it (to the same thing) there. That didn't seem to help. I've also tried entering the key in quotes to the MacBook Pro. Beyond that I really have no ideas.

Anybody got any suggestions?

 

[Compile 'em all]

Make sure that you don't have caps lock on. As well, use the checkbox that lets you see what you are typing in instead of *.

 

[mkrishnan]

What kind of router are you using? With WEP, there are all kinds of troubles associated with hashcoding passwords when they are not exactly the right length. However, my impression was that with WPA, this is not an issue.

This is an alphanumeric key, right? E.g. you are not trying to enter the hex converted key?

Are you sure you're entering the right key? Did you verify that re-adding the same network with the same key on the Windows computer works, or do you just mean that the computer was already connected and so you know the network is working?

 

[tominated]

i had that problem once (with an unsecured network tho). try connecting right near the router and see if that helps. if it does it's your airport signal

 

[Thomas Harte]

I've confirmed the 8 letter alphanumeric WPA key by both resetting it on the router and re-entering it onto the working Windows PC. I've tried it several times on the MacBook Pro, some with the password visible and none has worked. The only oddity I got from the Windows PC is that when I disconnect from that network and then reconnect it tells me I have the wrong password. Entering the same one again fixes that problem. This is an old D-Link 802.11b router which I think only supported WEP initially. Is it possible that the WPA implementation may be flawed in some way and the Windows PC is just more fault tolerant than the Mac? It seems to have its own manufacturer-specific software for managing the wireless network that has usurped Windows' own wireless network management.

I have no idea what the hex converted key would be, but I note that the "OK" button (or equivalent) only becomes clickable when I enter the final letter so I think it gets what I mean. I also tried the quotes to make clear I was using an ASCII key and not a hex one based on a tip I found via Google.

Trying the MacBook Pro in the same room as the router, about 3 metres away and with no significant obstructions makes no difference to the outcome.

 

[mkrishnan]

Are you sure you have an 802.11b router? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that 802.11b + WPA is a very non-standard configuration. I don't think the formal requirements for WPA allow for an 802.11b router to do it. So I think your problem may be your router and OS X being strict about WPA requirements.

 

[Thomas Harte]

It's definitely 802.11b. It's a D-Link DI-614+, and the Windows PC reports the connection speed as 11 Mbps with "very strong" signal strength. A little 'net research reveals that the router also supports a non-standard D-Link specific 22 Mbps type of connection, so it seems to be quite original in its implementation of several things.

If WPA isn't really meant to be supported on 802.11b that would explain what's going on. It's one thing to expect your computer to work easily with other equipment, quite another to expect it to work easily with technically broken equipment!

 

[mkrishnan]

I kept googling on that topic after I posted, and now I'm somewhat confused. They're definitely not the only ones... Apple supposedly upgraded their original airport cards to be able to connect to (at 802.11b) WPA networks. I'm just not sure.

This person claims to have made a WPA connection using a powerbook:

This person claims that 802.11g cards have trouble acquiring connections on this router (although I'm presuming one/all of your Windows computers also have 802.11g adapters).

Some people have also specifically complained about all kinds of problems with the wireless in Intel macs, although the experiences seem to be based on some hidden variable related to setup, as not everyone complains about this.

Any chance you can back down to WEP or no security and make sure that doesn't work?

And dumbest question, but you don't have MAC filtering enabled, do you? And if you do, this computer is on the list with the correct MAC address, yes?

 

[peterguy]

I'm also visiting my parents', who also have a DI-614+, and my shiny new MBP can't connect to it if it's using WEP

or WPA.

I have not yet gotten the MBP to connect to the DI-614+ when using authentication. In case it will help someone

else, here are the steps I've taken (none of which have had any effect):

- make sure passphrase is correct (duh): home tab, wireless button, view source, find <input type="password"

name="wpapsk1" size="40" maxlength="64" value="[this is the passphrase]">

- change channel from "auto scan" to a specific channel

- disable "turbo" mode: Advanced tab, Performance button, 4X mode disabled

- change rates (same screen as for 4X) to 1-2-5.5-11

- change preamble from short to long

- upgrade firmware from 3.43 (jul 19, 2004) to 3.44 (nov 16, 2005)

Throughout the process, I noticed that the log file (status tab, log button) contained entries for the

MBPconnecting and authenticating:
Dec/31/2006 22:26:16 DHCP lease IP 192.168.0.101 to 00-19-E3-05-A7-B7
Dec/31/2006 22:26:12 Authentication success 00-19-E3-05-A7-B7
Dec/31/2006 22:26:12 Wireless PC connected 00-19-E3-05-A7-B7

Also, the DHCP page (home tab, DHCP button) had an entry for the lease:
Host Name IP Address MAC Address Expired Time
192.168.0.101 00-19-E3-05-A7-B7 Jan/07/2007 22:27:16
(possibly significantly, there is no host name for the entry, even after I specify a client id in the MBP network

setting)

Looks like the media layer is connecting, but there is no level 4 connectivity.

I also made network configuration changes to the MBP, such as changing from DHCP to manual addressing.

None of the above changes had any effect.

I'll post more if/when I come up with a solution (other than "replace the DI-614+").

-Peter

 

[chrismargaret]

can't find wireless networks

I have an older Ibook G4 and recently is has developed a problem when waking from sleep, it no longer connects to my airport base station. I search for networks and it is hit an miss if it lists some or none of the available signals in my area. Any ideas why my G4 has begun to be unreliable with the wifi connections. I am sitting 3 feet from my airport extreem base station so the signal is max.