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Girly in need of assistance - disabling security

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CityMunkey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 6, 2006
27
0
London, England
PLEASE can someone help me?

I have just got Sky Broadband. It all works fine with ethernet cable etc, but wirelessly the only way I can connect is if I disable to security settings. I have an iMac G5. It says in the crappy Sky booklet that security should be set to WPA, but if I choose WPP Personal and put in the password it gives me on the little card (I assume this is the one made of letters, not the SKY***** one, which is the SSID?) it says it can't connect to the network.

Obviously it is bad having the security disabled (though not sure exactly what this means other than other people can use my broadband?) - why can't I fix it?? Sky 'help' obviously useless and told me to take it into a shop (yeah RIGHT).

Would be OVERJOYED if someone, anyone, could point me in the right direction...

In hope,

Munkey xx

:(
 
Eraserhead

Eraserhead

macrumors G4
Nov 3, 2005
10,434
12,250
UK
The SSID is the network name, it shouldn't be required as the Sky box should show up in your Airport menu.
 
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CityMunkey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 6, 2006
27
0
London, England
OK sure - but the password they have given me (the one made up of letters) isn't accepted. I am entering it correctly etc. Why won't it work??
 
AdeFowler

AdeFowler

macrumors 68020
Aug 27, 2004
2,317
361
England
I read somewhere that you need to precede the password with a dollar sign. Give it a go, but I may be completely wrong :eek:
 
P

PlaceofDis

macrumors Core
Jan 6, 2004
19,241
6
you could try to convert their passkey to Hex, i know i had to do that to get my iMac to work with some routers.

might be able to translate it here
 
Eraserhead

Eraserhead

macrumors G4
Nov 3, 2005
10,434
12,250
UK
Wait, is the security WEP or WPA? If it's WPA then dollar signs and converting to Hex won't help, however if it's WEP, then these kinda problems are expected, it's also a lot less secure.
 
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CityMunkey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 6, 2006
27
0
London, England
Well (before I disabled it) it was set up as WPA on the router (which I logged into using a different 'puter), and the Sky book says that it should be WPA. But the password doesn't work. I could change it to WEP on the router and try the $ / hex thing?

Any ideas??
 
Eraserhead

Eraserhead

macrumors G4
Nov 3, 2005
10,434
12,250
UK
CityMunkey said:
Well (before I disabled it) it was set up as WPA on the router (which I logged into using a different 'puter), and the Sky book says that it should be WPA. But the password doesn't work. I could change it to WEP on the router and try the $ / hex thing?

Any ideas??
Click to expand...

As in your PM:

You should be setting the password yourself, not using a Sky set one.

Can you access the router settings via a web interface? Try 192.168.1.1 in a web browser to access this (from you home computer). Though if there is a number like 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x on the bottom of the router type that in instead.
 
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aj98

macrumors member
Nov 16, 2006
76
0
CityMunkey said:
PLEASE can someone help me?

I have just got Sky Broadband. It all works fine with ethernet cable etc, but wirelessly the only way I can connect is if I disable to security settings. I have an iMac G5. It says in the crappy Sky booklet that security should be set to WPA, but if I choose WPP Personal and put in the password it gives me on the little card (I assume this is the one made of letters, not the SKY***** one, which is the SSID?) it says it can't connect to the network.

Obviously it is bad having the security disabled (though not sure exactly what this means other than other people can use my broadband?) - why can't I fix it?? Sky 'help' obviously useless and told me to take it into a shop (yeah RIGHT).

Would be OVERJOYED if someone, anyone, could point me in the right direction...

In hope,

Munkey xx

:(
Click to expand...

The WEP password *must* be either 5 or 13 characters.

5 characters for WEP 40 bit ; 13 for WEP 128.

If the PW is longer/shorter, it will not connect.

Also, verify the wireless card has permission to access the router.
If security is on, and the MAC address of your wireless card has not been entered in the router, it will not be allowed to connect.
 
C

CityMunkey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 6, 2006
27
0
London, England
aj98 said:
The WEP password *must* be either 5 or 13 characters.

5 characters for WEP 40 bit ; 13 for WEP 128.

If the PW is longer/shorter, it will not connect.

Also, verify the wireless card has permission to access the router.
If security is on, and the MAC address of your wireless card has not been entered in the router, it will not be allowed to connect.
Click to expand...

It is more than 5 but less than 13 - it is a WPA password I assume.

How do I know the MAC address of my wireless card (I have Airport), and how do I add it?
 
P

PlaceofDis

macrumors Core
Jan 6, 2004
19,241
6
aj98 said:
The WEP password *must* be either 5 or 13 characters.

5 characters for WEP 40 bit ; 13 for WEP 128.

If the PW is longer/shorter, it will not connect
Click to expand...

1. it appears that its WPA not WEP

Also, verify the wireless card has permission to access the router.
If security is on, and the MAC address of your wireless card has not been entered in the router, it will not be allowed to connect.
Click to expand...

2. that is only if MAC filtering has been enabled, which i doubt it would come like that out of the box.
 
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aj98

macrumors member
Nov 16, 2006
76
0
CityMunkey said:
It is more than 5 but less than 13 - it is a WPA password I assume.

How do I know the MAC address of my wireless card (I have Airport), and how do I add it?
Click to expand...

you can get the MAC address of the airport card from either
About this Mac, more info, network, airport.
Or
about this mac, more info, ethernet, airport.

It's been a while since I looked there and I'm in front of an XP box right now, so I can't verify the labels.

The MAC address will be hexidecimal, 12 characters long, formatted like this 00:01:AF:D2:C3:3B

Once you have the Mac address, you should be able to add it to the security section of the router, which will grant that specific MAC address permission to access the router.

For testing purposes, consider turning off security on the router long enough to verify you can successfully connect to the router and access internet via the airport. Once you know that works, then reenable security and restrict access to your specific MAC address.
 
S

sreedy

macrumors 6502a
Feb 24, 2005
501
0
Somerset
CityMunkey said:
Why do I need to do this though? Why doesn't the password just work?
Click to expand...

It should, I got Sky Broadband last week and I just turned the modem/router on and it appeared on my list, added the sky provided key which was on a seperate card (credit card sized) and off I went..... (no need to add MAC address)

Have you tried wirelessly connecting from another machine with this key? Sounds to me like Sky have provided you with the wrong card..... does the SSID match?
 
C

CityMunkey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 6, 2006
27
0
London, England
sreedy said:
It should, I got Sky Broadband last week and I just turned the modem/router on and it appeared on my list, added the sky provided key which was on a seperate card (credit card sized) and off I went..... (no need to add MAC address)

Have you tried wirelessly connecting from another machine with this key? Sounds to me like Sky have provided you with the wrong card..... does the SSID match?
Click to expand...

Yeh - though will double check when I get home. Also I can see the password on the router when I log into it either from another comp or with security disabled. Another comp (laptop PC) got onto it no probs, though haven't tried it wirelessly actually...
 
MacBoobsPro

MacBoobsPro

macrumors 603
Jan 10, 2006
5,114
6
CityMunkey said:
No, not BECAUSE I am a girl, I am just stating that I am one and I need help.... you ought not to jump to conclusions ;)
Click to expand...

Putting 'Girly' probably attracts more attention :rolleyes: However you should be aware that to be allowed to put 'I am a girl i need help' in a thread title you must provide graphic eveidence. Or else its unfair on us blokes who also have network problems. ;)
 
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CityMunkey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 6, 2006
27
0
London, England
MacboobsPro said:
Putting 'Girly' probably attracts more attention :rolleyes: However you should be aware that to be allowed to put 'I am a girl i need help' in a thread title you must provide graphic eveidence. Or else its unfair on us blokes who also have network problems. ;)
Click to expand...

I know that 'girly' attracts more attention...

***hangs head in shame for using sexuality to manipulate male posters on MacRumours***
 
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aj98

macrumors member
Nov 16, 2006
76
0
CityMunkey said:
Why do I need to do this though? Why doesn't the password just work?
Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with Sky in particular, so I'm providing general wireless network configuration. I do understand it can be frustrating; I drove myself crazy trying to get it working the first time I set one up.

There are number of reasons why it isn't working.

There are 3 basic parts to the problem, the first being connection configuration, the 2nd, connectivity testing, the 3rd, security configuration.
Each of those 3 may spawn some sub-issues/problems.

Since all have to be set correctly for a successful connection, I'm simply recommending performing the steps 1 at a time, verifying each step works before proceeding.

Otherwise, you can't be sure which part is causing the problem, making it that much harder to resolve.

The other part I didn't mention before is verifying the wireless card is set to be the default ethernet connection. (I assumed that was already done)
If not, it can be checked in the Network control pane.

Across the top of the pane, you'll see buttons for TCP/IP, Appletalk, PPOE,etc.

I think the (far right button) gives you a list of available network connections.

It should display:
built-in Ethernet
Airport
Firewire
Internal modem

The default connection is at the top of the list.
If Airport is not at the top, then drag it to the top of the list.
 
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