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TheGreatButcher · Oct 5, 2002, 05:54 PM

Will PCs be able to recognize the graphite base stations to log onto the internet? I would think so because it's 802.11b, but I'm not sure. Anyone know?

msuper69 · Oct 5, 2002, 07:13 PM

Yes.

rambo47 · Oct 5, 2002, 08:24 PM

I have a Sony Vaio notebook happily sharing my internet connection via my graphite AirPort Base Station. I'm using the Orinoco Silver WaveLAN card and the Vaio is running Windows 2000 Pro. Pretty simple, just plug the card into the laptop, use the CD-ROM that comes with the card to install drivers, and tell it to scan for a network. To keep things simple I have encryption off, but I'm not worried about some one listening in. They'd have to be hiding on my deck, and most folks around here know I have a shotgun.

msuper69 · Oct 5, 2002, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by rambo47:
... To keep things simple I have encryption off, but I'm not worried about some one listening in. They'd have to be hiding on my deck, and most folks around here know I have a shotgun.

Now that's what I call a wireless security protocol!

ghporter · Oct 5, 2002, 09:10 PM

I'll agree that msuper69's security is kind of hard to beat, but I'm paranoid about what somebody could do to (or worse, with) my computers, so I keep WEP on and use 128-bit encryption. This is THE worst, unfriendliest, nastiest part of working with an AirPort product (base station or client) and an non-AirPort device-getting the WEP keys entered right.

I've found that it works smoothest if you create the keys on whatever else you're using (the non-AirPort device), then copy the hexadecimal digits into the AirPort device, making sure to start the entry with a "$" (no qoutes) to tell the AirPort device that the input is hex.

I would love it if everybody would agree on a standard. Just about all vendors let you select what format you enter your keys in, but only Apple (to my knowledge) defaults to ASCII, and doesn't explicitly tell you how to enter hex keys in the setup window. Sigh...

Camelot · Oct 6, 2002, 01:49 AM

Originally posted by GHPorter:
I'll agree that msuper69's security is kind of hard to beat, but I'm paranoid about what somebody could do to (or worse, with) my computers, so I keep WEP on and use 128-bit encryption. This is THE worst, unfriendliest, nastiest part of working with an AirPort product (base station or client) and an non-AirPort device-getting the WEP keys entered right.

I've found that it works smoothest if you create the keys on whatever else you're using (the non-AirPort device), then copy the hexadecimal digits into the AirPort device, making sure to start the entry with a "$" (no qoutes) to tell the AirPort device that the input is hex.

I would love it if everybody would agree on a standard. Just about all vendors let you select what format you enter your keys in, but only Apple (to my knowledge) defaults to ASCII, and doesn't explicitly tell you how to enter hex keys in the setup window. Sigh...

The latest version of the Airport software released this week lets WEP keys be entered in ASCII or hex modes.

ghporter · Oct 6, 2002, 09:24 AM

Originally posted by Camelot:

The latest version of the Airport software released this week lets WEP keys be entered in ASCII or hex modes.

I hadn't seen that yet. Great! Maybe everybody will make this as painless as possible, and users will stop giving up on WEP because of their frustration. Thanks for the update.