[macmatt17]

I currently have an iMac connected to my Actiontec modem/router through airport extreme and the connection is great, the router works perfectly. But for some reason when i try to connect with my macbook it says 'There was an error connecting to the airport network, "ACTIONTEC"'. I've read many similar threads but none were quite like my setup. One of my mac works beautifully and the other one refuses to connect. In order to connect at all with my macbook i have to connect to my neighbor across the street which does not require a WEP key or any other form of security (neither does mine). I get very poor signal though and it only works in certain rooms of the house. What i don't get is why one mac would work and the other one does not. I have tried connecting many times and restarted my macbook and reset my router but nothing works. Any suggestion on how to get my macbook to connect? Please help i'm getting quite frustrated with it!

[Brian Dobbins]

I ran into this last night and I had to change the wireless password fron 64 bit to 128 bit and the MacBook connected without errors. A 64 bit password has 10 characters and a 128 bit password has 26 characters.

[ghporter]

macmatt17, WELCOME to the MacNN forums! I'll address your post (and Brian's) one issue at a time.

1) Network-related questions go in the Networking forum. As a new member you probably didn't notice that one, but it's there. I'll move this thread there so people looking for networking issues can find it properly.

2) Matt, I'm confused about your setup: are you saying that your Actiontec device is both a modem and a wireless router? If so, I recommend first that you change your wireless network name to something other than the default, and CHANGE ITS PASSWORD RIGHT AWAY. Since it looks like you've left the name as the default, it makes me figure you haven't changed the password either-this is BEGGING someone to hijack your network and that's a Bad Thing.

3) Using WEP for security is like locking your fortune inside a paper bag. It's really that bad. Use WPA; it's truly secure and it's easier to use than WEP. And ALWAYS USE wireless security!!! YOU are responsible for what goes on with your broadband connection, so if Joe Spammer parks in front of your house and sends 80 billion spams through your account, who's going to catch flack? Not Joe! There are even worse issues that can crop up that don't bear thinking about-always use security!

4) It's quite possible that the Actiontec device (or whatever your wireless router is) simply needs to be reset. These boxes (all networking devices, for that matter) are little embedded computers, but their operating software isn't exactly built to aerospace-level standards. In other words, there are often minor memory leaks, buffer problems and so on. A reboot is often a great way to fix any issues you have with such devices. It can't hurt to unplug the power for a few minutes then start it all back up again, and that might just fix the issue.

Report back what you try and how it goes, ok?