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Taipan · May 3, 2004, 03:17 PM

Hi!

This has probably been asked before, but I couldn't find it: Is it possible to use WPA with an Airport card (non Extreme)? I'm starting to fear it's not, but I thought I'd better ask.

ghporter · May 3, 2004, 10:08 PM

With a fairly recent version of the AirPort software, yes, you can use WPA. Unfortunately, again Apple has decided to use its own terms, rather than those the rest of the industry uses, which adds to your confusion.

Most access points have a WPA mode called "Pre-shared Key." This is called "WPA-PSK" on my Linksys access point. Apple calls it "Personal" WPA. Just make sure you use exactly the same key at both ends, and that the AirPort card knows what form it is-ASCII, hex, or something else. I always use hex.

In fact, my iBook was extremely easy to set up with my Linksys "G" access point-much easier than my Dell laptop was

.

Taipan · May 4, 2004, 10:38 AM

I've seen that, but I have no idea where I can enter that on the mac side. Or must it be entered instead of the WEP key?

TonTaub · 07:02 PM

Hi,

Originally posted by GHPorter:
Most access points have a WPA mode called "Pre-shared Key." This is called "WPA-PSK" on my Linksys access point. Apple calls it "Personal" WPA. Just make sure you use exactly the same key at both ends, and that the AirPort card knows what form it is-ASCII, hex, or something else. I always use hex.

Yesterday I got WPA-Preshared w/ TKIP running, but after sleepmode I've to reestablish the connection with Airport Assistent.
Same with WEP, the only thing which works flawlessly is to disable security features on my Linksys.
That all may be lack of knowledge, I got my AlBook yesterday and never used WiFi until then.
(BTW I'm running Sveasoft firmware)

Thanks for anything which brings me closer to the desired security level.

:-) Michael

ghporter · May 21, 2004, 05:54 PM

Did you have Keychain remember your keys in either situation? Is your access point configured for an "infrastructure" network? Not ahving both of these can keep your computer from automatically connecting. Infrastructure, in particular, is important-an infrastructure network works just like a wired network as far as logging in to the network, while ad-hoc networking is supposed to be for "one off" connections, so it won't remember anything about a connection.

TonTaub · May 24, 2004, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by GHPorter:
Did you have Keychain remember your keys in either situation? Is your access point configured for an "infrastructure" network? Not ahving both of these can keep your computer from automatically connecting. Infrastructure, in particular, is important-an infrastructure network works just like a wired network as far as logging in to the network, while ad-hoc networking is supposed to be for "one off" connections, so it won't remember anything about a connection.

I'm using keychain - I don't think that's the problem.
Admittedly I'm struggling ... it's somehow odd, and I'm a bit in the dark.
Anyway - I tried with and without AirPort Assistent, I tried with no encryption (public), WEP and WPA ... meanwhile I don't get it running anyway.
Currently I've SSID broadcast enabled, and WPA shared-key with TKIP encryption enabled.
I tap the Airport symbol in the right top corner and click the name of the accesspoint (since SSID is broadcasted, otherwise I'd have to type it in which I tried too).
A window shows up and displays "WPA Personal" as the wireless security type and it asks for the password (which I can add to the keychain or not).
I type in the password and after a short moment a box shows up saying "There was an error joining the AirPort network '<mySSID>'. OK." - which I don't find "ok" at all

Oddly enough it seems to recognise the password - otherwise I wouldn't be able to click "ok".

Any clue? I don't like my PoBo being chained to my desk

Thanks a lot, Michael.

TonTaub · May 24, 2004, 07:25 PM

What I tried meanwhile:

I changed to no-security, WEP (any type) and the error message always was the same.
Funnily enough everything behaves correctly so to speak - if I don't use a password I don't need to enter one etc.

I even changed WPA encryption to AES on my router and was getting the correct error message that this encryption method is not supported.

So in fact both devices are talking to each other, but can't establish and maintain a connection.

Michael.

TonTaub · May 25, 2004, 07:26 PM

I got it working!

I had to set "Authentication type" to "Auto" on the Linksys, then it worked.
I'm running WPA-PSK w/ TKIP now, my PoBo gets the connection after sleep, even when the router was powered off over night.

Thanks, :-) Michael.

ghporter · May 26, 2004, 09:03 PM

Too cool! I hadn't thought about authentication. Congratulations!

TonTaub · May 27, 2004, 04:52 AM

Yeah, I'm happy it works!

But on the odd part the menu choice in the router's config menu was "PSK" or "Auto" - Since I setup WPA/PSK elsewhere I didn't that consider being a problem.
I still don't get what makes the difference besides that it doesn't work when set to "PSK".
Maybe just a firmware thing within the router.

Thanks, Michael.