Connecting to my WPA-PSK network.

[coldoven]

Hey guys--

Recently I ran my DSL connection to run a WPA-PSK wireless connection. My laptop detected the network, and I was able to set up a profile to access it.

However, I'm attempting to do the same exact thing with my GF's computer, and while the network is detected, I get the following prompt:

"Unable to connect to the network. The network may no longer be in range."

Now, I know this isnt so because my laptop, right next to hers, picks up the network just fine, excellent, in fact.

How the hell do I set up a new profile here to access an already existing secure connection? I've noticed that when I open the Wireless Network Connections, then click on advanced settings, then the wireless networks tab, followed by attempting to add my network, the network authintacation wont let me enter WPAPSK and the Data Encriyption type wont let me enter TKIP. They only allow, Open/Shared, WEP/Disabled.

Could this be a driver issue with her wireless card?

[Wicket20519]

Hey there! I just set up my WPA-PSK network two days ago, so I can hopefully be of a lot of help because it took me nearly an hour to set up mine. I ran into many problems. But it was so stupid I should have known the answer...MAC address filter...heh....

Anyways; does your girlfriend's laptop have Windows XP SP2 on it? If not, this update from Microsoft will enable the WPA option in your network profile.

Setting up your network; do you have MAC address filtering on? That's one thing I completely forgot about. For some stupid reason I thought that even if I swapped network cards I'd still have the same MAC address. That wasted about 45 minutes of my time setting up the network.

Also, is her wireless adapter built in or is it literally a card? Does it even support WPA? Try updating the drivers for it, too.

Hope that is some bit of help...it's nearly 1 AM here and I really need to get some sleep.

[coldoven]

geeze, im not even sure what a MAC address is.

To answer your question, her wireless card is just that, a card that fits into the PC card slot... Cisco makes it. I put in the drivers CD that came with it, and updated the drivers, but it seemed to do no good. Maybe I'll look into their website, because I really dont think it supports WPA. That may be the issue.

I'll do some googling and see what I can come up with.

But thanks, your help is much appreciated. Hope you got that rest you were after.

oops, I should add that she does opperate XP SP2, and I make sure she stays updated on a regular basis (every 2 weeks or less).

[Gouki]

Hello!

"fits into the PC card slot..." = PCMCIA

The card is problably a WPC11, can you confirm it?

In order to see if the PCMCIA card supports WPA Pre Shared Key, just browse to the product information page on Linksys web site.

As for MAC Address filtering:

MAC Address is a unique "number" (it also contains letters) that is present on your Wireless Card. When MAC Filtering is active, and in case your MAC Address isnt properly set up on the Filtering page, the connection will be ignored and therefor you wont be able to connect to the WLAN.

MAC Filtering options are as simple as this:

Just access your Wireless Router and check if you have it active.

Bye!

[I_Broke_My_MHZ]

But he didn't do any Mac address filtering, so that isn't the problem. You guys are just confusing him.

There are two different types of WPA-PSK: AES and TKIP. AES is hardware based, TKIP is software/firmware based. Which one are you using?