WEP key conversion algorithm (passphase <-> [128 bit] key) ?

Hello!

While everything works fine with Linux it looks like the
input masks for WEP keys in Win* depend on the manufacturer of
the WLAN device/driver.
I got one dialog where I cannot enter the 26 digits for a
hex key (only 24 digits are possible).
Luckily there is some kind of assistent tool to copy existing
WLAN configurations from other devices/drivers, so I first
do it for another device and afterwards copy the configuration.
In the 'broken' input mask it looks like the
key is very short (10 or 11 digits -> passphase 'coding' ?).

I'm looking for a tool (nwepgen?) and/or some documentation that describes
the different formats( and how to convert them).
Are those different formats (and the conversion) part of any
802.11 standard [haven't found anything using google, is it
available for free to the public?] ?

Thankx
Erik

On 7 Jan 2005 16:28:15 -0800, Erik H. <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Hello!
>
> While everything works fine with Linux it looks like the
> input masks for WEP keys in Win* depend on the manufacturer of
> the WLAN device/driver.
> I got one dialog where I cannot enter the 26 digits for a
> hex key (only 24 digits are possible).
> Luckily there is some kind of assistent tool to copy existing
> WLAN configurations from other devices/drivers, so I first
> do it for another device and afterwards copy the configuration.
> In the 'broken' input mask it looks like the
> key is very short (10 or 11 digits -> passphase 'coding' ?).
>
> I'm looking for a tool (nwepgen?) and/or some documentation that describes
> the different formats( and how to convert them).
> Are those different formats (and the conversion) part of any
> 802.11 standard [haven't found anything using google, is it
> available for free to the public?] ?

64(40) bit ascii to hex keys seem to be fairly standard. But 128(104) bit
ascii to hex conversion is not. For example nwepgen can generate the same
64-bit key as my WAP11, but 128-bit key from a string would not match what
Linksys generates.

Since ascii to hex key conversion varies with device brands, it is best to
use actual hex keys anyway, which can be more random and harder to guess
than a password/passphrase.