WEP question

I've been experimenting with wireless at home to learn about setting up
clients.
I have a wrt54g access point, V2.2 that's currently running sveasoft
alchemy6.0 v3.01.3

for the client laptop I have a wusb54g and orinoco gold B PC card.

My question really is setting up wireless zero on XP sp1 (soon to be sp2)
for WEP.
Either adapter works fine unsecured, using wireless zero or the Linksys
client (for the linksys adapter)
The Linksys client connects fine using WEP or WPA TKIP preshared

Wireless zero will only allow a 5 character passphrase for 64 bit WEP, the
Linksys AP will allow much longer.
I've tried using a common 5 character passphrase and checked the generated
hex keys to make sure they match but the wireless zero client will not
connect. Signal strength indicated by the client stays near 0 and the
network status remains unknown even though netstumbler indicates -65.

Is this just a wireless zero incompatibility issue maybe or ... ?
What other information is needed ?

Thanks
Dale

<dale_at_wildew.com> wrote in message
news:x_udna5yBf7ppK3fRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've been experimenting with wireless at home to learn about setting
up
> clients.
> I have a wrt54g access point, V2.2 that's currently running sveasoft
> alchemy6.0 v3.01.3
>
> for the client laptop I have a wusb54g and orinoco gold B PC card.
>
> My question really is setting up wireless zero on XP sp1 (soon to be
sp2)
> for WEP.
> Either adapter works fine unsecured, using wireless zero or the
Linksys
> client (for the linksys adapter)
> The Linksys client connects fine using WEP or WPA TKIP preshared
>
> Wireless zero will only allow a 5 character passphrase for 64 bit
WEP, the
> Linksys AP will allow much longer.
> I've tried using a common 5 character passphrase and checked the
generated
> hex keys to make sure they match but the wireless zero client will
not
> connect. Signal strength indicated by the client stays near 0 and
the
> network status remains unknown even though netstumbler
indicates -65.
>
> Is this just a wireless zero incompatibility issue maybe or ... ?
> What other information is needed ?

I have found for compatibility it is best to use straight hex on AP
and device.Dont use the
passphrase generator just key the numbers directly into the wep key
box. 10 hex for 64 or 26 for 128

"Airhead" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:42304100$0$22520$(E-Mail Removed) m...
>
> <dale_at_wildew.com> wrote in message
> news:x_udna5yBf7ppK3fRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I've been experimenting with wireless at home to learn about setting
> up
> > clients.
> > I have a wrt54g access point, V2.2 that's currently running sveasoft
> > alchemy6.0 v3.01.3
> >
> > for the client laptop I have a wusb54g and orinoco gold B PC card.
> >
> > My question really is setting up wireless zero on XP sp1 (soon to be
> sp2)
> > for WEP.
> > Either adapter works fine unsecured, using wireless zero or the
> Linksys
> > client (for the linksys adapter)
> > The Linksys client connects fine using WEP or WPA TKIP preshared
> >
> > Wireless zero will only allow a 5 character passphrase for 64 bit
> WEP, the
> > Linksys AP will allow much longer.
> > I've tried using a common 5 character passphrase and checked the
> generated
> > hex keys to make sure they match but the wireless zero client will
> not
> > connect. Signal strength indicated by the client stays near 0 and
> the
> > network status remains unknown even though netstumbler
> indicates -65.
> >
> > Is this just a wireless zero incompatibility issue maybe or ... ?
> > What other information is needed ?
>
> I have found for compatibility it is best to use straight hex on AP
> and device.Dont use the
> passphrase generator just key the numbers directly into the wep key
> box. 10 hex for 64 or 26 for 128
>


I tried entering the WEP key directly, without using the passphrase, but
still couldn't connect.
After a bit more fussing around it looks like I got it.
The Orinoco client manager had a spot for the AP host name/MAC address.
Once I selected the MAC and entered the hostname DHCP responded and the
network connection hooked up.

This brings up another question I haven't seen answered anywhere yet....
Does ARP work differently over wireless?
Static addressing doesn't seem to work [well?] on wireless networks.
I'm getting the impression that APs build an ARP table through DHCP
(eliminating?) the need for broadcast ARP traffic.
Totally wrong -- close -- what?
links to reference would be appreciated
Thanks
Dale