WEP vs WPA-PSK

Hi. I've recently set up a wireless network in my house and I am able
to get online without any problems (amazingly enough). My housemates,
on the other hand, have older systems and are having issues connecting.
We believe this to be that they are not compatible with WPA-PSK
encryption, to which our router is set. I changed this to WEP, and then
for some reason the internet kept cutting out and not working on MY
computer. It was slow and spotty. However, the housemates were at least
able to connect. But, obviously this solution is unacceptable. I
need something where all the computers can be online without issue.

Now, it would be nice if they would all to upgrade their systems.
However, I'll try this first. Does anyone know why WEP would be causing
bandwidth and/or connection issues for my computer? Or, preferably, how
to get an older computer to be compatible with WPA-PSK? They are
running Windows 2K and and Win XP, with internal wireless hardware -
not sure of the make at the moment. Perhaps a new driver would help?
I'm stuck.

Any help appreciated. Thanks!

Papafrita wrote:
> Hi. I've recently set up a wireless network in my house and I am able
> to get online without any problems (amazingly enough). My housemates,
> on the other hand, have older systems and are having issues connecting.
> We believe this to be that they are not compatible with WPA-PSK
> encryption, to which our router is set. I changed this to WEP, and then
> for some reason the internet kept cutting out and not working on MY
> computer. It was slow and spotty. However, the housemates were at least
> able to connect. But, obviously this solution is unacceptable. I
> need something where all the computers can be online without issue.
>
> Now, it would be nice if they would all to upgrade their systems.
> However, I'll try this first. Does anyone know why WEP would be causing
> bandwidth and/or connection issues for my computer? Or, preferably, how
> to get an older computer to be compatible with WPA-PSK? They are
> running Windows 2K and and Win XP, with internal wireless hardware -
> not sure of the make at the moment. Perhaps a new driver would help?
> I'm stuck.
>
> Any help appreciated. Thanks!
>

Bad news for you. Looks like the owner of that Win2k must upgrade both
the OS and probably the WiFi NIC as well. Win2k does not support
WPA/WPA2 encryption. If I were you, I'd stop troubleshooting WEP
slowness and concentrate on getting WPA working properly.

Ron <(E-Mail Removed) m> writes:

> Papafrita wrote:
> > Hi. I've recently set up a wireless network in my house and I am able
> > to get online without any problems (amazingly enough). My housemates,
> > on the other hand, have older systems and are having issues connecting.
> > We believe this to be that they are not compatible with WPA-PSK
> > encryption, to which our router is set. I changed this to WEP, and then
> > for some reason the internet kept cutting out and not working on MY
> > computer. It was slow and spotty. However, the housemates were at least
> > able to connect. But, obviously this solution is unacceptable. I
> > need something where all the computers can be online without issue.
> > Now, it would be nice if they would all to upgrade their systems.
> > However, I'll try this first. Does anyone know why WEP would be causing
> > bandwidth and/or connection issues for my computer? Or, preferably, how
> > to get an older computer to be compatible with WPA-PSK? They are
> > running Windows 2K and and Win XP, with internal wireless hardware -
> > not sure of the make at the moment. Perhaps a new driver would help?
> > I'm stuck.
> > Any help appreciated. Thanks!
> >
>
> Bad news for you. Looks like the owner of that Win2k must upgrade both
> the OS and probably the WiFi NIC as well. Win2k does not support
> WPA/WPA2 encryption. If I were you, I'd stop troubleshooting WEP
> slowness and concentrate on getting WPA working properly.

I'm using wpa-psk on win2k as I type.

But... I'm using the Proxim supplicant software that came with my
Orinoco gold.

So if the win2k users on the network can find the appropriate
supplicant software that'll work with their built in wireless cards,
they should be in good shape. Googling...

This thread shows several software-only upgrades they can do to get it
workin' and 3 of them appear to be free:
http://www.wirelessforums.org/alt-in...in2k-3640.html

As you probably know, WEP is easily and rather quickly breakable with
freely available tools. Although, WPA-PSK is too unless you've got a
very good passphrase that is immune to dictionary attacks.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

On 30 Oct 2006 16:28:50 -0800, "Papafrita" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<(E-Mail Removed). com>:

>Hi. I've recently set up a wireless network in my house and I am able
>to get online without any problems (amazingly enough). My housemates,
>on the other hand, have older systems and are having issues connecting.
>We believe this to be that they are not compatible with WPA-PSK
>encryption, to which our router is set. I changed this to WEP, and then
>for some reason the internet kept cutting out and not working on MY
>computer. It was slow and spotty. However, the housemates were at least
>able to connect. But, obviously this solution is unacceptable. I
>need something where all the computers can be online without issue.
>
>Now, it would be nice if they would all to upgrade their systems.
>However, I'll try this first. Does anyone know why WEP would be causing
>bandwidth and/or connection issues for my computer?

The problem is more likely caused by something else, probably
interference.

>Or, preferably, how
>to get an older computer to be compatible with WPA-PSK? They are
>running Windows 2K and and Win XP, with internal wireless hardware -
>not sure of the make at the moment. Perhaps a new driver would help?

See the wiki below for WPA supplicants and lots of other relevant info.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

Thanks everyone. I'll explore and see what happens!


John Navas wrote:
> On 30 Oct 2006 16:28:50 -0800, "Papafrita" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> <(E-Mail Removed). com>:
>
> >Hi. I've recently set up a wireless network in my house and I am able
> >to get online without any problems (amazingly enough). My housemates,
> >on the other hand, have older systems and are having issues connecting.
> >We believe this to be that they are not compatible with WPA-PSK
> >encryption, to which our router is set. I changed this to WEP, and then
> >for some reason the internet kept cutting out and not working on MY
> >computer. It was slow and spotty. However, the housemates were at least
> >able to connect. But, obviously this solution is unacceptable. I
> >need something where all the computers can be online without issue.
> >
> >Now, it would be nice if they would all to upgrade their systems.
> >However, I'll try this first. Does anyone know why WEP would be causing
> >bandwidth and/or connection issues for my computer?
>
> The problem is more likely caused by something else, probably
> interference.
>
> >Or, preferably, how
> >to get an older computer to be compatible with WPA-PSK? They are
> >running Windows 2K and and Win XP, with internal wireless hardware -
> >not sure of the make at the moment. Perhaps a new driver would help?
>
> See the wiki below for WPA supplicants and lots of other relevant info.
>
> --
> Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
> John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
> Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
> Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

Todd H. wrote:
> Ron <(E-Mail Removed) m> writes:
>
>
>>Papafrita wrote:
>>
>>>Hi. I've recently set up a wireless network in my house and I am able
>>>to get online without any problems (amazingly enough). My housemates,
>>>on the other hand, have older systems and are having issues connecting.
>>>We believe this to be that they are not compatible with WPA-PSK
>>>encryption, to which our router is set. I changed this to WEP, and then
>>>for some reason the internet kept cutting out and not working on MY
>>>computer. It was slow and spotty. However, the housemates were at least
>>>able to connect. But, obviously this solution is unacceptable. I
>>>need something where all the computers can be online without issue.
>>>Now, it would be nice if they would all to upgrade their systems.
>>>However, I'll try this first. Does anyone know why WEP would be causing
>>>bandwidth and/or connection issues for my computer? Or, preferably, how
>>>to get an older computer to be compatible with WPA-PSK? They are
>>>running Windows 2K and and Win XP, with internal wireless hardware -
>>>not sure of the make at the moment. Perhaps a new driver would help?
>>>I'm stuck.
>>>Any help appreciated. Thanks!
>>>
>>
>>Bad news for you. Looks like the owner of that Win2k must upgrade both
>>the OS and probably the WiFi NIC as well. Win2k does not support
>>WPA/WPA2 encryption. If I were you, I'd stop troubleshooting WEP
>>slowness and concentrate on getting WPA working properly.
>
>
> I'm using wpa-psk on win2k as I type.
>
> But... I'm using the Proxim supplicant software that came with my
> Orinoco gold.
>
> So if the win2k users on the network can find the appropriate
> supplicant software that'll work with their built in wireless cards,
> they should be in good shape. Googling...
>
> This thread shows several software-only upgrades they can do to get it
> workin' and 3 of them appear to be free:
> http://www.wirelessforums.org/alt-in...in2k-3640.html
>
> As you probably know, WEP is easily and rather quickly breakable with
> freely available tools. Although, WPA-PSK is too unless you've got a
> very good passphrase that is immune to dictionary attacks.
>
> Best Regards,

Yeah I take it back. I should've said W2k doesn't support WPA out of the
box. Thanks for the correction.

Ron <(E-Mail Removed) m> writes:

>
> Yeah I take it back. I should've said W2k doesn't support WPA out of
> the box. Thanks for the correction.

No worries. It is rather inconvenient that it doesn't include a WPA
and 802.1x supplicant the way XP does.

I wonder if hte manufacturers of the machines with built in wireless
the OP has in his house might have added a supplicant solution for
their later model machines that might work just fine?

--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed):

> See the wiki below for WPA supplicants and lots of other relevant info.
>
I have used this supplicant on a Windows 2000 box with an older Linksys
wireless PCI card.

http://hostap.epitest.fi/wpa_supplicant/

It took some time to get it running but so far it has worked several months
without issues and comes right up on reboot.

--
Frank Hahn