WPA will not connect while WEP is fine

[skinfreak]

I have a V1 Sky Router and have had it for what seems like eons...

Ever since it arrived, WPA has not worked with a couple of laptops. At the time, I was advised my SKY to enable WEP and just use that. We tried all the hard resets under the sun, but because it could work with WEP, it was deemed not necessary to have a replacment router sent out.

Ironically, the laptop in question works with my inlaws sky router which arrived days after mine!

Now, knowing that Sky wil not change this router, is it worth my upgrading to stock Netgear firmware to alliviate this issue? I have been using it for over a year with little problem but now I really want to make use of WPA encryption.

The actual probelm is that the connection cannot be made. My previous laptop was searching for an IP, and I got around this by stipulating a fixed IP, but this only really made the WEP connection more stable.

Another benefit is that I oculd use OpenDNS servers which I wouldn't mind doing for all connections.

Advice? I have no problem in upgrading/cracking the router if need be...
Thanks!

[fihart]

You don't mention which wireless adapter you have -- but I presume it supports WPA because you mention it worked with the inlaw's Sky router. It does seem quite odd that your own router doesn't seem to work with WPA -- but you display enough knowledge that I doubt you're doing anything wrong.

Is it possible that the extra time it takes to connect with WPA (against WEP) is the issue.

If not, I would press the reset on the router. Then try selecting WPA PSK TKIP and applying a fresh passphrase to router and adapter.

Reflashing the router is a bit of a performance (see tutorial on this site), can go wrong and is also contrary to contract terms.

Possibly worth getting a spare Sky router (up to £10 at car boot sale) and reflashing that.

[dms05]

Have you tried simply using a different Security Key for WPA? Just make sure it's identical on the router and computer.

[Isitme]

If you have the V1 router you can make use if James' CU Firmware This will allow you to select Open servers as well as a lot of other useful stuff. You never know, it may even jog it into remembering that it should work with WPA.

If you are forced to use WEP make sure you use the 128bit version, not the 64 bit that is selected by default in the router. It will make it a bit more difficult to crack.