Cannot enter my network key

[henryc2011]

Hi,

I used to connect wirelessly with my current laptop just fine. I've been away at uni, now back at home trying to connect again and it won't let me put in my network key (which is 7 letters long). I find the network, try to connect but when I enter the network key on my modem it says that it should be 5 or 13 letters long. Any idea what could be causing this?

Thanks.

[Isitme]

The 5 and 13 letters indicates that WEP is being used. WAP, which you should be using requires a key of at least 8 characters(up to 63) I don't know how you managed to connect with 7 letters, unless you used 7 letters to generate a WEP key. If so this will not work as the passkey.

When you say you are entering the network key on your modem, I take it you mean your laptop? Go into the router settings and click the SETUP link to take you to the wireless setting. In the security section at the bottom check what security is being used and what the Network Key is. Enter this in your laptop, making sure that it is set to the correct type of encryption. ie WEP or WAP.

[henryc2011]

Sorry I can't count, it is 8 letters long. I haven't been able to work out how to change the setting to WAP, or rather I cannot find router settings anywhere, where is it located?

Thanks

[I_Hate_Sky_Awnsers]

Open your Internet browser

Instead of typing in a website address type in 192.168.0.1

Username admin
Password sky

Both lower case

Then click setup in the top left hand corner and scroll down to security options.

If you are changing the encryption I recommend you change the SSID even if it is just adding a letter onto the end of it. It will save you having to remove it as a preferred network on all computers.

By default the encryption should be set to WPA/WPA2 mixed mode.

Try removing the network from preferred networks and then try to connect to it again in case your parents have changed the settings without changing the SSID.

For vista this is done by going to:

Start
Control panel
Classic view
Network and sharing centre
Manage wireless networks
Click on your network should be something like sky56789, and remove it from the list