hello.

have been asked by my brother in law to show him how to connect his wife's
new laptop to their existing wireless network.

no problem, say i, assuming they'd set up the system themselves and had
copies of the SSID/ WEP keys etc. not so...

set-up as follows:
netgear combined router/adsl modem connected to o2 adsl line (provided by
b-i-l's employer o2), his exisiting laptop connecting to router already has
WEP settings in windows, connects automatically.

the problem is that the system was setup by a third party, and noone has any
idea as to the WEP key. the person who setup the router has also chosen to
change its access username and password (from the default [admin] &
[password] shown on the routers label) and this is also unknown, as are the
ADSL dial-up details. d'oh!

i have asked my brother-in-law to get on to o2 to find out the ADSL details,
presuming the only solution is to stick a paperclip into the hole in the
router and start from scratch.

my question is, is there another way round this? as he doesn't sound too
confident that he'll be able to get these details.

can we connect to the router another via ethernet and access its settings?
is there a way of obtaining the WEP that is stored in windows on the
existing laptop to allow it to be used on the new laptop also?
or is there a program (maybe even windows settings transfer wizard?) that
will transfer the WEP from one laptop to the another, if it will not show me
the actual hex?

thanks in advance.
gerard.

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 09:49:04 +0100, "Gerard Cassidy"
<gerard.c@usa.net> wrote:

<snip>

Yes.

I assume you are talking about the Netgear 834G or something similar.
That has 4 ethernet ports (like most other combined router/modems).

You can use these without any passwords or usernames.

Unfortunately, you will still need the admin username/password to get
at the admin screens. If you can get those, you will be able to see
the WEP key (you would be better using WPA if all devices support it).

But you would be able to use the laptop via the ethernet port if you
were willing to have the physical connection.


I don't know.

I have always set up my own networks, so have never come across that
requirement :-(

There are password discovery programs around that will show you what
is hidden behind the asterisks, but I don't know if they work on that
type of password.
these are a couple of examples.
<http://www.deskperience.com/aqua/password-revealer.html?gclid=COOP8MqO0oUCFThBEgoddRQI2w>
<http://camtech2000.net/Pages/Password_Reveal.html>
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure.
To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom

Gerard Cassidy wrote:
There really shouldn't be any problem about getting his user name and
password over the phone once he's answered a few security questions. If
he's moved from another ISP or dial-up connection the chances are there is
an e-mail somewhere on his computer with the details too. I'd try a few
searches through his mail.

Not without the router username and password.

Dunno but wouldn't have thought so. A quick google would suggest that it's
NOT stored as plain text in the registry. I would have thought it would be
simpler to get the broadband username and password and then do your stuff
with the paperclip.

*Way* too complicated. Just stab it with the paperclip! ;-)

Tim