"Ken" <ken@nospamgorseport.fsworld.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4464c1f5$0$24994$834e42db@reader.greatnowhere .com...
This reply may be late for you and might not actually work for you, but it
might...
I just fixed a brand-new Netgear WPN824v.2 router tonight. It was
purchased to provide extra range in a slighly inhospitable environment
(metal lath and brick walls) .
This may describe an extremely easy fix for you - your post contains the
magic words: "the correct keys". You have the set of four WEP keys from
the generate button, right? The short story - try removing the 2nd, 3rd
and 4th keys and leave those fields blank. Use *only* the first key. Click
Apply and let the router restart.
Straight from the box, I configured this new router as the d-link it
replaced; location-specific SSID, 192.168.5.x range, Wireless ON, WEP 64 and
the four 64-bit keys that had been previously distributed.
Straight from the box, this just *did not work*, and the D-Link had. The
wired systems worked fine, and the wireless systems got great amounts of
signal level but could NOT connect no matter how often I checked the
spelling of the keys or changed other settings.
In particular, my R31 Thinkpad could not connect, unless I used my new
D-Link USB DWL G132 network adapter, which seems to give great results if
there's any signal at all and supports up to 108. Nothing else onsite
could connect. The Thinkpad's builtin wireless didn't stand a chance. I
got WEP key errors and no IP *every* time, no matter how I confirmed the
keys.
I eventually tore the router down to factory reset and started over,
testing with each changed entry. Finally, with no keys entered at all and
encryption off, I was able to finally connect with the Thinkpad's builtin
wireless.
Then I went one step further, Set WEP, open, 64 bit, and for test just
entered one key. The other three entries I left blank, though I had a list
of keys.
Suddenly, connection for the stock Thinkpad wireless was almost instant.
They key was accepted within a couple of seconds. Thinking this a clue, I
added a second key... and could no longer connect. Removed that second
key.. connect was instant. Tried it with two or more keys exactly the same
as the first - no connect. Remove the extra keys... snappy login.
This looked like a hint.
Then I went to check on the machine I was actually there to make work.
With only the first of the four possible encryption keys entered, and the
other three blank, it connected instantly, before it was done booting. Add
a second key - and the connect disappeared. Removed that second key - back
online.
The hint looks like a trend.
We shut everything down, brought it up again, and everything worked
perfectly, including the machines that had been just unable to connect.
And the wired machines seemed faster, probably from the router not spinning
its virtual wheels refusing to authenticate.
So, unless I'm mistaken, there's a firmware defect in some of these Netgear
routers that prevents many slightly older wireless clients from actually
logging in and getting an IP address, *if there is more than one WEP key
entered*. This bug may also degrade wired router performance. This can
easily be tested and worked around by using one and *only* one key entry,
and erasing any but the first.
I will note that I had previously tried turning WEP off as a test, and
didn't get any connect. But when I did that, I still had the four keys
listed. It wasn't till I erased the extra three that the problem resolved.
I did not actually generate the key from a passphrase on that router (I was
after all there to permit the client to once again commit work, and they
kinda wanted me to be finished, not engage in scientific experiment) , but I
wouldnt be surprised if generating they keys and populating all four entries
would break it again.
Hope this helps you resolve your problem.
-pk
