Wireless Windows 7 Wizard WEP pass-phrase
I have a small home network with an old Linksys WRT54G router that has simple WEP active. I'm at the end of a private road surrounded by acres of forest and not overly concerned about security. If someone wants to stumble through the forest just to access my basic DSL...?
I have a number of devices conecting fine, going out a DSL router to my ISP.
Now I'm needing to connect a new laptop w/Windows 7.
My WEP pass phrase is nine characters long. Earlier Windows has no problem. Linux has no problem. But Windows 7 refuses to believe me. The wizard rejects it, telling me that it can't possibly be correct since the pass phrase must be 13 characters long. It doesn't try it; it simply rejects it.
Is there any way to configure wireless/Windows 7 other than the blasted wizard that clearly knows that what I want to do isn't what I want to do? I already know the pass phrase is expected be 13 characters, but I really don't want to change the router and the other devices just because some wizard can't handle it. I'm right on the edge of dumping Windows entirely.
Software/Hardware used:
Windows 7 Pro
Software/Hardware used:
Windows 7 Pro
ASKED:
April 21, 2010 11:07 PM
UPDATED:
July 8, 2011 10:37 PM
Answer Wiki:
The laptop probably already has a built in wireless card, but if you are willing to spend maybe $20 to get another wireless card that comes with it's own wireless manager software, the software can bypass the built in windows wireless manager.
The only problem is how hard it is to find wireless cards that come with wireless management software now a days.
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It does indeed have builtin wireless. It’s nice enough; supplied by employer for specific work from home via their VPN. I use by cabling to the also builtin Ethernet port, but stringing the cable across that room is almost as irritating as the “Wizard That Knows What’s Best”.
I have a spare wireless/USB that I can use (also Linksys), but it also goes through the “Wizard”. Other wireless cards are in other equipment and staying put.
As it is, I feel like refusing to spend $20 just to protest being saddled with Windows 7. But you might be right that that’s the way I’ll have to go.
Tom
Just so my final actual solution is logged — I added a second wireless router using WPA-PSK instead of WEP. I got Win7 working with that and also use it for a couple devices that temporarily come and go at home.
Meanwhile, everything else is still happy using the original router. It doesn’t seem to matter what kinds of other devices they are as long as WEP is supported.
Tom