Macbook and Touch Wifi Connections-NOT!

[Augsburger]

For the past two days I have been trying to connect our new Macbook Pro to the home wifi network. The mac can see the wifi and I select it for our connection. So far I have only been successful with -

Airport green light

Airport settings green light

Network settings yellow light

ISP etc red light

The set up asks me if to restart the modem or wifi router, which I did then asks if the router or modem is connected and in line between the Mac and the router/modem. I tried both answers, yes and no, no luck.

The setup also asks for a airport password which I am assuming is the network password for the wifi connection. It also asks for the WEP password which I am assuming is the same. Results NADA.

Any suggestions?

[archosman]

I had the same problem and for the life of me can't remember what I did to get around it. My Airport Express burned out some time ago so I haven't used one in awhile. If memory serves I didn't use the WEP password option. I just came up with a good password myself and went with that.

If you have a Mac store in your town might be worth a phone call.

[grawk]

I'd suggest WPA2 unless you have a need to use something else...

[blessingx]

Have you tried turning off your wireless security, seeing if you can connect and then reintroducing? As Grawk said I'd go WAP/WAP2.

Is your 'Airport' an Airport Express, Airport Extreme or you're using Apples generic term for router?

Can you see the device through OS Xs Airport Utility?

OS X is actually much more forgiving when connecting to networks than some other OSs. It was hell connecting T-mobile G1/Android on some networks (isn't compatible with WPA Enterprise, won't connect with dual WPA/WEP, etc.).

[Augsburger]

Have you tried turning off your wireless security, seeing if you can connect and then reintroducing? As Grawk said I'd go WAP/WAP2.

Is your 'Airport' an Airport Express, Airport Extreme or you're using Apples generic term for router?

Can you see the device through OS Xs Airport Utility?

OS X is actually much more forgiving when connecting to networks than some other OSs. It was hell connecting T-mobile G1/Android on some networks (isn't compatible with WPA Enterprise, won't connect with dual WPA/WEP, etc.).

I turned off the router and modem many times with no results.

I guess I need to clarify my interpretation of what the "airport" is to me. I use a D-Link wifi router for all the pcs and laptops in the house to connect to the internet. I am assuming, and maybe this is where I am going wrong, but I was assuming that the Macbook pro has a built in wireless card that will allow me to tap into any open wifi network. In my case I was assuming "airport" mean generic open wifi network. The Macbook Pro can see our wifi network and I highlight it and tell the Macbook that I wish to use this open network to gain access to the internet. The Macbook asks for a access password which I am assuming is the wireless routers password. Then it hangs up.

[grawk]

ah, right. You need to put in the hex version preceeded by 0x, unless the password is exactly 13 characters.

[Augsburger]

I'd suggest WPA2 unless you have a need to use something else...

Where is this option? When I choose the wifi network I wish to use, the next promt is WEP password as default, the other choices are WEP 40/128-bit hex, WEP 40/128-bit ASCII.

[grawk]

You have to do it on the router

[Augsburger]

I'm hosed...................

Fucking Apple, if cdps and dacs were the same as these friggin' macbooks where each new piece of audio hardware added to your system meant reconfiguring your whole system before it could play music, we would still be listening to fucking eight track tapes.

[grawk]

In this case, the fault isn't apple's, it's dlink. There should be a way to see what the hex password is for the wep network

Realistically tho, wep is awful, and if you can, you shoudl upgrade to a wpa capable router. And for the most part, wpa jsut works for almost everything.

[penger]

WEP Cracking Redux: Beyond the Command Line - Security - Lifehacker

WEP is not a good idea.

[Augsburger]

In this case, the fault isn't apple's, it's dlink. There should be a way to see what the hex password is for the wep network

Realistically tho, wep is awful, and if you can, you shoudl upgrade to a wpa capable router. And for the most part, wpa jsut works for almost everything.

....and D-Link sucks too.

Isn't the D-link password a basic "admin" password? I reset the D-Link password because that is the password needed to access the wifi network. I can't connect our new Touch either so I suspect the issue is the same.

If I get a WPA capable router then is it easy enough to set up even for a dumshit like me? If so, I am drop kicking this D-Link all the way to LA on Monday.

OK, I am going to Best Buy tomorrow and buying a WPA capable router, now if I can only fix my dac problems.

Thanks Dan for the Patience and responses.

Edited July 12, 2009 by Augsburger

[grawk]

yup, especially if you get an apple router

[Augsburger]

Yeah but the Apple router will probably mess with the PCs and vista laptops on the wifi right? I just know it will.

[grawk]

Nope, apple routers work great with everything, from my experience.

[Augsburger]

Then it is a done deal. Off to the Apple store tomorrow, then I will set fire to the crappy D-Link router at sundown.

Thanks for the help, I owe you a 1985 dram or two or three. At RMAF.

[grawk]

I won't be there, sorry

[Augsburger]

I won't be there, sorry

Sure, I've heard that before.

Then how bout I send them as an email attachement once the Macbook is on the innernets.

[grawk]

sounds good

[guzziguy]

yup, especially if you get an apple router

I bought Thrice's Airport Extreme. While it was easy to configure, it didn't come up right away and debugging tools were non-existent. The Extreme could not find the ISP. I fiddled with it and finally got it to come up correctly.

Nope, apple routers work great with everything, from my experience.

Agreed. Once the Airport Extreme could find the ISP, I was easily able to connect my Micro$oft computers to it. As part of the router upgrade, I switched from WEP to WPA.

Greg, let me know if you have trouble tomorrow. If necessary, I'll drive to Westlake and help you with it.

[Augsburger]

I bought Thrice's Airport Extreme. While it was easy to configure, it didn't come up right away and debugging tools were non-existent. The Extreme could not find the ISP. I fiddled with it and finally got it to come up correctly.

Agreed. Once the Airport Extreme could find the ISP, I was easily able to connect my Micro$oft computers to it. As part of the router upgrade, I switched from WEP to WPA.

Greg, let me know if you have trouble tomorrow. If necessary, I'll drive to Westlake and help you with it.

Thanks for the offer Ken, I will let you know if there is a problem. Otherwise if you catch a local news interruption tomorrow of the Tour de France coverage involving a hostage taking situation in Westlake Village, you will probably know why.

[Augsburger]

VICTORY!

Death to D-Link..............

[HeadphoneAddict]

Congrats!

I am running an older airport extreme at 5Ghz for the newer Macbooks and iMac and Airport Express (for music), and I picked up a second older one to plug in as an access point at 2.4Ghz for connecting the older gear like iPhone, Wii, Gameboy DS, PCs. Since I have to use WEP on the second router for the Gameboys, I set up MAC address filtering so people outside my home would be denied if I didn't enter in their hardware into the router. My WEP password is also a 26 digit hex password. Hoping that is safe enough.

All I had to do to get my Apple Airport Extreme to see my ISP was restart my cable modem and wait a few minutes.

PS: The newest Airport Extreme have two radios and can run at 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz at the same time with the same SSID.

[mirumu]

I am running an older airport extreme at 5Ghz for the newer Macbooks and iMac and Airport Express (for music), and I picked up a second older one to plug in as an access point at 2.4Ghz for connecting the older gear like iPhone, Wii, Gameboy DS, PCs. Since I have to use WEP on the second router for the Gameboys, I set up MAC address filtering so people outside my home would be denied if I didn't enter in their hardware into the router. My WEP password is also a 26 digit hex password. Hoping that is safe enough.

MAC addresses can be faked so there's still ways around that system, but if you need WEP there's no much you can do. That's probably as secure as it can be made.

I do have a DLink router myself, but it's the DIR-855 which is one of their few quality models. 5Ghz 802.11N for the laptop and 2.4Ghz 802.11g/b for everything else. All WPA2. I have a few WEP-only devices, but would rather not use them than change from WPA2.

In terms of the WEP vs WPA2 debate it's probably worth pointing out that as well as better security WPA2 also shows a 10-20% speed increase over other encryption types in benchmarks (IxChariot, etc). More than enough to be noticeable.

[HeadphoneAddict]

MAC addresses can be faked so there's still ways around that system, but if you need WEP there's no much you can do. That's probably as secure as it can be made.

I do have a DLink router myself, but it's the DIR-855 which is one of their few quality models. 5Ghz 802.11N for the laptop and 2.4Ghz 802.11g/b for everything else. All WPA2. I have a few WEP-only devices, but would rather not use them than change from WPA2.

In terms of the WEP vs WPA2 debate it's probably worth pointing out that as well as better security WPA2 also shows a 10-20% speed increase over other encryption types in benchmarks (IxChariot, etc). More than enough to be noticeable.

To be faked, don't they need to know my MAC addresses first? Otherwise they have to guess a huge number of possibilities.