# iBook Wireless Problem



## BriLam (Jun 12, 2004)

This problem has been happening for quite some time and I've actually given up on it. It is such a pain to work on.

I have a Dell laptop and my girlfriend has an iBook. I have a Linksys BEW11S4 wireless router in my apartment. Both computers access the router fine when no security is enabled, however only the Dell can access it once security it enabled. It gets quite odd, however, as it always wasn't like this!

Originally, I had the security level set to WEP with the mode 64 bits 10 hex digits. I believe both accessed the router using this. Then, all of a sudden, the Mac wouldn't access it. I turned security off and it worked fine, accessing it no problem. I turned it back on and trued 128 bit 26 hex digits. The Mac once again could use it. Boy, was it a pain copying all those digits back and forth. Still, as long as it worked

Now, the damn thing won't access the network anymore unless the security is completely disabled. This got me mad and I obliged. Wanting some kind of security-related option set, I disabled the Wireless SSID broadcast, and it STILL wouldn't access it! It wouldn't do anything unless no security was used whatsoever. Quite annoying! My girlfriend is currently back in NJ, so with her laptop gone security is back on.

I know this can't be normal, but another Mac my old roommate had acted similarly. I'm not too good with Macs, so my troubleshooting skills only go so far. Does anyone have the slightest idea?

One thing I thought of was their keychain option, but I'm not sure how it works or what it would do to prevent the accessing of the network. It boggles my mind that it worked and then didn't anymore!

Again, thanks in advance!


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## tgal (Apr 6, 2005)

*One trick that might work is putting a '$' at the end of the hexadecimal key with Airport cards, for example 1A2B3C4D5E6F7G8H9I1J2K3L4M$ might allow you to use the wireless access point with 128-bit encyption enabled. I have an airport extreme card in my Mac and I have no issues with it and I do not have to use the $ workaround thankfully.*


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## BriLam (Jun 12, 2004)

I'll give it a try, thanks!


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## sudo (May 12, 2005)

BriLam said:


> I'll give it a try, thanks!


Tiger will automatically put the ! at the end of the key when you enter. It sounds like Apple is aware of the problem and is trying to figure it out, their solution is the same is his. You work for Apple?


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## sudo (May 12, 2005)

BriLam said:


> I'll give it a try, thanks!


Tiger will automatically put the $ at the end of the key when you enter it. It sounds like Apple is aware of the problem and is trying to figure it out, their solution is the same is his. You work for Apple?


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