Airdash USB Wireless USB Sticks and WEP woes . . .

[RDustinC]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone out there may have experience with these things, and may be able to help me out with a problem I'm having!

I'm new to wireless networking, and picked up a set of Ashton Digital USB sticks to create a quick and easy network betwen my PC's to transfer files, and share an internet connection.

Anyways, they were very easy to set up, and I have no problem getting the network set up between my two PCs. HOWEVER, someone else in my building has a wireless network set up as well. Frankly I don't need anyone taping into my PC, so I wanted to use the WEP security features.

HOWEVER, every time I try and set a security key for my network, my little icon in my tray goes immediatly blue (Dataframe errors- check WEP settings).

I'm not exactly sure WHAT I'm doing wrong. I'm running Windows XP home edition, if that helps in any way.

Additionally, if anyone else out there has these sticks, have you figured out how to rid yourself of any "network profiles" you've created using their software? They just hang around and won't go away!

Thanks
Dustin

[M/Q]

Welcome to the forum. How are you setting up the WEP configuration? Are you using passphrases or the Hex? You may want to try it just using the Hex, as passphrases sometimes can create problems. Also have you tried using either encryption key length (64mb or 128mb) with the same results? That might be a work around for the problem as well if one of the two works.

I would like to suggest if this is a full time network, you may want to invest in an AP and wireless pc cards. The USB sticks were not intended for anything more than just a temporary setup. They work well for their intended use, but will have strange and erratic behavior as they are not the best networking solution. IMHO

[RDustinC]

Thanks for the advice. I have made some progress.

I took my laptop and one of the sticks to school to try their wireless networking, the WEP works when I try to tap into a access point (infrastructure mode).

I filleded with the window settings and the WEP will also work when I put it in psuedo ad-hoc mode.

HOWVER, it is the peer-to-peer mode which causes my WEP to fail for some reason.

Dustin