Cannot connect to a running wifi network
December 3, 2008 1:15 PM Subscribe
NewbieWifiFilter: What could prevent OSX from logging on to a working wifi network that Airport detects?
Moved in to a new place where there is an already set-up wifi router which works for three roommates, one of whom has a Mac as well.
One of them gave me the name and password of the network, Airport on an iMac running 10.4.11 detected it automatically among others, but there is "an error", dixit OSX without further details, after I submit the password, "to connect to the network".
I tried all available encryption options offered when prompting the network password, but the OK button remains shadowed and inaccessible with all but one of them, which leads to the error.
Signal strength and interferences should not be issues.
Apart from a typing error of the password, what should I investigate to solve the problem? Should I try to tinker with the router even though it works for my three roommates? Which client settings should I examine?
Just looking for the first few steps to take. I am googling, but I am not yet able to separate the noise from the signal I am looking for in the vast volume of information available. Thanks!
Moved in to a new place where there is an already set-up wifi router which works for three roommates, one of whom has a Mac as well.
One of them gave me the name and password of the network, Airport on an iMac running 10.4.11 detected it automatically among others, but there is "an error", dixit OSX without further details, after I submit the password, "to connect to the network".
I tried all available encryption options offered when prompting the network password, but the OK button remains shadowed and inaccessible with all but one of them, which leads to the error.
Signal strength and interferences should not be issues.
Apart from a typing error of the password, what should I investigate to solve the problem? Should I try to tinker with the router even though it works for my three roommates? Which client settings should I examine?
Just looking for the first few steps to take. I am googling, but I am not yet able to separate the noise from the signal I am looking for in the vast volume of information available. Thanks!
Best answer: Do you happen to know what security protocol the network is using? WEP or WPA (some variant of).
I remember I had some trouble finding a suitable key that agreed and worked with my PC (windows), PC (Linux), Mac, Wii, iPhone etc etc...
Might be worth seeing if it can connect with encryption off as a first step.
posted by saintsguy at 1:40 PM on December 3, 2008
I remember I had some trouble finding a suitable key that agreed and worked with my PC (windows), PC (Linux), Mac, Wii, iPhone etc etc...
Might be worth seeing if it can connect with encryption off as a first step.
posted by saintsguy at 1:40 PM on December 3, 2008
Best answer: WEP, in particular, is a security method that has varied key exchange settings that can make it difficult to work ubiquitously. Different key lengths, encodings, etc. While your AirPort card will be able to sense an open network, it may not be able to negotiate the particular security settings of the wireless access point you're trying to connect to. As sainstguy suggests, try connecting to the access point with encryption turned off. If you can connect, it is likely the security configuration.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:21 PM on December 3, 2008
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:21 PM on December 3, 2008
Security protocol might be the answer. Two new macs in my house were upset until we moved from WPA2 to WPA.
posted by incessant at 2:30 PM on December 3, 2008
posted by incessant at 2:30 PM on December 3, 2008
Response by poster: Huzzah! It works. I was able this time to submit a password in WEP 40 / 128 hex encryption, instead of the regular WEP.
I was simply confused by the OK button being shadowed and unclickable when I switched encryption modes after typing the password in regular WEP, assuming this encryption was somehow not available for this particular network, but once I started typing the password it just lit back again. An easy solution solution to an easy problem.
posted by jchgf at 2:56 PM on December 3, 2008
I was simply confused by the OK button being shadowed and unclickable when I switched encryption modes after typing the password in regular WEP, assuming this encryption was somehow not available for this particular network, but once I started typing the password it just lit back again. An easy solution solution to an easy problem.
posted by jchgf at 2:56 PM on December 3, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
I always beging by re-starting my computer, unplugging the router for a few seconds, and then trying again. When this inevitably doesn't work, I reset the router (most have a small button or pin-hole which you can use to wipe their settings) and put all the settings back to the way the owner's were using it previously. At this point I can almost always get on the network.
If I were a better diagnostician, I could probably identify an alternative to the router reset, but I haven't yet. If you decide to do something like that, try to be very sure of any settings you need to re-set later.
posted by chudmonkey at 1:36 PM on December 3, 2008