AE and Netgear router - still have security issue

Question

Hi all,
Ok, gone through lots of threads and posts again but can never get this thing to quite work and Im sure Im close.
I have a Netgear DG834G which normally has WEP 40 enabled. I disable security to setup AE on the network which goes smoothly [this is done wired]. I can disconnect the network lead and still the AE and Router work fine but security is not enabled. I then try enabling WEP 40 and whammo the AE disappears - flashing amber of **** starts.
Now Ive tried 5 character random combos of letters and words but to no avail. Ive tried putting a $sign before my passwords but then the router says that there are too many characters and to use 10 Hex Chars or 5 ASCII chars.
Now I think if Im right it should just be a case of pick any random password that is of the correct character length then input that into the router. To ensure I can add the settings to the AE I have the admin utility opn befpre pressing apply on the router settings so that I can still see the AE.
Anyone any ideas, please tell me if I am doing something completly muppet-like as this is driving me nuts.
P.S. Router and AE are no on most up to date firmware.
Thanks

Answer 1

One of the problems with WEP is that the actual standard relies on a 10 character HEX key for 40bit WEP and a 26 character HEX key for 128bit WEP.
In order to make things easier for people, vendors use certain algorithms to convert simple alphanumeric passwords (or passphrases) into HEX keys, thus enabling people to use simple memorable WEP password rather than lengthy HEX keys.
The problem is that different vendors use different algorithms to generate the HEX key and therefore a ASCII password on an AEBS will be hashed differently on a Netgear client and vice versa.
One thing is a 13 character 128 bit WEP password will be hashed by all vendors in the same way (if you use 40bit WEP then a 5 character password is required).
Though sometimes not even that works and the HEX key must be used regardless.
AirPort: Joining an encrypted wireless network
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106424
Choosing a password for networks that use Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108058