Password Hex Equivalent

Question

Does anyone know how to find the hex equivalent password in the case where you don't really have an AX or AEBS as the main base station? I am simply sharing my DSL Internet to other computers through my iMac's Airport card and DSL modem. Works fabulous, but I can't use the Airport Admin Utility to determine the hex equivalent for my password.
Is there any alternate method of getting the hex equivalent password from my Airport?
Thank you.

Answer 1

Though this will only work if the plain text password is 13 characters long for 128bit WEP and 5 characters for 64bit WEP.
If the password is either longer or shorter than an algorithm is used to create the 26 character HEX 128bit key 10 character HEX 64bit key
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
iFelix