Roaming: WEP on Snow ABS, WPA on AirPort Express?

Question

We have a Snow AirPort Base Station and an AirPort Express. We had a roaming network set up that worked perfectly. (Same Network Name and Password on each base station.) We are using an iBook that has the original AirPort card and OS 10.4.3.
When I set the AirPort Express to do WPA we lost roaming, even though we still have the same Network Name and Password on both.
Can we have a roaming network with one ABS on WEP and one on WPA?
Can't find anything about this on Apple Support or via Google.
Thanks.
- Winston

Answer 1

The solution is to use WEP on both base stations.
Why do you need to run WPA on one network and WEP on the other, why don't you run WEP on both?
It can't be a security issue as your network is as secure as the lowest denomnator, therefore the weakest part of the network is the WEP, it doesn't matter if you run WPA, you can not improve the security on your network, even if you had two separate wireless networks with two SSIDs, if one is WEP encrypted.
Say the base stations had different network names
(SSIDs), and one had WEP and the other WPA. If I was
using one, then put my iBook to sleep, then moved to
the second ABS, my iBook should pick up the second
ABS when I wake it up.
Yes
Why can AirPort change from one known network to
another when it sleeps, then awakes in a different
place, can roam between two networks with the same
SSID, password, and encryption, but cannot roam
between networks with the same name, password but
different encryption?
When you have a roaming network you are not running two networks, but are running a single network with two nodes.
1. Can I use the same SSID and password for the ABS's
with different encryption (one WEP, one WPA) and
switch between them manually?
No
2. Or should I use different SSID's and switch
manually?
No just use WEP on both base stations, or upgrade the Snow ABS to an AEBS or AX so you can use WPA on your wireless network.
iFelix