Wep key and wpa does not work.

Question

I'm trying to set up security for my router using wep or wpa but everytime I set it up, my key does not work. The router is suddenly disabled. I did exactly as the how to setup wireless security said. do u have to hard reset to get it to work. I've been trying to set security for three days. Your help is appreciated.

Answer 1

First of all, give your network a unique SSID. Do not use "linksys". If you are using "linksys" you may be trying to connect to your neighbor's router. Also set "SSID Broadcast" to "enabled". This will help your computer find and lock on to your router's signal. 
For WEP, you must enter WEP "key 1"  (found in the router) into your computer, not the WEP password or passphrase.
For WPA or WPA2, enter the key (sometimes called password or passphrase) into your computer.
Note that for WPA or WPA2, use "personal", not "enterprise".
Also, nomenclature sometimes causes problems.  Note the following:
WPA   =  WPA with TKIP  =  PSK
WPA2  =  WPA with AES  =  PSK2
Also note that Windows XP requires SP3 to run WPA2  ( = WPA with AES).
Also, each time you try a new encryption method, you must remove old settings from your computer.  To do this, do the following: 
In the computer, go to your wireless software, and go to "Preferred Networks" (sometimes called "Profiles" ). There are probably a few networks listed. Delete any network named "linksys". Also delete any network that you do not recognize, or that you no longer use.   Delete your current network (this will remove any old settings).  Reboot computer.  Return to "Preferred Networks" and re-enter your current network info (SSID, encryption (if any), and key (if any) ). Then select your current network and make it your default network, and set it to automatic login. You may need to go to "settings" to do this, or you may need to right click on your network and select "Properties" or "settings".  Reboot computer.  You should connect automatically (it can take up to two minutes).  If you still have trouble, in the computer, temporarily turn off your computer software firewall, and see if that helps.
If the above does not fix your problem, download and install the latest driver for your wireless card.