Help regardig WEP

fayyaz_k55 · ‎12-17-2007

Hi, I got two computers and an AP. I have configured my AP with WEP 64 bit encryption, but on my one of the computer it say 40 bit or 128 bit. Do you think I can config all three with 128 bit encryption, and it will work?

Thanks

Fayyaz

bcolvin · ‎12-17-2007

A bit of explanation is required, WEP comes in two flavors 64 bit and 128 bit. The confusion comes in when one of the other is referenced with out the 24bit Initialization Vector then called 40 or 104 bit. Count the bit totals 5 bytes for an ascii 40 bit WEP key equals 40 bits or 13 bytes for an ascii 104 bit WEP key.

when we only had 40 bit wep, they didn't originally count the IV, and when they added 104 bit WEP, the Marketing folks apparently got a hold of it and decided that 128 bit WEP that included the IV bits sounded better. from that time on WEP keys were referenced usually as 64 or 128 but you will still see refereces to 40 or 104 bit keys, but they are usually referenced as 5 ascii or 10 hex character for 40/64 bit keys and 13 ascii or 26 hex characters for 104/128.

so even if the radio button you select says 128 the key you input is 104 bits plus the 24 bit initialzation vector generated by the software for a total of 128 bits.

got a little wordy

hope things are clearer

Bill

fayyaz_k55 · ‎12-18-2007

Hello Bill,

Thanks for your explanation. That was the problem in my laptop. My Access point is configured as 128 bit encryption, but my laptop has 40/140 wep key. How it is going to communicate with each other?

Thanks

bcolvin · ‎12-18-2007

You should be able to configure everything with 40/64 bit keys as they are the same only different names.

Bill