Windows 7 - WPA-PSK Network config w/MS VISTA

Asked By jcag

07-Jul-07 01:10 PM

I'm trying to connect my son's new MS Vista laptop to our home
Motorola wireless network and after entering his MAC address into our
router software, noted that in his Vista network setup, there is no
provision for our existing WPA-PSK security. WPA-PSK doesn't appear as
an option.

Instead, there's "WPA Personal", "WPA2 Personal", "WPA Enterprise"
allows TKIP and AES selections - no PSK so how can I get the WPA-PSK
option?

Every other configuration I've tried doesn't work and since other
machines on our home network currently operate flawlessly on the
network, I really don't want to alter our existing network security
settings for a single machine. SSID, passphrase, 'obtain
automatically' or trying to actually fill in our IP, DNS, gateway, etc
isn't working. It *SEEMS* to be something specific to the PSK not
being an apparent option where network security compatibility is
concerned. THANKS VERY MUCH for any replies... HELP!  :-)

07-Jul-07 02:13 PM

PSK stand for "Pre shared key" which is simply a password that is put into
the router and the PC. This is something that is used in "Personal" or small
business enviroments. Enterprises will use shared digital certificates which
are far more secure. So you will use personal mode.

TKIP and AES are forms of encryption and more than likely you will use TKIP
if your router only uses WPA rather than WPA2. If you have the option to use
WPA2 on the router, it would be wise to use it, but make sure that the
drivers on all WiFi cards are able to also support this mode.

In short you will use WPA personal - TKIP

Chris

07-Jul-07 04:03 PM

So based on the above short story, anything come to mind?  Curious
because I've set the XP machines up with no problem and then this
comes along.  Acknowledging the case sensitivities, etc; can see the
network but not connect and no reason is provided (incidentally,
'repair' for the connection didn't work either).  I logged onto the
neighbor's open network so believe the laptop is working fine, just
something with the WPA-PSK connection.

07-Jul-07 04:57 PM

FURTHER...
One thing I just noted... My XP laptop has the following installed in
the network properties:
automatically)

On the Vista machine, it has the first three mentioned above installed
but then gets to the following differences:
Topology Discovery Responder".

Differences in the TCP/IP stack are interesting between Vista & XP as
are the Link Layer lines above (whatever they are).  I have to wonder
if there's an incompatibility somehow between my router and these new
versions of TCP.  Thoughts?

07-Jul-07 05:29 PM

do you get an IP on the Vista machine?

Please see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928233/en-us


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

07-Jul-07 06:44 PM

Actually I have not been able to get an IP on the Vista machine (using
ipconfig /all)

07-Jul-07 09:30 PM

I would double check the MAC address or turn off MAC filtering.
Just curious, why are you using both MAC filtering and WPA-PSK?
--------------
In comic strips, the person on the left always speaks first. --George
Carlin

08-Jul-07 12:34 AM

On Jul 7, 6:30 pm, "David A. Spicer" <vista_ultimate_...@hotmail.com>

No other reason for using both than, 'redundant protection'.  Just
trying to keep the deterrent as high as possible.  Everything else has
worked flawlessly on our network to date (including an Xbox)... I'll
try turning off MAC and get back...

07-Jul-07 03:16 PM

WPA-PSK = WPA-Personal


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

08-Jul-07 05:35 AM

did you follow the instructions in
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/928233/en-us  ?




--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

08-Jul-07 10:57 AM

WOW Barb, er, I mean Mz Bowman <greatest respect and adoration mode
ON> :-)  -

You truly are a MS "MVP"  - the link above did the trick.  I tweaked
both network adapter keys as per 'resolution', rebooted, manually re-
did my network info and voila - it works great...  Thank you SOOOooo
much for your replies.

John

ps - others, thank you as well for taking the time to reply.

08-Jul-07 12:57 PM

Happy to be able to help.


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

09-Jul-07 08:54 AM

Barb, slightly different problem, can ya help.

Started up my new Dell Inspiron E1505 with a BGN adapter. All worked fine
with my old 54Mg Netgear router.

Installed the Netgear WNR854T BGN Router. All I did in the setup is assign
an SSID name. All laptops in the house connect fine. They are one XP Pro, two
XP Home and the new Vista Dell.

After it all works I go back and add WEP security (encryption), everything
functions except the New Vista Dell machine.

After and hour on the phone with Netgear they decide it is a Microsoft
problem.

As a summary, Vista is OK with no wireless security, but will not connect
past the router after security is active. Oh, when I look at the router page
I can see all the PC names that have attached including the Dell Vista. But
the Dell Vista can't make it past the router.

Cheers

09-Jul-07 09:20 AM

Can you try WPA please? WEP is really so easily cracked.


On Mon, 9 Jul 2007 05:54:00 -0700, Harry

--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

09-Jul-07 10:22 AM

Yes, will try it this evening. Thanks

09-Jul-07 09:40 PM

Good evening, I changed to WPA along with the regedit change and all
connected fine. The only problem is the connection speed, very slow to all
users in the house. I went back to the old Netgear router and will return the
new one.

Thanks for the tip

Harry

10-Jul-07 04:57 AM

thanks for the update.


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

11-Jul-07 01:54 AM

I thank you too, very much. I've been unable to use WPA-PSK. WEP yes, WPA2
yes, but not WPA.
-------------------------------------------------
Happy to be able to help.


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

11-Jul-07 01:59 AM

Perhaps I should clarify. I use several networks & I try to use the highest
security each time, so WPA2 #1 preference, WPA-PSK #2, WEP #3.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I thank you too, very much. I've been unable to use WPA-PSK. WEP yes, WPA2
yes, but not WPA.
-------------------------------------------------
Happy to be able to help.


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

11-Jul-07 05:13 AM

Great advice.

My DhcpConnForceBroadcastFlag is set to 1.

Should I also change the DhcpConnForceBroadcastFlag to 0?

Or delete the DhcpConnForceBroadcastFlag key?

Or leave DhcpConnForceBroadcastFlag key set to 1?
------------------------------------------------------------
Happy to be able to help.


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

11-Jul-07 06:56 AM

do you know how these networks are configured for security? if they
require WPA2 only then that is what you would need to use. the fix I
mentioned is a connectivity fix for not getting an IP at all. so if
you are saying that you can connect if you use WPA2, then the fix
won't help you.

do you have a network that you can't connect to at all?


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

11-Jul-07 06:57 AM

please see my question in the reply to your other message


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

11-Jul-07 10:16 PM

7 I use regularly.

One is WPA2 on a Netgear WAP54G, one was WPA-PSK on a Zyxel but is now WEP
and I'll try it again with WPA-PSK next week when I'm there again, and 5
others are WEP on a D-LINK, a Linksys & two TP-LINK TL-WR340G, and an
unknown.

Sometimes they worked and sometimes they didn't as they couldn't get an IP.

I tried everything I could think of such as downloading latest Thinkpad
drivers, removing IPv6 from the configuration. Your suggestion seems to have
worked for me . Thank you.
-----------------------------------------------
do you know how these networks are configured for security? if they
require WPA2 only then that is what you would need to use. the fix I
mentioned is a connectivity fix for not getting an IP at all. so if
you are saying that you can connect if you use WPA2, then the fix
won't help you.

do you have a network that you can't connect to at all?


--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/