Earlier this year, in order for my son to use Internet on his computer
(with Windows XP), I acquired a Linksys WRT54G router and a Belkin
802.11g network card.

Configuring the Linksys was no problem, but I struggled for literally
hours to get the Belkin card to do anything. The screens produced by the
installation software bore only a passing resemblance to what was in the
user manual, I could make no connection, and eventually I gave up and
resolved to try another day.

A few weeks later my son reported that he had suddenly acquired an
Internet connection!! I didn't understand this but the connection worked
fine for months, so I decided that trying to understand it was a waste
of time.

I have just acquired a laptop for my work, and on connecting to the
Linksys I discovered what had happened: the Linksys had spontaneously
reset itself and disabled WEP. (This incidentally does not give me much
faith in Linksys equipment - is it a common problem?) Apparently the
Belkin card is happy to talk to an unsecured router, but not to use WEP.
During the installation I had entered the WEP key (and tried it again
.... and again ...)

Obviously I don't want my work going over an unsecured connection. I
re-enabled WEP on the Linksys. Connecting the laptop is no problem: it
pops up a window showing me my router (and two belonging to the
neighbours), I type in the WEP key and off we go.

But of course my son now has no internet connection again. No pop-up
appears for him.

How on earth do I persuade the Belkin card to use WEP?

--
Stephen Poley