dennise9@charter.net hath wroth:

>Coffee-shop success!

OK, the laptop is deemed working without encryption.

>Well after making sure my WG511 encryption was disabled, Internet IP
>address and DNS address were set to get automatically from ISP and my
>Wireless Access point was enabled ... whew; I managed to connect to
>and access the Internet at three different free wireless hotspots.

Ummm... The WG511 PCMCIA card does NOT control encryption. Encryption,
channel, speed, and just about everything else is controlled by the
wireless access point. You shouldn't have to do anything on the
laptop except select an SSID and supply an encryption key.

>As for making an encrypted wireless connection at my daughter's house,
>I'll have to try it again next time there. Maybe I tried to use the
>"key" that she gave me as a "pass-phrase" instead of one of the
>encryption keys.

If she's using WPA encryption, it will be a "pass phrase".
If she's using WEP encryption, it will be either in the form of a 5 or
13 letter ACSII (text) key, or a 10 or 26 character Hex key.

>Can anyone advise me regarding getting on an encrypted wireless
>network with a given "key":

Use the Hex key and NOT the ASCII key for WEP encryption. There's a
problem converting from ASCII to Hex which different manufactories do
in various creative manners.

>When changing the WG511 settings:
>- how do I know if my daughter's "key" is 64 bit or 128 bit?

By the length. 64 bit is 5 characters of ASCII or 10 characters of
Hex. 128 bit is 10 characters of ASCII or 26 characters of Hex.

>- do I enter the key as a pass-phrase?

For WPA encyption yes.
For WEP encrytion use Hex to be safe.

>- or do I enter it as a key?

Pass phrase is the same as a key. They might also be called a
"password" or "encryption key". Terminology seems to vary depending
on vendor.

>- if a key, which key should I use: 1, 2, 3 or 4?

You'll only have that choice for WEP 64 bit. Use #1 for 64 bit WEP.

>Thanks in advance.

Good luck. This should be easy from here (famous last words).

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558