(Resolved) Having real problems setting up wireless network security

[natalie137]

So, I bought a new laptop recently with built-in Wi-Fi meaning that I didn't have to use my old USB network adaptor. When I got home, I decided to try it out and see what networks were around for me to connect to, thinking that I wouldn't be able to connect to our home one because we'd secured it. I was wrong, turns out we hadn't secured it and I could get into it easily. This led to my parents panicking about the lack of security and so far this weekend has been me and my dad trying to secure the network.

Only problem is we both keep fucking it up. It usually ends up with either the network being open for anyone to use or the computers that we've supposedly allowed to use the network being able to connect but not having internet access (I'm currently using another connection to post this).

It's a linksys router that we've got and I've tried even following the instructions on the website to get it to work after restoring factory settings, but nothing has worked. Really doesn't help that I'm quite a technophobe.

Can anyone think of anything we could try?

[Rob]

1. Open a browser such as IE or Firefox
2. Enter 192.168.1.1 in the URL bar, hit enter

This takes you to the router control panel. Look around for the security section, and the rest should be a breeze. Make sure you ONLY have a WEP key enabled for security, nothing else.

[natalie137]

I've tried this already, everytime I set the security settings like the linksys help website advises me to all the computers on the network lose internet access

[Spastic]

Are you entering the WEP key it's giving you when you connect to the network?

[Rob]

Did you install any of the stuff that came with the router on the wired PC?

[natalie137]

Are you entering the WEP key it's giving you when you connect to the network?

It hasn't asked me to enter a WEP key at any point

Did you install any of the stuff that came with the router on the wired PC?

Yes

[Spastic]

Are you using the default windows wireless connection tool, or a third party software to connect to the network? If it's a third party can you tell me the name of the program?

[natalie137]

One of my friends who knows more about computers than me came round and fixed it. The internet had somehow disconnected itself, hence why it wasn't connecting.