Configure Airport/Linksys Router UGH!

I have an iBook that I just received from a friend. Tried to get onto airport via Linkys router but password keeps getting denied despite repeated attempts. I tried typing in the $ sign prior to the password to no avail. Here are my detes:

Linksys WRT54G2
Mac ibook
OSX Version 10.2.8

When I'm in System Prefs/Network/Airport, I am unable to delete existing networks. I also do not have an Advanced button. I am not getting any bars in my wireless icon on my screen.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. The world awaits me tweating from my couch. Haha! JK!:

What kind of security is the Linksys doing? Try defaulting the Linksys and starting over. Are other clients using the Linksys via wireless?

The security is WPA and the Linksys has already been reinstalled. As far as other clients, it's just me. I have a Mac desktop to which the router is hooked up and working perfectly. My network name appears on my laptop (when I hold down the wireless icon and see the available networks), I enter the password and it tells me that there is an error connecting to the router. If I try to go thru Internet Connect and type my password, it tells me that the password is incorrect.

Hope this makes sense!

You might have to upgrade the OS to get an option to use WPA, but I am not sure. It might be available in 10.3. I will do some digging...

Straight from Apple:

Requirements for WPA

To join a WPA network, a Macintosh computer must have:

* an AirPort or AirPort Extreme card (see Note)
* Mac OS X 10.3 or later
* AirPort software version 3.3 or later for the AirPort Card (available via Software Update)
* AirPort software version 3.2 or later for the AirPort Extreme Card (available via Software Update)

Thanks! Appreciate the help. The other security options that I have are WPA Enterprise, WPA2 Enterprise, WPA2 Personal, Radius and WEP. I tested by disabling the security and the router works. Not something that I want to keep doing however.

Thanks!

No problem. That is what we are here for! So basically you have two choices:

1. Dumb down the security for all the other devices so the Mac can get online

or

2. Upgrade the Mac so you can use WPA

I would choose #2!

Ugh, now on to the upgrade. He gave me a Tiger reinstall disk (10.2.8 upgrade to 10.4.6) and now that's not working. Click on the icon and it tells me to restart. I do and nothing happens. Need to look into firmware updates I'm assuming. Jeez, free computers are a hassle!