Incompatible Security Conncetion

I am a new MacBook user as of yesterday and have not been able to get an internet connection yet.

I am using a Netgear WGR615 v5 router. My network is set up but when I type in my password I get an Incompatible Security connection message.

On my Mac to log into my network it says I need a WEP Password. I am using the same one that logs me into Netgear. If I was using the wrong password where is it that I would have set my WEP Password. The day is a blur...

The message I get says it could be incorrect password, wrong network name or wrong type of wireless security.

Could anyone share some light on what I can do to correct this. Thank you.

Mary

What version of WEP are you using (32 or 64 bit)? Either way you have to tell your Mac what version your going to use. It should be an option when setting up the network on the MB. Also are you using the hex key value (password) that you set for the WEP security? Also the login password to the device for the Netgear should "NOT" be the same for as your shared key. Go back into the Netgear and insure you're using the right password.

Check the logs in the Console application. Applications/utilities It may provide some answers.
Did you use their Setup Wizard to set up the router?
Also, it's possible it could be just a corrupt preference file. Look for the systemconfigurations/networkinterfaces.plist in your home folder~ library/preferences/ and drag it to the desktop and reboot.

I am using 128bit - was told by Apple that is what is compatible with my PC and Mac. My router is wired to my PC

I am not sure where to check to see if I told my MB which version I was using..

Other settings are:
Authentication: Automatic
Encrypt: 128
Passphrase: Is what I used here the password that I need to use in my MB to try to connect. I have tried it and get the same Incompatible Security Connection. When it asks for the Wireless Security my choices are WEP Password,
WEP 40/128- bit hex and WEP 40/128 bit ASCII. I have been choosing WEP Password and using the passphrase code I chose which is not working.

To answer the question on how I set up the router - the router was already set up on the PC previously - my PC has internet access.

Thank you for any more ideas.

Mary

Is your WEP key HEX or ASCII? If it's a HEX code, choose WEP 40/128 Bit HEX.

Is the code just a word or is it like 1e24d3e1 etc for example?

Also you sure it's a 128 Bit key?

I would setup the router again and note the settings. (unless you can access the router and get the info) Then run the Airport Setup Assistant again. That way, all the settings will match.
If there's still a problem afterwards, we will know where not to look.

dtravis7 said:

Is your WEP key HEX or ASCII? If it's a HEX code, choose WEP 40/128 Bit HEX.

Is the code just a word or is it like 1e24d3e1 etc for example?

Also you sure it's a 128 Bit key?

Click to expand...

The WEP Key is like this 1e24d3e1 only alot longer. I just tried it with the WEP 40/128 Bit Hex and the passphrase as the password and got the same message.

Soulwar said:

I would setup the router again and note the settings. (unless you can access the router and get the info) Then run the Airport Setup Assistant again. That way, all the settings will match.
If there's still a problem afterwards, we will know where not to look.

Click to expand...

I can access the router. The settings are correct as far as I know and my PC that is connected to the router has internet.

I ran Airport Assistant again but get the same reply. Somewhere and I can't remember how I got there but it said that the connection that I set up has an unknown IP. Is that a helpful clue?
Mary

Is the router set up to hand out IP's with DHCP? Also do you have SSID enabled?

SSID should be under Wireless setup on the router. I am looking up your router as I type this and will get back to you.

Is that the router with VOIP support?

SSID is enabled. I have this checked in the Lan settings - Use Router as DHCP Server. Not sure about VOIP.

I will have to take a fresh look at this tomorrow so I'll check back for any more responses.

Thanks much,
Mary

MaryAnderson said:

SSID is enabled. I have this checked in the Lan settings - Use Router as DHCP Server. Not sure about VOIP.

I will have to take a fresh look at this tomorrow so I'll check back for any more responses.

Thanks much,
Mary

Click to expand...

The VOIP is not important just trying to figure out your router. It's not on the USA site of Netgear. Where do you live?

I live in US.
As I have been trying to figure this out I have been searching and I can see that this router can be used with a MacBook but sometimes their are little tricks to getting it to work.

Oh, I just looked back and had a typo - WGR614 v5 - sorry about that.

I'm still working on it.
Mary

Is this the one in question?
http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/wgr614v5.asp

Yes, that is it. I am thinking of deleting my Network and starting all over to be sure I haven't done something wrong.

I'M Taking a break today for some family sledding and winter fun. I'll return with a refreshed brain and hopefully good results.

Thank you everyone.
Mary

me too

This may not be helpful, but I just bot a Mac Pro desktop and am having similar problems. My first mac... other PCs on wireless network are fine. The Mac Pro "sees" the network, but when I enter my 26 character WEP key, I get an error: "Incompatible Security". I spent an hour on the phone with apple tech support and essentially got nowhere. They emailed me a diagnostic application to get more info, but I have not gotten it onto the Mac Pro (need to burn CD to get it over there) and they are closed today at any rate. I have tried all the settings... WEP, WEP Hex, WEP ASCII, none give anything other than the "incompatible security" line. PCs work fine. I am on "Shared" authentification. My next steps are to move the Mac Pro into the other room and directly hook up to the router to see if that works. Any advice would be welcome.

Partial Solution - I finally was able to get connected to the network by using a $ in front of my 26 character hex key

When asked for the WEP Password I typed in
(example) $ABCDEF0123456789ABCDEF0123 and got connected to my network.

I found the $ solution when searching and was pointed to this on Apple.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106250

I still do not have internet on my MacBook either directly connected to the router or wireless. We do have internet on our PC that is hardwired to the router.

My ISP said that a firewall or something is blocking Port 80 so that is what I am working on right now.
Mary

Glad to see you've made some progress!

My ISP said that a firewall or something is blocking Port 80 so that is what I am working on right now

Click to expand...

If you go to System Preferences-Sharing-Firewall
Select new and you can add a port. Under name, you could select other, and rename it "router" and the put in 80 for the port.
If all goes well, that should do it...

I couldn't quite follow the path you gave me. I could go to System Preferences-Sharing but didn't see Firewall.

In the mean time an Apple Tech called me back and said to his knowledge I had to change something in my router settings and he could not help me.

I'm still stuck.

Mary

When you selected sharing, this window should appear. The middle tab is the firewall. Then select the "New" tab.

Problem solved here.

Just fixed the same issue...
Wireless router setting needs to specify OPEN, cannot be set to shared or both.
Hope this helps. =)