WEP Encryption & Mac Problems
Although any form of security on a wireless network is preferable to none being in place at all, not all wireless security standards are created equal. Although Apple Mac computers can connect to networks that use the Wired Equivalent Privacy security protocol, Apple does advise using more secure types of encryption. If you decide to connect your Mac to a network using WEP encryption, you must take into account some Mac-specific guidelines when connecting.
Other People Are Reading
-
Background
-
Most wireless networks use some form of encryption to ensure that unauthorized users cannot connect. As both Apple and Microsoft advise, the design of WEP encryption includes some inherent security vulnerabilities and is therefore considered easy to crack. As a result, WEP has been largely superseded with newer, more secure forms of encryption, such as Wi-Fi Protected Access.
Problem
-
The common problem associated with connecting Macs to WEP wireless networks relates to correctly entering the network key when joining the network. The MAC OSX operating system requires you to enter additional characters along with the password when joining WEP networks. These characters are not required when connecting with a Windows-based computer.
-
Passwords
-
WEP passwords use one of two forms: ASCII plain text or a hexadecimal string. If the wireless network uses a plain text password, MAC OSX requires you to enter the password enclosed in double quotation marks, for example “password.” If the password is hexadecimal (numbers and letters between “A” and “F” inclusive), you must add a dollar sign “$” to the beginning of the password string, for example $password.
Recommendation
-
If you are unsure whether the password you have for a WEP network is in plain text or hexadecimal format, try first joining the network by placing the password within double quotation marks. If you are unable to connect successfully, next try the password with a dollar sign prepended instead. If you still have problems connecting to the wireless network, contact the person in charge of the network for further advice.
-
