Need to set 128-Bit Hex key for WEP transitional mode with N enabled.
I know that you can see what Hex key is generated after you type in a key, and I know if you type in exactly 13 characters it does a straight ASCII to hex conversion (mostly), and I know you can directly type in a Hex key prefaced by a "$" if you switch to b/g mode (holding option key when clicking on modes to get the choice) and then choose traditional WEP. Unfortunately non of that helps.
We have Wireless Access points (non-Apple) in locations all over the country and have mostly used the same Hex 128-bit WEP key which is configured into all our laptops and laptops of vendors we have let on our network - much of this put in when WEP and MAC level security was only option. The key that was originally chosen purposely does not translate into standard ASCII characters so a dictionary attack could not determine the key, rather the HEX key translates into strange ASCII characters (like "q/╧«╞╟J?c%Lï for example). Since our company standard has moved to MacBook Pros, we decided to try an Airport Extreme in our latest location. What we found is in WEP transitional mode with "N" enabled there is no option to enter the key directly in Hex. We tried using cut and paste to enter the strange string but after pasting it in the second field, the Airport utility spontaneously reboots without taking the key. We ended up resorting to putting it in b/g only mode so we could put in the hex prefixed by a "$", but that is an awful waste of an expensive access point (we can get an a/b gateway for <$30). We would really like to use the Apple and use "N", but we don't relish changing our Key everywhere just because the Apple has a bug. It's great that you have a way to show ASCII or HEX that was generated, but we really need a way to directly put in the HEX.
Does anyone know any way to set this directly?
We have Wireless Access points (non-Apple) in locations all over the country and have mostly used the same Hex 128-bit WEP key which is configured into all our laptops and laptops of vendors we have let on our network - much of this put in when WEP and MAC level security was only option. The key that was originally chosen purposely does not translate into standard ASCII characters so a dictionary attack could not determine the key, rather the HEX key translates into strange ASCII characters (like "q/╧«╞╟J?c%Lï for example). Since our company standard has moved to MacBook Pros, we decided to try an Airport Extreme in our latest location. What we found is in WEP transitional mode with "N" enabled there is no option to enter the key directly in Hex. We tried using cut and paste to enter the strange string but after pasting it in the second field, the Airport utility spontaneously reboots without taking the key. We ended up resorting to putting it in b/g only mode so we could put in the hex prefixed by a "$", but that is an awful waste of an expensive access point (we can get an a/b gateway for <$30). We would really like to use the Apple and use "N", but we don't relish changing our Key everywhere just because the Apple has a bug. It's great that you have a way to show ASCII or HEX that was generated, but we really need a way to directly put in the HEX.
Does anyone know any way to set this directly?
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.1)
