Sharing Internet connection with Windows laptop - only works if no password

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Level 1

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Sharing Internet connection with Windows laptop - only works if no password

It looks like others are having similar problems with this. I'm trying to set up Internet sharing on my brand new iMac so I can tap into my Ethernet connection from my work laptop (Windows XP.) I think I've got it right, because everything works great ... as long as I don't enable the encryption. However, since I don't want to share my connection with the entire neighborhood, I need to set a password, and that's where the problem starts. I've tried both the 40-bit and 128-bit options with no success. I've tried changing passwords. I've run network diagnostics on the Windows machine, and figured out that an older or incorrect password might have been stored in the settings ... figured out how to fix that (I think) ... but still no good. I simply can't connect with that machine unless no password is required. I must be missing something really simple and obvious, but have run out of ideas. Any advice would be appreciated ... thank you!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Dec 9, 2009 10:30 AM

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Answer 1

BobHarris

Level 9

56,939 points

Dec 9, 2009 7:47 PM in response to sjr1038

Internet Sharing uses WEP encryption, where Microsoft choose a different character password to hex encryption code conversion algorithm from what Apple choose. So Windows will not convert the password into a hex key the say way Apple does it.

You can either get the hex key value from the Mac and use that hex value on the Windows system, or there is one trick that generally works.

For a 64/40 bit key use a password that is exactly 5 characters. For a 128/104 bit key use a password that is exactly 13 characters. In this situation, 5 character times 8 bits per character is 40 bit. 13 characters times 8 bits per character is 104 bits. Neither Microsoft nor Apple does anything to the password when creating the WEP hex key.

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Answer 2

sjr1038 Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 10, 2009 8:02 AM in response to BobHarris

Thank you! Here's what I tried:

Setting a password of "apple" (5 characters) for Internet sharing on my Mac, and logging with the Windows laptop using "apple" as a network key. It didn't work.

Setting a password of "apple" for Internet sharing on my Mac, and logging in with the Windows laptop using 6170706c65 (the hex key for "apple" if I understand correctly) as a network key. It didn't work.

Setting a password of "6170706c65" for Internet sharing on my Mac, and logging in with the Windows laptop using 6170706c65 as the network key. It didn't work.

Setting a password of "6170706c65" for Internet sharing on my Mac, and logging in with the Windows laptop using "apple" as the network key. It didn't work.

Unchecking "enable encryption" for Internet sharing on my Mac, and logging in with NO password on the Windows laptop (with the Mac wireless network now showing up as unsecured.) Works like a charm, except for the fact that anyone within a block can tap into my wireless connection.

I'll try the same things with 13-character passwords and 26-character hex keys, and reply again if it works. But meanwhile, what am I doing wrong?

Thanks again.

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Answer 3

Very H2O

Level 2

465 points

Feb 23, 2010 6:47 AM in response to sjr1038

I am facing exactly the same problem.

I have a macbook and an Ethernet connection to the internet. I am sharing my internet connection in my powerbook to my ipod touch and my HTC wm 6.5 phone. I want to use the 5 character encryption to my network but my HTC wm 6.5 phone just would not connect to the network. Ipod connects no problem. Both device connect fine if i do not have a password to the network. Anyone can help me on this?

Message was edited by: Very H2O

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