Old Gateway PC won't connect to Airport Extreme

Question

Old Gateway PC won't connect to Airport Extreme

My airport is working fine and we have a Mac and a Dell pc working fine on the wireless network.

Cant' get my older Gateway pc to connect. (It connects fine to public wifi)
Tried several dead ends of getting the WEP hexadecimal passkey from this airport and could not

find a way to find it! I am using Airport utility 7.7.3, never saw anywhere to get the WEP key or
equivalent network option- anywhere..in this version of Utility..

Please help, I really need to use this PC in my home 🙂

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1), Airport Utility version 7.7.3

Posted on Jan 17, 2015 1:22 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 17, 2015 1:28 PM in response to donnafrompawleys island

The latest Airport dropped WEP.. as it should .. WEP is no longer security.. it is more like a locked door with the key in it.

You will not be able to use old wireless computer with modern router.. and you do not want to.. if you did you would reduce the security of the whole network to the lowest common denominator.. at WEP it is like waving a red flag to kiddie script hackers.. here I am.. come and get me.

It is time for the old gateway computer to join its peer group in the great vat of e-waste. Sorry.

Or run ethernet.

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Answer 2

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,408 points

Jan 17, 2015 1:30 PM in response to donnafrompawleys island

You can find the WPA "key" (not WEP, which the AirPort Extreme does not use at all). If your PC really does need a WEP connection, you are going to be out of luck....and will need to try a USB wireless adapter or connect using an Ethernet cable.

Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility

Click on the AirPort Extreme icon,then click Edit in the smaller window that appears

Click the Base Station menu.....at the uppermost top of the screen

Click Show Passwords and the long WPA "key" will be revealed

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