Does anyone know how to find the encryption key for an airport time capsule. My TV used to happily talk to the airport extreme, but it now insists on an encryption key for the new time capsule
MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)
In almost all cases, the "key", which some products call a passkey or passphrase is simply your normal wireless network password.
You can find the actual hex key that the password generates, which is a long 64 character code of letters and numbers, but I doubt that having this information will help you.
To find the actual hex key on the Time Capsules.......
Open AirPort Utility (Finder > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility)
Click on the picture of the Time Capsule
Click Edit in the smaller window that appears
Click the Base Station menu......at the uppermost top of the computer screen where you see the Apple icon, and other menus like File, Window, Help, etc
Click Show Passwords, and the wireless passwords and codes will be revealed
In almost all cases, the "key", which some products call a passkey or passphrase is simply your normal wireless network password.
You can find the actual hex key that the password generates, which is a long 64 character code of letters and numbers, but I doubt that having this information will help you.
To find the actual hex key on the Time Capsules.......
Open AirPort Utility (Finder > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility)
Click on the picture of the Time Capsule
Click Edit in the smaller window that appears
Click the Base Station menu......at the uppermost top of the computer screen where you see the Apple icon, and other menus like File, Window, Help, etc
Click Show Passwords, and the wireless passwords and codes will be revealed
Thanks for that info, but unfortunately it doesn't work. At least it clears up that this is more likely to be a TV (Panasonic) problem. The TV is recognising that the Airport TC is 'locked' and has encryption of some form, rather than simply asking for the password.
The TC uses industry standard wireless security settings called WPA2 Personal. Virtually any modern wireless product uses these settings as well.
Some manufacturers call this WPA2 -- PSK -- AES.
Check the TV setup screens to see if there are settings that allow the TV to choose the type of encryption to use.
If you are still having difficulty after that, my next suggestion would be to temporarily turn off the wireless security on the TC....and, as a test, see if the TV will connect that way.
If it will, then you know that you have a security settings / compatibility issue, and you may need to lower the security settings on the TC to WPA/WPA2 Personal to see if the TV will connect that way.
But, if the TV will not connect with no security......then that is an entirely different kind of issue. If the TV cannot connect this way during your "test", then it is clear that the TV will never connect with security enabled. More things will need to be tried.
Thanks again,
Turning security off enabled the TV to connect. We can live with that as we are on an isolated farm. Though ultimately I'd like to solve the problem. It must be that with security on, all communications to and from the Airport TC are encrypted and the TV needs to key to enable that. But I imagine that key is buried somewhere.
ps I had already lowered the security settings to WPA/WPA2 personal, but that still didn't allow a connection.
Can you post a link to the Setup Guide or Setup Manual for the TV?
I assume that the security network is set up with software within MacOS (I have 10.11.4). Hence would any encryption key be within my Macbook (which I used to set up the network)? Any clues where?
Thanks for your help
would any encryption key be within my Macbook (which I used to set up the network)? Any clues where?
On your Mac......Finder > Applications > Utilities > KeyChain Access
Type "AirPort" into the search box
Look for a listing of the name of your wireless network
Double click
Enter a check mark in the box next to show password
Enter your administrator password for the Mac
But, this won't tell you anything that you don't already know. This will reveal the name of the wireless password that you set up for your network.....and this is the item that you will need to use to connect........not the "key".
The manual for the TV indicates that you can set things up manually......just like any other wireless device would be set up: Identify and select the network to be joined......and then enter the wireless network password (not the "key").
That is not working for you. I don't know why. And, if all your other wireless devices connect just fine using the wireless network password....then logic tells you that if the TV were functioning correctly, it would connect as well.
The manual also indicates that you have a WPS setup option for the TV. Did you try using that setup?
The command shows the word Printer.....but any wireless device that uses WPS will work.
If the TV still won't connect using WPS, then It is time to suspect that the wireless settings on the TV are not working correctly for security.
Many thanks Bob for your help. Your conclusion, like mine, that the only option for the 'encryption key' was the password for the Airport TC, eventually worked. I have been busy with some other tasks but when I got back to the TV I tried various combinations among the menus, including those I tried earlier, and one worked. This was using WPA2 etc., and then entering the password for the encryption key. I reset the Airport TC to WPA2 with its normal level of security. The main difference was that I gave it 30 secs or more to 'register' the key strokes etc. I entered. The 'open', no key system does work, but I wasn't happy leaving it in that state. Now we can at least update the TV software.
Encryption key
