Ad-Hoc? Brother Printer config questions

First question: is there a port I can open up on AEBS that would fix this?

Unfortunately, no, the AirPort Base Station's USB ports can only handle basic printing functions of multi-function printers. This is more of a USB communications issue, as much as it is a AEBS one.

Second question: When they say change these setting in my computer, wouldn't I have to change them in the AEBS as well?

No.

Third question: I can't find any reference in the AEBS control panel or in my Network System Preferences panel about making an "Ad-Hoc" network.

You won't find any settings for the AEBS for an "Ad-Hoc" network, because this is another name for a computer-to-computer network.

There is no port to open that will fix this. The USB port on the AEBS(g) supports exactly one printer device, no hubs, no other functions such as scanning, faxing. First option is a non starter.

As for the second option, as I read what you wrote it seems that you should use your Airport equipped iBook, temporarily configured itself as a sort of base stprocedure is referred to as a Software Base Station and is normallyused to permit sharing of a wired ethernet connection to the Internet when you have no Airport Base Station.

1) To avoid potential RF conflicts with your AEBS, ensure that your AEBS is broadcasting on a channel other than 11, and at least 4 channels away (1 ..6). Better yet, just turn it off.

2) Pull down the Airport menu and select Create Network and follow your nose; pick a network name, set channel to 11, no WEP.

3) The Printer should glom on to your Ad-Hoc network from the iBook and you can configure it from there.

Post back with questions.

First question: is there a port I can open up on
AEBS that would fix this?

Can I scan using my all-in-one when it is connected to the USB port of an Airport Express or Airport Extreme Base Station?
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=610763&#610763

Another option--this printer has WLAN built in. It
found my Airport network, and when I put in the WEP
key, it connected immediately, but neither my iBook
nor my wife's HP notebook can find it.

It may have not authenticated correctly.

What happens if you turn off WEP temporarily, this will determine if it is a WEP issue or something else.

One of the problems with WEP is that the actual standard relies on a 10 character HEX key for 40bit WEP and a 26 character HEX key for 128bit WEP.

In order to make things easier for people, vendors use certain algorithms to convert simple alphanumeric passwords (or passphrases) into HEX keys, thus enabling people to use simple memorable WEP password rather than lengthy HEX keys.

The problem is that different vendors use different algorithms to generate the HEX key and therefore a ASCII password on an AEBS will be hashed differently on a Netgear client and vice versa.

One thing is a 13 character 128 bit WEP password will be hashed by all vendors in the same way (if you use 40bit WEP then a 5 character password is required).

Though sometimes not even that works and the HEX key must be used regardless.

AirPort: Joining an encrypted wireless network
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106424

Choosing a password for networks that use Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=108058