Forgot Passphrase / Network Security Key

[acarter]

I forgot what my passphrase/network security key is on my Netgear Wireless WGU624 router. I was trying to connect another wireless laptop and it kept asking me for the passphrase. So I went into the first laptop (that was able to access the internet fine) and tried to change it and now I can't on either and it is telling me that I need to check with the administrator that set it up. That's a joke because that was me. I am SOOOO lost, if anyone can PLEASE help me that would be great. Thanks so much in advance.

Alicia

[fihart]

Best bet is to connect using an ethernet cable, which bypasses wireless encryption.

If your laptop(s) don't have network connector buy a PCMCIA or USB network card or put a PCI NIC in a desktop -- you're going to need one of those in the long run.

Failing that you'll have to press the Netgear's reset, which should return to defaults -- ie wireless on, no encryption, standard netgear SSID and user interface login password.

[acarter]

So is there no way to change the passphrase/network security key. I want to be able to use my wireless connection on both computers. Thanks for your help.

[fihart]

As I said, resetting the router disables encryption.

Then disable encryption on one of your computers, go into the router's user interface via Internet Explorer (address 192.168.0.1) and a login box should appear. User name is admin and password is password.

Run without encryption until you're happy everything's working then apply encryption.


One problem you may encounter (and it may be what went wrong initially ) is that different wireless brands may use different algorithms to translate the encryption passphrase.

Solution is to note down the HEX code the phrase produces when applied in setting up the router and then apply the HEX code directly to the laptops' encryption (ie don't use the passphrase facility).