[cutman]

Hi everyone, I'm trying to share my DSL connection with my flatmate by using Airport and Internet Sharing. Things seem to work fine at first...my flatmate can see the wireless network...he just can't connect to it.

1) Is it possible for Mac OS X.3.8 to share an internet connection with a Windows XP machine?

2) If so, could someone please tell me how to do it?

Thanks.

[EmC]

Just a little more info would be helpful. How does your computer connect to the internet? Ethernet? Airport? What do you mean he can not connect, what error do you get? Any?

It is possible, I just need some info as a jumping off point.

[cutman]

I connect to my DSL modem by Ethernet cable, and I'm trying to share the connection wirelessly (Airport and Internet Sharing turned on).

In XP, he and my other flatmate (also on XP) can see my network, but when they try to connec to it, they get an error message that says something like "Warning...cannot connect...the base station may be out of range" or something like that. It doesn't make sense because the network status window shows both of them as having good wireless connections (4 out of 5 bars).

[FFL]

not surprising... XP's wireless connections work about half the time if you're lucky (at least in my eXPerience...)

[cutman]

The problem appears to be with the WEP encryption. If I turn the encryption off, he can connect fine, but if I have the encryption on, he can't connect. I followed the directions given in the settings (5 character password for 40 bit encryption, 13 character password for 128 bit), but he can't connect...his computer keeps trying and trying to connect until finally the window just closes.

[Franz Josef]

Originally Posted by cutman The problem appears to be with the WEP encryption. If I turn the encryption off, he can connect fine, but if I have the encryption on, he can't connect. I followed the directions given in the settings (5 character password for 40 bit encryption, 13 character password for 128 bit), but he can't connect...his computer keeps trying and trying to connect until finally the window just closes.

can't help with the XP issue but 2 general points spring to mind:

- don't feel tempted to avoid encryption so that your flatmate can connect, this will allow anyone (potentiallly) to access your data. If you live in a city, this could mean thousands of prying eyes snaffling your details - I once calculated that my Airport at full power could potentially be accessed by about 1,000 or so people and that doesn't include "drive-bys".

- WEP isn't the best encryption, WPA (personal or enterprise) is more secure.

FJ

[FFL]

Apple and XP plain-text passwords don't mix too well. Try using a HEX password.

[EmC]

You're roommates's are more than likely going to have to quit using windows to manage thier wireless networks. Most 3rd part wireless adapters come with thier own utility for connecting to wireless networks. I know for sure that linksys and netgear adapters come with them, and have used them succesfully in the past. Just open the properties for the connection in network connections, choose the wireless networks tab, and uncheck "Use windows to configure my wireless network settings." Then install the utililty that came with the wireless adapters and configure them using that.

That's Windows for you, no?

[cutman]

Originally Posted by FFL Apple and XP plain-text passwords don't mix too well. Try using a HEX password.

What exactly is a HEX password? Can I make one up, or do I need a specific one (provided by my computer). How long does the HEX password have to be?

Thanks for the help, everyone.

[FFL]

Hmm.

I've never done airport internet sharing with encryption, so I'm not sure where that setting is.

[FFL]

When you use the AirPort Admin Utility on an AirPort Base Station, you can go under the Base Station menu and select
"Equivalent Network Password..."
and it gives you the HEX equivalent password in the following dialog box:

[FFL]

Originally Posted by EmC You're roommates's are more than likely going to have to quit using windows to manage thier wireless networks. Most 3rd part wireless adapters come with thier own utility for connecting to wireless networks. I know for sure that linksys and netgear adapters come with them, and have used them succesfully in the past. Just open the properties for the connection in network connections, choose the wireless networks tab, and uncheck "Use windows to configure my wireless network settings." Then install the utililty that came with the wireless adapters and configure them using that. That's Windows for you, no?

Very good point - but what about Centrino notebooks that come with the wireless pre-installed?

[cutman]

Originally Posted by FFL When you use the AirPort Admin Utility on an AirPort Base Station, you can go under the Base Station menu and select "Equivalent Network Password..." and it gives you the HEX equivalent password in the following dialog box:

FFL,

Thanks for all of your help, but I can't use your most recent suggestion because Airport Admin Utility does not work with Internet Sharing. In other words, my computer does not show up as a Base Station, so I can't connect to it to see what the supplied HEX password would be.

Any ideas how to make my own computer show up in the Airport Admin Utility as a Base Station?

This sure is difficult...stupid Windows computers!

[FFL]

Here we go...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=150753
it seems you just define the HEX password manually with a dollar sign in the front, and using only letters A-E and any numbers. Use 26 hexadecimal digits for WEP 128-bit, or 10 digits for WEP 40-bit.

[EmC]

Originally Posted by FFL Very good point - but what about Centrino notebooks that come with the wireless pre-installed?

Hell, that's an even better point, you could probably still use a third party wireless software, just make sure that you uncheck that same option in windows.

[baaron]

Originally Posted by FFL Here we go... http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=150753 it seems you just define the HEX password manually with a dollar sign in the front, and using only letters A-E and any numbers. Use 26 hexadecimal digits for WEP 128-bit, or 10 digits for WEP 40-bit.

xwepgen slightly simplifies this process. See http://xwepgen.sourceforge.net/

Sorry, this is kinda off-topic, because it mainly applies for when you have a mac and are trying to connect to an encrypted Windows network. It's not always easy to get the hexadecimal equivalent from a PC. Just thought I'd mention this.

[Hassan i Sabbah]

Originally Posted by cutman The problem appears to be with the WEP encryption. If I turn the encryption off, he can connect fine, but if I have the encryption on, he can't connect. I followed the directions given in the settings (5 character password for 40 bit encryption, 13 character password for 128 bit), but he can't connect...his computer keeps trying and trying to connect until finally the window just closes.

I have exactly the same problem. We share our wireless with our next-door neighbours and we can't secure the network because the moment I try they can't connect. I can't help them because a) I know bugger all about Windows and b) their machines make me feel queasy, so if you're ever near Clissold Park in Stoke Newington and you need to send something urgent, drive around near the church with your laptop on the passenger seat for a bit.

[BarracksSi]

This is driving me & my roommate up the freakin' wall.

We're at an AmeriSuites hotel in California, and they've got a free broadband connection in the rooms. I can connect fine with my iBook, and he can connect fine using his XP-equipped Dell directly.

Earlier today, I finally got myself an AirPort Express, with the intention (at least for the next few days) of sharing the broadband connection with both computers in the room.

Well, within five minutes, I had renamed and configured the Express to my liking, and I was (and still am) surfing the internet with no problems. My roommate's Dell can see the Express and claims that it's connected to the network, but we have NOT been able to connect to the internet from the Dell.

Nothing mentioned in this thread has worked, and nothing on Apple's site has helped.

What gives?