i've had major probs with livebox since upgrade, tho cld use netgear and belkin no prob. i need my free phone line so finally reformatted hd and reinstalled. desktop Xp and laptop vista both connected wirelessly finally, set up with medium firewall and WPA-TKIP security. however this seems to leave me with an unsecured router. i do not want to mess with this. why is this security insufficient, do i also have to set up the WEP key which always knocks my laptop off, or is there anything else i can do. a friend accessed the internet thru his mobile on my livebox no bother today, which is pretty hopeless. if it weren't for the free phone line mine wld be in the bucket. please advise
cheers pat
i've had major probs with livebox since upgrade, tho cld use netgear and belkin no prob. i need my free phone line so finally reformatted hd and reinstalled. desktop Xp and laptop vista both connected wirelessly finally, set up with medium firewall and WPA-TKIP security. however this seems to leave me with an unsecured router. i do not want to mess with this. why is this security insufficient, do i also have to set up the WEP key which always knocks my laptop off, or is there anything else i can do. a friend accessed the internet thru his mobile on my livebox no bother today, which is pretty hopeless. if it weren't for the free phone line mine wld be in the bucket. please advise
cheers pat
Hi Pat,
An unsecured router means anyone can access your internet connection.. Which if the wrong person gets hold of.. Who knows what they download..
First of all.. When your friend tried to connect.. I'm taking it that it did not ask him for a WPA or WEP key??
For a Router to be secure.. It requires a WEP or WPA key.. This is either a short password for WEP.. Or a 26 character code for WPA. If your Livebox is still at a default configuration.. It should ask you for the 26 character when you try to connect.. The only way of checking is by going into the " configuration.adsl " page from your Internet Explorer. Signing in with user: admin password: password [ unless changed ]
Going to Configuration>Advanced>Wireless You will see something like this..
Wireless
Maximum pairing time (minutes) 10
Livebox Name : Livebox - XXXX
WPA or WEP security
WPA security only
WEP security only
No security
From what i can predict.. Is the No Security box checked?
Make sure this is set to WPA Only then click submit. Your Livebox will go offline for about a minute.
Now, because we've changed the security. It may not let you connect.. So try and connect with the Vista Laptop.. If you see a red cross.. You need to go to Network & Sharing in the Control Panel. In Tasks on the left.. Go down to Manage Wireless Networks and click yours.. Then Remove.. Try to connect again.. If it asks you for a pass key to access your Router. Input the 26 character code on the bottom of your Livebox.. You should then have a working Internet connection.. Just do the same with your XP computer..
If you still can't get connected wirelessly.. Plug an Ethernet cable into your laptop and the router.. Come back on here and post what happens when you try to connect..
Hope this helps...
p.s You might wana save all that as a notepad document for reference..
aaron thank you for getting back to me! appreciated. please stay with me, i am so tired of this now i can't think straight. it's been six weeks of constant trouble. i will print off your post and keep it handy. i am well connected and so reluctant to throw a spanner in the works!! but i'm not secure, which is no use. while unsecure i managed to pick up a blue screen virus which lead to a reformat etc haven't had one of them for about 10 yr! not much fun. my livebox was fine till the upgrade, and i've been with freeserve about 20 yr without much hassle. i've used netgear. belkin and BT voyager with no probs, so i think we can all agree the livebox is an awkward piece of equipment, or there wld be no need for this forum! long distance phone calls with language barriers and different computer jargon don't quite cut it, so thank god for this place!
Current position: Win Xp desktop, livebox, fresh formatted drive, max pairing time --, WPA security only, code inserted by livebox, WPA-TKIP, medium firewall, channel 11, all ok. set up on red ethernet cable, and then inserted BT voyager wireless adapter as desktop wasn't keen on working wirelessly without it. has this caused a prob? is the adaptor overriding the security on the livebox? i cld go back to having the cable permanently attached but it's a pest. my friend connected no bother without being asked for any wpa or wep key. nasty.
the prob seems to be connecting the laptop, the wep key is never accepted, tho occasionally if i set it up by cable it will hold for a while. but the whole point of laptop is to connect anywhere with no wires. new laptop, vista. working great just now, but can't be secure. i've been reading that wpa is better, so don't quite understand.
does wep have to be set as well as wpa? why? is the adapter affecting the livebox? i will wait to hear from you before i try anything!! thank you aaron, had enuf of limited or no connectivity, lost ips, flush dns, configs and all hows your fathers.
cheers pat
WPA is safer as all in all it's a lot harder to crack due to being a lot more characters in the passkey. The easiest thing to do would be explain how i have mine set up. And you could compare the 2.. As i have XP Desktop & Vista aswell. So your Laptop connects ok now but is still an unsecure network.. On your Dektop. When you try to connect. Are you entering the 26 character key on the bottom of the livebox?
The main thing to realise with the Livebox is everything is reversible.. And to not worry about changing something..
So let's get this started, When you open up the " Connect To A Network " you can see your Livebox-XXXX. Next to that does it say "Unsecured Connection"? If this is the case then your Livebox is still not properly configured.. What i would recommend doing is starting a fresh with the Livebox, and i explain how to set it all up from Default.
IF you don't remember your internet login details then go to "Configuration.adsl" and click My Services then Internet. Your info will be in there. Hopefully you remember your password..
If you don't know how to do a reset of your liveox. Press and hold the "1" button on the back of your livebox. Unplug it from the mains whilst still holding the "1" for 10 seconds. Then plug it back in. [ still holding the "1" ] The lights will flash a bit and after a minute or two it will go back to normal.
Go back to "configuration.adsl"
Username: Admin
Password: Password
If i start from the top section and work down it should make it easier to follow:
My Services>Internet>Connection Parameters Filled In..
Phone Over ADSL> Nothing needs changing
Digital TV> Nothing Needs Changing.
Liveprinter> Nothing Needs Changing.
Submit
Security> Associated Devices> Will Be Empty
Firewall> Medium
Wireless Connection> Channel Number> 11
Security Key(WPA-TKIP)> Same As What's On Bottom Of Livebox.
Enable Wireless Lan> Ticked.
Submit
Configuration> Update> v5.10.7-uk
Administrator> Change the password while you're there..
Submit
Advanced> Wireless> Pairing Time> 10 minutes should be fine.
Your Livebox name can be left as it is.
WPA Security Only
Wi-Fi Easy Pairing.. Might aswell leave it on..
Submit
Now if we set up your laptop first.
Go into Connect To A Network. Your Livebox should Be Broadband. It also SHOULD say Secured Network. If there is a Red Cross then you will need to do what i suggested yesterday on my previous post.
Go back to connect.. Enter the 26 char. passkey with caps lock on.. And you should be connected no problem.
Now for the Desktop.
when you log on.. In the taskbar in the bottom right should be something to do with wireless networks. Double click this.. If it mentions something about using the software that came with the device.. Then use the software.. If not then windowsXP will show your network. Double click it.. Enter the same 26 character code.. And you SHOULD be connected.
Let me know if that works.. Sorry for the really long post, but detail is something i do quite well...
yes you certainly do detail well!! bless you!! i will follow to the best of my ability and get back to you. i was so pleased to be running smoothly again and cldn't believe it's not secured! i didn't put in the wep key this time at all as laptop never liked it, typed or pasted. i've reset a few hundred times so will do again however unwillingly. i seem to be able to get there 99% of the time, but i can't truly say i understand the mechanics of wireless networking, nor do i specially want to. just enuf to get by! thank you aaron, so very much.
cheers pat
yes you certainly do detail well!! bless you!! i will follow to the best of my ability and get back to you. i was so pleased to be running smoothly again and cldn't believe it's not secured! i didn't put in the wep key this time at all as laptop never liked it, typed or pasted. i've reset a few hundred times so will do again however unwillingly. i seem to be able to get there 99% of the time, but i can't truly say i understand the mechanics of wireless networking, nor do i specially want to. just enuf to get by! thank you aaron, so very much.
cheers pat
You're welcome.. Let me know how you get on pat.I can't say i know everything about wireless.. but i know enough about the Livebox and other routers to get set up e.t.c.
unfortunately not that simple. entered wep key, set up ok, lost wireless connection, etherneted it, sorted, tried laptop, it won't accept this wep key for luv nor money as before even with ethernet cable and now has no connectivity at all. wireless no use on desktop, limited or no rubbish, ip addy stuff again, deleted previous no joy, hassling about her with red cable getting nowhere fast. this is one of the most annoying hassles i've ever had in all the years of dos and windows 3.1. severely frustrating.
cheers pat
unfortunately not that simple. entered wep key, set up ok, lost wireless connection, etherneted it, sorted, tried laptop, it won't accept this wep key for luv nor money as before even with ethernet cable and now has no connectivity at all. wireless no use on desktop, limited or no rubbish, ip addy stuff again, deleted previous no joy, hassling about her with red cable getting nowhere fast. this is one of the most annoying hassles i've ever had in all the years of dos and windows 3.1. severely frustrating.
cheers pat
Hmm.. Confusing. Did you remember to put the livebox into pairing mode?? As before it was set to infinite.. Now as it's timed you have to press 1 and that will set the pairing mode to on for 10 minutes.. Also.. Could you give me a more detailed report of what happens with your Laptop & Desktop when you try to connect when youhave a bit of time spare. i.e a quick run through of what what you click and what happens e.t.c...
this used to be a nice frustrating hobby aaron!! no longer! yes of course i paired them, i nearly break the damn box pressing it to make sure. i'm back where i started. desktop connected only thru ethernet, won't wireless, laptop out of the game. i've just about had it. if you can't help me today im off to buy a decent router and put all this in the bucket. it's just got too much. this is weeks and weeks now, and it's not worth it for a few free phone calls. unfortunately i've recommended a few up here in the north to Orange and am now reaping the rewards by having to run and try fix theirs. oh dear. i reset router and had to reinput user, pass etc. then asked for wep key. wldn't take it wirelessly so inserted ethernet. took it, all ok, did usual settings, bit of hassle with limited connectivity, no ips, etc. did the usual flush dns, ipconfig renew, got it. desktop ok with ethernet cable. laptop told me cldn't connect to diff settings, deleted old settings, tried again. typed and pasted damn wep key about 10 times. doesn't like it. doesn't give a reason. did the usual flush out etc. won't accept it with ethernet cable either. reset router, tried again, paired, pressed, started from scratch. neither box happy. its not just me, pal pc engineer was in other day and spent hours trying to input this wep key and gave up finally. said he'd never come across anything like it. my only option now is run with no security or go buy new router. laptop won't even connect with ethernet but i daresay if i mess around and restore system and all those tedious things i wld get it again, but oh dear, how many times! if you have no brilliant ideas aaron i'm stuck. going off out walk with dogs to clear head and will get back to see what you suggest. if i can stand to do it again i will write down exactly what i do....just in case.
cheers pat
this used to be a nice frustrating hobby aaron!! no longer! yes of course i paired them, i nearly break the damn box pressing it to make sure. i'm back where i started. desktop connected only thru ethernet, won't wireless, laptop out of the game. i've just about had it. if you can't help me today im off to buy a decent router and put all this in the bucket. it's just got too much. this is weeks and weeks now, and it's not worth it for a few free phone calls. unfortunately i've recommended a few up here in the north to Orange and am now reaping the rewards by having to run and try fix theirs. oh dear. i reset router and had to reinput user, pass etc. then asked for wep key. wldn't take it wirelessly so inserted ethernet. took it, all ok, did usual settings, bit of hassle with limited connectivity, no ips, etc. did the usual flush dns, ipconfig renew, got it. desktop ok with ethernet cable. laptop told me cldn't connect to diff settings, deleted old settings, tried again. typed and pasted damn wep key about 10 times. doesn't like it. doesn't give a reason. did the usual flush out etc. won't accept it with ethernet cable either. reset router, tried again, paired, pressed, started from scratch. neither box happy. its not just me, pal pc engineer was in other day and spent hours trying to input this wep key and gave up finally. said he'd never come across anything like it. my only option now is run with no security or go buy new router. laptop won't even connect with ethernet but i daresay if i mess around and restore system and all those tedious things i wld get it again, but oh dear, how many times! if you have no brilliant ideas aaron i'm stuck. going off out walk with dogs to clear head and will get back to see what you suggest. if i can stand to do it again i will write down exactly what i do....just in case.
cheers pat
Hi Pat..
From what i've suggested there. Everything should be ok.. But.. Obviously isn't.. The only thing i can try to suggest is going back into Configuration> Advanced Wireless.. *lightbulb goes on in his head* In the Wireless section is something called Easy Pairing.. As you say it was fine since the update? Try disabling the Easy Pair..As users on here have said that can solve it.. [ no idea why as mine works with it on & off ] If that doesn't work.. Then try changing the security to WEP, if that doesn't work. Put it back again.
Right.. I've just got on the Desktop so i can see if any settings that may be affecting your internet connection. The only one that really sticks out to me is the TCP/IP settings. Start>Control Panel>Network & Internet Connections>Network Connections> Right click yours and try Repair. If this doesn't work. Then right click again and go to properties. In the "connection uses the following items: " box. WIll be " Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Click once so it turns blue then click properties.
You will be shown a box that has two tabs at the top. In the general tab they should both be set to Automatic. And the Alternate set to Automatic too.. If you use any Firewall software like Zonalarm make sure you allow the routers IP address which is 192.168.1.1 . If you're unsure how to do this i can help.
If none of that works.. Then i'm afraid i'm all out of options..
Let me know how you got on with the Dullbox and try not to put a sledge hammer through it.. They ask for it back..
Although I don't yet have a Livebox, I would just like to point out that the choice is between WEP (inferior security) or WPA/TKIP (much better security). A normal router makes you select one OR the other (IE they are mutually exclusive). I would have assumed that the Livebox would force you to choose. If it does not . . . . Please do not select both as there is no way that it will work.
I have a Netgear ADSL ethernet modem connected to a Linux firewall and then I use a separate Netgear wireless bridge connected to my switch for wireless. This set up using WPA/TKIP with a complex key I just went around the PC keyboard typing characters and numbers at random and writing them down. Now my wireless bridge also allows me to select a setting where unless the MAC address is entered into the Netgear it will not allow a connection even if the device "knows" the correct passcode. I don't know whether the Livebox has this facility.
When I get my Livebox I intend to just use it as a switch behind my own firewall as I would quite like to activate the second phone line, but if I cannot it will not be a big deal.
This set up using WPA/TKIP with a complex key I just went around the PC keyboard typing characters and numbers at random and writing them down.
If you were serious you'd use a random key generator as people trying to do things randomly generally aren't.
Quote:
Now my wireless bridge also allows me to select a setting where unless the MAC address is entered into the Netgear it will not allow a connection even if the device "knows" the correct passcode. I don't know whether the Livebox has this facility.
The livebox uses MAC address filtering by default but only on wireless connections. Thats what the pairing mode is. A device connecting with the correct key during pairing mode is added to the authorised MAC list for future connection. It's actually a clever way of getting something which is pretty technical done simply by almost anybody.
Speaking of which, any idea why 2 pc's on our network pair up fine while the other 2 are not stored as 'associated devices'? They will connect ok as long as the live box is in pairing mode and so I had set the box to infinite pairing timeout, but the problem I have since the last update is that if power is lost to the live box for any reason, it doesn't reboot in pairing mode, and the only way to reconnect the 2 unrecognised pc's is to switch the easypairing mode ( it doesn't seem to matter if it's switched on or off, it seems to be the act of switching that does the trick). Incidentally just pressing the 1 button doesn't work! Anyway I don't understand why it's not storing the 2 MAC addresses, presumably it must see them to connect them in the first place.
Speaking of which, any idea why 2 pc's on our network pair up fine while the other 2 are not stored as 'associated devices'? They will connect ok as long as the live box is in pairing mode and so I had set the box to infinite pairing timeout, but the problem I have since the last update is that if power is lost to the live box for any reason, it doesn't reboot in pairing mode, and the only way to reconnect the 2 unrecognised pc's is to switch the easypairing mode ( it doesn't seem to matter if it's switched on or off, it seems to be the act of switching that does the trick). Incidentally just pressing the 1 button doesn't work! Anyway I don't understand why it's not storing the 2 MAC addresses, presumably it must see them to connect them in the first place.
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