One laptop running Vista runs fine on the wireless system, (netgear router.) Another older laptop running XP will not log on. When the "key" is inputted, it says it cannot log on and doesn't save the inputted key. The wireless network does show in the window. However, this laptop logs on just fine at any Starbucks or other non-encrypted network. Going crazy, please help.1 person needs an answerI do too

The older laptop's wireless network adapter probably doesn't support the level of encryption you've got set on the router. If you have encryption set to WPA2-Personal (best for a home network), try setting it to WPA instead. If the old laptop will only support WEP, disable the laptop's wireless adapter and purchase a USB wireless adapter for it. WEP is completely insecure and can be cracked in a few minutes and you don't want to use it. General information about setting up a secure wireless network (includes getting into the router): Have a computer connected to the router with an ethernet cable. Examples given are for a Linksys router. Refer to your router manual or the router mftr.'s website for default settings if you don't have a Linksys. Open a browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox and in the addressbar type: http://192.168.1.1 [enter] (this is the router's default IP address, which varies from router to router so check your manual) This will bring you torouter's login screen. The default username is left blank and the Linksys default password is "admin" without the quotes. Enter that information. You are now in the router's configuration utility. Your configuration utility may differ slightly from mine. The first thing to do is change the default password because *everyone* knows the default passwords for various routers. Click on the Administration link at the top of the page. Enter your new password. WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE YOU WILL NOT LOSE IT . Re-enter the password to confirm it and click the Save Settings button at the bottom of the page. The router will restart and present you with the login box again. Leave the username blank and put in your new password to get back into the configuration utility. Now click on the Wireless link at the top of the page. Change the Wireless Network Name (SSID) from the default to something you will recognize. I suggest that my clients not use their family name as the SSID. For example, you might wish to name your wireless network "CastleAnthrax" or the like. ;-) Click the Save Settings and when you get the prompt that your changes were successful, click on the Wireless Security link which is right next to the Basic Wireless Settings link (where you changed your SSID). Most computers purchased within the last 4 years have wireless hardware that will support WPA2-Personal (also called WPA2-PSK). This is the encryption level you want. If your wireless hardware is older, use WPA. Do not use WEP as that is easily cracked within minutes. So go ahead and set the Security Mode to WPA2-Personal. Do that and enter a passphrase. For example, you might use the passphrase, "Here be dragons, beware you scurvy dogs!". The passphrase is what you will enter on any computers that are allowed to connect to the wireless network. WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE YOU WILL NOT LOSE IT . At this point, your router is configured and if the computer you were using to configure the router is normally going to connect wirelessly, disconnect the ethernet cable and the computer's wireless feature should see your new network. Enter the passphrase you created (exactly as you wrote it with all capitalization and punctuation) to join the network and start surfing.MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

Thanks for the response, I had just purchased a wireless usb network adapter and was able to log on. Thanks anyway.