Wireless internet in xp password error

[zeroburn]

hello to everyone... i am trying to get my dell latitude laptop (running XP) to connect to a password secured wireless network
i an in the wireless network properties, and i type in the password, but when i click OK, it pops up with an error saying:
"the network password needs to be 40bits of 104 bits depending on your network configuration. this can be entered as 5 or 13 ascii characters or 10 to 26 hexadecimal characters"

what do i need to do for it to accept a 10 letter password (ex. tenletters)

please... help is wanted
thanks in advance for any replies

[Transfusion]

First of all, your router is configured to use WEP security, which only allows "5 or 13 ascii characters." That said, there are 2 versions of WEP, WEP 64-bit and WEP 128-bit. Wikipedia: "A 128-bit WEP key is almost always entered by users as a string of 26 hexadecimal (base 16) characters (0-9 and A-F)..." that means your password has to be EXACTLY 26 characters. If you want 10 letters/characters, you need to use either WPA/WPA2 as security. "10 to 26 hexadecimal characters" refers to the password requirements for WPA/WPA2 security.

[zeroburn]

On the network properties... it is seleted as WEP, and there are no other options for me to select on the pull down menu...
it is either WEP or Disabled, and with disabled, it will not let me enter a password

[Transfusion]

Well, you need to set a 5-character or 13-char password-WEP only supports that.

[jason2074]

i am trying to get my dell latitude laptop (running XP) to connect to a password secured wireless network

What laptop model and Win XP service pack are you running? Did it work on other secured, open or home network?

the network password needs to be 40bits of 104 bits depending on your network configuration
 it is seleted as WEP, and there are no other options

Its possible that your network adapter do not support or is not compatible with the router configuration WPA/WPA2, mixed mode settings.

[Geek-9pm]

Here are some possible solutions.
Open up user control panel or my computer and find the area where a hardware device manager lists all the devices on your computer and find your wireless adapter. Disable the end remove the drivers.
Next reboot your computer and install the wireless adapter drivers over again from the disk provided by the manufacturer. Do not let Windows manage the wireless adapter, instead you want to use the software that comes with the wireless adapter to manage the way it selects access points and passwords. The software from the manufacture should make it clear whether you use  ASCII or hexadecimal. The preference is to use hexadecimal, does it offers a wide range of possibilities for a password.
Also might consider accessing your router from another computer and disabling security temporarily. This is to check to see if the computer is able to connect to the router at all. Sort of thing has happened before to many Windows XP users and it really is a nuisance. Sometimes after reinstalling the wireless network completely, and doing a reboot, and starts behaving normally. Try it and see.

[zeroburn]

my computer is a dell latitude PP01L (C600) and it is running Microsoft Windows XP professional 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600 and i am using a US Robotics 802.11g wireless turbo adapter.
I have the software from the US Robotics card and it is not wanting to run... whenever i start the program i get a error sound from the computer and it does not open

[Geek-9pm]

Okay. So it seems that your Dell laptop does not get along with the US robotics wireless adapter. There was an issue with XP version 2 that was fixed in the version 3 update. But obviously you don't want to go to service pack three, and I don't blame you.
Here is the best recommendation that I know how to give. Just go get another USB adapter. They're not very expensive, and you don't really need an expensive one to connect. They all work about the same. One good choice would be Net Gear. But almost anything will do, even the off brand ones. Maybe you could borrow one from a friend and see if it works on your computer .
If you go to a local store and pay the full retail price they might let you return the item if it doesn't work for you. That's one of the advantages of dealing with a local retailer. You pay more, but you get satisfaction.