User's Manual

8
Step 4: Join a Wireless Network
To join an AirPort wireless network in Mac OS X, choose a network from the AirPort status
icon in the menu bar. In Mac OS 9, choose a network from the AirPort Control Strip module.
If you are joining a closed network, enter the password to the network.
Joining a 128-Bit Encrypted Wireless Network
If you want to join a wireless network that requires 128-bit encryption, you have two options
for entering a password, depending on the password scheme the network administrator has
set up.
If you were given a password that is 13 characters, use double quotation marks before and
after the password. Thirteen-character passwords are usually case-sensitive.
Example:
"password12345"
If you were given a password that is 26 characters, put a dollar sign ( $ ) before the password.
Example:
$12345678901234567890abcdef
If you need additional information on your 128-bit password, contact your network
administrator.
Setting Up a Wireless Network With Your Computer
If you create a Computer-to-Computer wireless network or set up your computer to be a
software base station, by default AirPort uses 40-bit encryption when you use a password to
protect your network. Computers with 128-bit cards access the network using 40-bit
encryption. If you want to require 128-bit encryption on your network, use the 128-bit
password scheme of 13 characters in double quotation marks. Only computers with 128-bit
cards can join your network.
Software base stations are not supported in Mac OS X.
LL2009.book Page 8 Wednesday, October 24, 2001 1:20 PM