Mac OS X AirPort connection with non-Apple wireless router/gateway

Contributed by macster September 21, 2004  
Tagged: Mac networking

Need your Mac and non-Apple wireless router to peacefully coexist? Out of the box, my iBook didn’t work with my Motorola broadband router. This recipe describes the steps taken to make the two play together.

I had an existing Motorola wireless broadband router configured with 128-bit WEP using a preshared key. The iBook saw the ssid and accepted the key and let me know that it made a connection to the router, and the router saw the MAC address of the iBook, but I could not ping the router or get anywhere outside of my laptop tpc/ip stack.

After trying many settings, I discovered that changing the router to use WPA-PSK (Wi-Fi Protected Access - Pre-shared Key) and TKIP encryption status allowed my iBook to work and happily send packets to and fro. On my router, this involved logging into the router admin web page, clicking wireless on the left panel, then clicking the security tab. Under ESS Authentication, select WPA-PSK and for Encryption Status pick TKIP. Type a pass key (alphanumeric password) twice in the two fields and ckick apply, then restart the router.

When the Mac asks for the Password for the wireless network, enter the same thing you entered for the pass key in the wireless router.

I’m certain that there are numerous other modes of configuration for both sides that will work, and I’ll continue to tinker with this and share what I find. If anyone else has other things to add, please add a comment! Great site and thanks for adding the Mac section!!