Touch Kobo touch and Netgear router problems

[absolutelymike]

Hi
I'm a noobi here, I have a kobo touch for xmas and am loving it! I do have one problem tho, I can connect to the internet via my android hotspot but not with the wireless router in our home.

It is a Netgear MR814v2 and I have 2 pc's a mac and my android phone connected.

I can add the network info (name, wep, and my 26 character code) and then the Kobo says connecting followed by sucess. But, it never leaves that screen!

I have checked the router settings and it sees the Kobo (I have compared the mac addresses) but I cant leave the network screen on the Kobo without cancelling the process so the connection never works.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance,
Mike

[Joe563]

Some forum members have reported problems when trying to use the WEP protocol. If you can, try changing the protocol to WPA or WPA2 and see whether that works.

[TonyToews]

Don't use WEP. It's old, cranky and can be hacked. Also the hex code is a pain to use compared to a pass phrase. So as Joe 563 states switch to WPA/WPA2 and put in a pass phrase. One person is using thier dogs, plural, names. Another the full name of their church.

[absolutelymike]

trouble is I only have the Wep option!

[Joe563]

What are you using, Open Key or Shared Key authentication? Whichever one you are using, change it to the other to see whether that works.

[kiwipippa]

This is a very long thread but it may help you. I had problems when I bought my kobo touch in June - ended up buying a new router (a Netgear!). No problems now - I use WPA2

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=138603

[TonyToews]

Originally Posted by absolutelymike

trouble is I only have the Wep option!

I'll be darned. Yup, that DSL modem/router is old enough that it doesn't support WPA. Consider throwing it out. Or disabling the Wireless on it, if you can, and attaching a more modern wireless access point which does support WPA.

Possibly talk to your ISP and see if they have a newer one. You can tell them it's no longer broadcasting the WiFi signal but the computers attached via cable still work and maybe they'll give you a new one. If they want to charge you $75 for a new DSL modem/router/wireless acccess point well, that still might be not too bad of a deal.

Otherwise ask in the DSLreports.com forum specific to your ISP if such is available.

[robko]

Originally Posted by absolutelymike

I can add the network info (name, wep, and my 26 character code) and then the Kobo says connecting followed by sucess. But, it never leaves that screen!

Something I discovered setting up a connection to a WEP router this weekend: like you say after it connects it said it was successful and then just stayed on the screen. Hit the home button and you'll likely see the info at the top that it's doing it's normal sync stuff and all should be good.

[Matth79]

Very old, an 802.11b specification (max 11mbit).
Looking around, some say the 5.3 firmware can improve things (if it's not already at that level) but still leaves it with the discredited WEP as the only security option.
http://support.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/625

Many forums say that the V3 firmware can be loaded, to enable WPA, but other reports question the reliability when updated this way (tendency to freeze, require reset).

It's a "cable/DSL" router, ethernet in, so pretty much any router of this type can be placed after the modem, and the setup will usually sort out by the auto/wizard options.

There are some cheap routers that are quite adequate

[absolutelymike]

hey Robko, you're right! After the success screen I hit the home button and now it connects. Thanks for that.

I will consider upgrading the router though, I have had the thing for around seven years now!

Thanks everyone for your help and happy new year one and all.