I lost my WEP/Network Key.

Recently, I just moved over to broadband connection access in my home. So far, everything has been great. But last week, when I was faced with some serious pop up and spyware problems, I did a system sweep, and took it back to manufacture settings. After that, I set up my wireless router, on my computer. I can connect to the internet with my wireless router sometimes, but I can never use my wireless connection with the Road Runner because when I did so, I lost my WEP/Network Key. I've looked over some other threads, but haven't found out my WEP yet. Any help would be much appriciated. I run on Microsoft XP Home Edition, if that helps with anything.

 

The router should have a reset button on the back.
You press and hold it . On some models you have to unplug it first. THis restores it to factory settings so you can set up a new key.

 

What's the Make and Model of the Router?

 

In my room I have an 802.11g Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter. For the cable modem, it's a Motorolla SGB900 Surboard Cable Modem. I found the box that the cable modem came out of, looking for the instruction booklet and such, but it was no where to be found. I found the cd, but when I went to go find information on my modem, it asked me for a Username and Password, and I don't know it.

 

Here is the user's guide for the SBG900 and I imagine you will find instructions for resetting the username & password.

 

The 900 is a good peice

Default User name: admin
Password: motorola
They are case sensitive.

 

WEP key instructions are on page 71 of the manual.

 

The best possible solution to your problem is to reset your wireless router to the manufactures default. Check your router user guide or the manufacturer's website on how to do so. After you reset the router, you can set a new WEP key.

Sorry for the late reply. I failed to see the other great answers above.

 

* Also sometimes an incorrect WEP key seems to get stuck in Windows XP. If you still can't connect ... go in the Advanced Settings and delete your network name from the list of wireless networks. Reboot Windows XP and find your network again (once you *really* know what your WEP key is [probably because you went in your modem and changed it].) You'll have to enter your new WEP Key twice.

I usually create a notepad file and put the wep key in it, so you can copy-and-paste it twice rather easily. (This assumes your computer is in a safe environment where nooone bad would be able to access your desktop and see your wep key. We wouldn't want the movie WarGames all over again with the teacher writing the password on the table where anyone can find it. You wouldn't want anyone getting into your WHOPPER computer [network].)

P.S. You might consider WPA as opposed to WEP if your modem and your PC Wireless both support it. Or at least periodically change your WEP key.