Resolved Is there a modern wireless router that will run WEP security occasionally?

I need a new router, but would like to be able to switch to an old security protocol on rare occasions.

I have a very old computer that I only use just for digitizing vinyl record albums. It has a Cisco Wi-Fi board in it that only supports WEP. Occasionally I want to transfer digitized files to my main desktop. The old computer is on another level so lan cable won't work, and it doesn't even support USB, so I cannot use a jump drive (yes, it is that old).

Is there any modern wireless router that can be temporarily switched to use WEP when I want to make those transfers, and then go back to better security the rest of the time? Perhaps new routers all support this, but that is why I am asking.

 

Yes, Terry, there are hundreds of wireless routers that still use WEP. For example: Newegg.com > Wireless Routers sold by Newegg with WEP

 

Just look in the routers specifications that you want to buy.
Really don’t know of any that don’t support WEP.

That being said does your old computer have ANY open slot?
Was thinking of a USB add on card to give it that capability.
Something like this $11 for an open PCI slot .

Seems like, if possible, that'd be a better way to go then switching your router all the time. Could use a USB stick or even a wireless dongle that supports WPA

 

I guess I'm going to have to admit it. This computer is a 386SX running Windows 95. Mid-to-late 1990s technology. There, I said it. . It has two USB slots on the main board, but I haven't been able to get them to work recently. I have no interest in working on it. I have enough trouble keeping my newer computers running.

But it does a nice job just sitting in a spare bedroom digitizing albums (when I have time to do it). I don't use it for anything else, and I never connect it to the Internet.

And that's not my oldest computer, but I rarely light up the Kaypro II, other than to stun young people on how crude it was. That sucker ran at 2 mHz clock speed stock (yes, I did say mega), but I put a kit in it to boost it to 5 mHz. Then I had to put a fan in it to cool it enough to keep running at 5. Those were the days.

 

Guess that kinda killed the add-on board. Need at least win 98 for it and win 98 requires at least a 486 cpu.

Btw "“ Win95 didn’t support USB except last version (95C?) and then only with oem drivers. So if no longer working you may need to reinstall the original drivers. Hopefully have them.

Had to laugh at Kaypro comment. Down in the basement "“ somewhere under boxes of old electronic stuff "“ lurks a well traveled and used Kaypro IIx.

 

I was living in France between 1999 and 2003, and while there the 386sx board failed. I was able to get a replacement off the Internet sent to me to fix it. The new board had two USB slots on it (the old did not).

I just started it up, and the operating system seems to be 95B. I plugged in the oldest jump drive I have, and Windows asked me to insert a 3 1/2 inch floppy with a driver. I could not find a disk for that in the location I probably would have put it. I'm now not sure I ever got the USB to work.

 

I really do appreciate and thank everyone for their suggestions. But I'm still inclined to try to work my issue by buying a new WiFi router that can toggle from high level security back to WEP when I need it occasionally, and then switch back to high level. Or maybe the new ones support both dynamically, basing the security system on the signal from the system that is trying to communicate with it. (?)

My experience is that when I mess with a computer, it rarely goes well on the first try, and often creates new problems in the meantime. Getting into an old computer that I've forgotten more about than I remember seems like risky business. Since I am need of a new WiFi router anyway (the current one is having to be shut down and be restarted too often, and occasionally it loses its configuration), buying a new one with switchable or flexible security level (if such a thing exists) seems like the path of least resistance.

 

Yes, most routers have a pull-down menu where you can select which wireless security option you want, such as WPA2, WEP, etc. Like so:

 

Yes, my Linksys router (2004 vintage) has that drop down. It has six security options. I've left it at WEP. I wasn't sure if I changed the dropdown if I would loose the settings for WEP if I went back. The password I have to enter is 15 characters of obscure hexadecimal characters, and it is brutal trying to get it in without errors.

Since the newer routers support simpler passwords, even if it does lose that info, it would be no big deal.

Other than its recent unreliability, this old Linksys has served me well. Does anyone have a recommendation of what I should buy now? Are there any killer features that I should be looking for?

 

PCMag > The 10 Best Wireless Routers of 2016 (Linksys )

 

Tony, thanks for the explanation of what I would need to do. In the process of reading what you suggested, I've thought of a possibly easier approach. Since I'm planning to get a new router anyway because of the unreliability of the current one, I might just keep the current one around. Then when I need to hook to the old computer to transfer data, I'll just temporarily substitute the new router with the old one. I'd leave the old security settings in the WiFi board in the old computer unchanged.

It would seem by doing that I won't require ANY settings changes on either the routers or the devices, just some cabling changes, and probably a reboot of the computers.

Does that make sense?

 

Thanks for the additional information. That sounds like a doable approach for me. And my vinyl record digitizing is rare, at least for now . . . I'm too busy digitizing old family video tapes.

 

Going along with your idea of keeping both routers.
It’d make things really easy and there won’t be much to do.

After getting your new router and setting it up then simply set your old router up as an access point.

Your old computer will access your network using the old router with WEP security. No need to do anything else. (For extra security can unplug your old router when not using it).

All your other computers will use the new router.
Tony had some good instructions somewhere on setting up an access point, can't find it.
Here’s a link to other instructions. http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/basics/wireless-basics/30338-how-to-convert-a-wireless-router-into-an-access-point

The key points to remember.
On the old router.
.Connect it to the new one thru a LAN port (do not use the WAN port it’s connected with now)

.Change the name of the network on the old router (so you know which one you’re connecting to).

.Turn off DHCP addressing. (all addressing is done by the new router)

.Assign it a static IP address. Use an IP address same as the new routers local one BUT with the last numbers outside the normal range. Like 192.168.0.201 (write it down so you can get into the routers menu).

 

I've known that for a long time. The one thing that works in my favor is that our house is far (250 ft) from the street and other houses except for my next door neighbor (a good friend). I don't think anyone can communicate with my old router without coming down the driveway.

 

Thanks for this help.

tq