WiFi problems after changing from WEP to WPA on Actiontec router

[RebeccaC1]

I need some help/advice--I've searched the forums but am not seeing my exact problem described so decided to describe it to see if the community can help me figure out what to do now. The situation is this: After recently learning about the insecurity of WEP "security" I decided to change the security settings on our Fios router (an Actiontec MI424WR, Rev C). I first tried to change the settings to WPA2, but then my husband's elderly Dell laptop could not connect, so I changed them to WPA. At first everything seemed fine--we could connect to the internet from our computers (my MacBook Pro, his Dell, and various devices--phones, kindle, iPad). 

But we soon noticed some strange problems that I was never able to resolve:

1. I could never get either of two Airport Expresses to connect to the network, even after repeated tries (with hard resets in between)
2. Within an hour or two after rebooting the router, I was no longer able to connect wirelessly to a NAS device that is connected to the router via an ethernet cable--I could no longer even see it in the Mac finder. I could see it in Windows Explorer from the Dell but could not connect.
3. Similarly, I lost contact with a Sonos bridge unit that is also connected to the router via an ethernet cable. In this case the loss of contact was sporadic--various devices that connect over WiFi to the bridge could sometimes see it, sometimes not.

 Resetting the router would temporarily restore wireless access to the devices hardwired to the router, but I would always lose the NAS device completely after an hour or two and the Sonos bridge sporadically. The computers and devices, however, had no problems connecting to the router itself and from there to the internet.

I finally gave up and returned the security to WEP, and now everything is fine: the Airport Expresses connect, the NAS remains available, and the connection to the Sonos bridge over WiFi is robust (the Sonosnet mesh, if anyone is wondering, was never affected).

I can't understand why switching to WPA caused such problems, but it clearly did, since switching back to WEP eliminated them completely. The simplest explanation is that there is some problem with the wifi portion of the rev C router that only becomes apparent in certain circumstances, though it seems weird that both wired peripherals and wireless airport expresses were affected. 

Whatever the causes of the problem, now I'm back to wondering how to improve the security of my network. Should I:

1. See if I can convince Verizon to replace the modem with a newer version? We have had this one for more than 4 years, since we first got fios.
2. Just go ahead and purchase the most recent version of the Actiontec router (rev G)? It's only about $115--worth it to me if I can use WPA with it. 
3. Buy our own wireless router, perhaps an Airport Extreme, and turn off the wireless on the Actiontec.

Thanks in advance for any help. This is driving me crazy, and I really don't like feeling as if the network is vulnerable, especially given how extensively we use it.

Becky

[smith6612]

This doesn't sound too uncommon. I had similar issues in the past with some networks I've worked with that were resolved by moving the router actually to WPA2 or by updating the firmware. The ActionTec MI424WR Rev. F, G, and I require the use of WPA2 since they have Wireless N radios in them so WPA wouldn't be of much use. My old Linksys WRT54GX also had similar issues, but that was a result of the Wireless Radio dying along with a mix of newer hardware not playing nice with the old, no-longer-supported firmware. I retired that router, only to bring it back into service as a Wired router at a friend's home (shutting off Wireless and setting up another as an AP) which replaced an old BEFSX41 which didn't have enough power to handle his Cable connection.

Besides a few software bugs at play somewhere, there isn't much that could cause the wireless to slowly stop working like that. I would suggest moving back to WPA2. For the older Dell laptop if it's running Windows XP, make sure at least Service Pack 3 is installed if it hasn't been getting updated. Also, check for updated drivers for the Wireless card since they may be needed as well. A bit of searching on the Wireless card should also indicate whether or not it supports WPA2 encryption. Anything from the mid-2000s should support it.

[RebeccaC1]

Thank you!! I had wondered if the wireless radio might be dying, but I suspect that's not the case since returning to WEP fixed the problems. 

I haven't been able to figure out if the wireless card in the Dell supports WPA2, but I'm guessing it may not (it's a 2004 model; the laptop is a 2005). On the other hand, my SO is now saying, OK, maybe it is time to get a new laptop. Once he has a laptop that definitely supports WPA2, we will try again. And if it doesn't work with the rev C, I am thinking of just buying the new FiOS router (not the Rev G, I misspoke--it's actually the GigE wireless N home router).

I appreciate your help.

[smith6612]

No problem!

If you can get the name/model of the Laptop itself or of the Wireless Card installed within the laptop (The Device Maanger found by right clicking on My Computer and selecting Manage should tell you under Network Adapters), that would help us understand what's going on.