I was setting up a new windows 7 laptop for a customer.

As I was setting up the WiFi connection, I noticed that the WiFi router was set to use WEP encryption.

I’ve lost count of the number of WiFi networks that have been setup by so-called IT experts, only to find that these experts are living in the past, believing that WEP is good security… what rubbish!

I quickly convince the customer that WPA-PSK is best.

I change the WiFi settings and a change to the SSID (the router say that it has applied the new settings, so I assume that it has done what it has said…

Back to windows 7, I go to the network settings, search for the new SSID (new WiFi name), and then connect to it…but…

I now get a windows security window… and its asking for Network Authentication… it wants a username and a password…

What?

WPA-PSK should only be asking for a password, not a username… and since WEP is similar, then it seems logical that something is wrong with windows7.

Well I fumble around for a bit, until I decide to try restarting the WiFi router…

Once the WiFi router restarts, I am now prompted for the usual WiFi password (no username!).

So, it seems that modem/router/WiFi manufacturers still have problems writing reliable firmware