Another WPA/WPA2 Question

I went to buy a usb access point for my daughters old laptop (not wireless ready). On the box the USB device said it was WPA2 compliant and no mention of WPA. But my daughters router is set up for WPA. The router may be WPA2 but as there are 3 other laptops that access it ie WPA access keys configured I am reluctant to to interfere whith what is working well.

Is it likely that being WPA2 compliant also means it supports WPA as well.

Thanks

USB access point ? I take it you mean USB wireless client. PC card / PCMCIA is usually neater for laptops.

You can't guarantee the interoperability of any high security wireless connection between multiple chipsets, vendors or operating systems. You can only find out by trying it and seeing. I have had two laptops set up and gone through five routers trying to find a wholly compatible solution - which was a router with WPA/WPA2 co-existing.

hiya winginpom

like phil said, if you can return your usb modem and change it for a PCMCIA modem, it would be better for the laptop..usb takes more resources on your latop...

your laptop should have a PCMCIA slot (a long flat thin thing like a credit card slot)...

very hard to know about PCMCIA, but if maybe buy the same brand as your router?

Thanks Chaps. The reason I had mentally rulled out PCMCIA cards was because I tried a D-Link which I bought about 3 years ago. I remember it was WEP compatible (i dont think WPA was an option then). Anyway I couldnt get my daughters laptop to recognise it even after installing the drivers etc. An Icon appeared for a split second on the taskbar then went away. Never got as far as even accessing the router access page let alone setting up WPA etc

So I was sort of put off thinking USB was the answer. My daughters touter is a Netgear. I am a bit concerned hearing Phils problems regarding compatibility unless Netgear do a PCMCIA card.

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Netgear do a PCMCIA card.

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they do, I have one here someone gave me. The wireless chips in these things are potentially all the same be they PCMCIA or USB or PCI - only the interface is different. Some PCI cards are just PCMCIA cards in a carrier.