Which router?

A friend has asked me to sort out a problem - and so far I have failed and his knowledge of networks is ZERO!

Infinity connection to a BT HomeHub3 - he wants to connect an iPAD and cannot get it to work.

He has given me teh Security key - but when I see his network and attempt access, I do not get asked for that key, but the WPS key - I input that and after a few seconds I get authentication failed! We are going round in cirlces.

Any suggestions ...

If not, what routers are around that will give him Wireless "N" (preferred) and 4 Ethernet ports, no modem (that would confuse him, even though not required). Simple to manage ... I can set it up and walk away.

Recommendations please.

N is always problematic.

Have they tried cycling through the security modes, as sometimes kit will work with say WPA and not WPA2

have you also confirmed the keys by logging into the routers interface?

You should know me by now ...

We have set different modes, used the key set - printed reminders for that Hub and a second one, just in case they had been swapped. Reset to defaults ...

Even in WPA or WPA 2 mode it insists on giving me the WPS set up and the key for that fails authentication.

Whilst typinh this, I can see the Hub, so turn on my WIFi connection and try to connect and it brings up the WPS screen even though I know it is set for WPA - it requests the "Device Ownership Password" which it accepts - goes through an internal routine and returns an authentication failure.

Sounding more like a wireless driver issue on machine.

On his iPad - maybe. But his iPad can access my various WAPs

My laptop - unlikely. Since I last tried it I have accessed maybe 20 or different locations using WEP/WAP/no security ...

Have you tried pressing the WPS button on the home hub first?

But I don't want to use WPS ...

And as it will be located in a hard to access position it will be a nuisance to use it every time and thus why WPS is not wanted. The hub is set for WPA.

As I understand it (and I could be wrong) WPS sets a custom security key, and other security settings, trying to maximise security available on the supporting devices, and so the WPS negotiation (which requires the button to be pressed) should only happen once, and then "just work".