Be patient with an old lady...

[MoonCat]

My internet connection is not secure (long story, let's not even go there) so I'm trying to fix that. It's been a long time since I first had it set up, so I got info from my internet provider.

I'm trying to follow these very basic instructions below:

1.Connect to your wireless network.
2.Open your Web browser and type in the Web address http://192.168.1.1
3.Press Enter key
4.Type in the User Name for your network
5.Type in the Password
6.Press OK button

As soon as I click OK, I get this message: Warning: This server is requesting that your username and password be sent in an insecure manner (basic authentication without a secure connection).

I can't get through this step. I already KNOW it's insecure, that's what Im trying to fix! How can I get to the next step if it won't let me proceed??

I know this is infant-level computer protection here, but bear with me. How do I get to the next step?

[Food Lady]

I have no idea, but my response will at least bump it up. Let me see if I can get Jack T. Chance on it; I always ask him about computer stuff.

[Chromatix]

Which browser are you using? Recent versions of most of them deliberately make the "I know what I'm doing" button hard to find to improve security; if we know which one it is, we can direct you to it.

[Jack T. Chance]

Additional info that would be helpful:

--The brand and model of your router.
--The brand and model of your computer.
--What type of computer it is (desktop, laptop, tablet)
--How you're trying to connect to the router (wirelessly, or via an ethernet/LAN cable.)

[MoonCat]

- Linksys WRT54G2 V1
- Gateway M-1624 (it's a 7 yr old machine, but the hard drive is newer, replaced it in March 2014)
- laptop
- wirelessly

Oh, the browser is IE. (I still hate Firefox but I have it if you think that would make a difference)

[Jack T. Chance]

- Linksys WRT54G2 V1
- Gateway M-1624 (it's a 7 yr old machine, but the hard drive is newer, replaced it in March 2014)
- laptop
- wirelessly

Oh, the browser is IE. (I still hate Firefox but I have it if you think that would make a difference)

This could be a security feature designed to protect your wireless network from unauthorized access, so the first thing to try is connecting your laptop to your router via an ethernet cable. Do you have one?

[MoonCat]

an ethernet cable. Do you have one?

I thought I did, but what I have won't fit in the ethernet port on the router.

[Chromatix]

Most Ethernet cables have "CAT5E or "CAT6" somewhere in the markings printed along their length. They all have 8-pin connectors at each end.

These features distinguish them from phone/modem cables.

[MoonCat]

Most Ethernet cables have "CAT5E or "CAT6" somewhere in the markings printed along their length. They all have 8-pin connectors at each end.

These features distinguish them from phone/modem cables.

I know, I thought I had one. I need to look around because I could have sworn that's what I bought. Gimme a day or two to look through my stuff in between everything else I'm doing...

[It's me]

Shot it the dark here, but... you can try using
https://192.168.1.1

(note the "s" in https) instead. Tells the browser that you want the connection to be secured using SSL. Does require that the thing you are connecting to supports SSL.

[TheSHAD0W]

As soon as I click OK, I get this message: Warning: This server is requesting that your username and password be sent in an insecure manner (basic authentication without a secure connection).

This is typical for a router. The communication is over your local network; unless an attacker already has access to your internal network (unlikely if you aren't malware-ridden), it's perfectly safe. If you prefer, you can unplug the network connection between the device and the outside world while you do this; the above commands will still work.

[MoonCat]

Success! I was able to get the cable into the router. I think I just fumbled it the first time.

Here's why I'm doing this. I got an email from my internet provider telling me that they were made aware that someone using my internet connection may have downloaded movies - copyright violation - and I know it wasn't me OR either of my sisters, as the one has no interest in the movies that were named, and the other doesn't know how to do that anyway.

I suspect a neighbor has been able to use my internet connection and I want to password-protect it so only my sisters and I can use it.

So, Jack T. Chance, now that I've got the cable into the router, what next?

[Chromatix]

With the Ethernet cable in place, you're now able to reconfigure your wireless network without being thrown off the network yourself as a result. I have no idea why your ISP recommended reconfiguring a wireless network *through* that same network.

You still need to do the actual reconfiguration, though, which means logging into the router (which is the step you got stuck on before). I assume you're looking at the following screen:



In that case, enter the router's username and password and hit OK. If that doesn't let to carry on with the next step - there *are* more steps written down, right? - then ask for advice again.

[MoonCat]

Wow. Comedy of errors here. The other end of the cable will not fit into the port on my laptop. There's only one that seems to be the right shape for it, but it's too small.

Another sign that it's time for a new computer. I already knew that...!

[Mikkel]

My laptop has a port like that, see if you can't open it wider. On mine you can pull down on the lower part of the opening and it opens up to a normal port.
It took me some time to find out .