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I have a Telefonica Amber wireless router, but when my PC detects the network, (kidston) it states it is a secure one requiring a network code. I have been told that the network key is written underneath the unit, which I think I have found. I have sought advice from that nice man Roger from UKTV whose response I accepted at the time, but I am intrigued as to whether anyone else has actually got this particular model wireless router up and running. Everyone I have spoken to basically say forget it, it causes so many problems, but being a practical person, I find it difficult to accept that I have purchased a gismo for a particular task and it is not being utilised to perform that task. The router/modm is fine on cable, but we have two portable/notebooks in the house and we are becoming tired of being tied to having to unplug one to plug in the other, etc. If the model of router is a problem, has anyone found a wireless router that interacts efficiently with a portable(mine’s a Medion) without causing problems?

So, I guess that the encryption key didn?t work?  The key should be hexadecimal which means it should consist only of numbers and letters between ?a? and ?f?.  If it contains any other character, this is not the key that you?re looking for.  I have no experience with this device (in fact I?ve never heard of this brand) but you cannot go wrong with a 3Com, D-Link or NetGear.  Do you have administrative access to the router?  If so, there are two options:

1)  Change the key
2)  Disable the encryption key and use MAC ?based security

Actually, you could disable all the security and check that the WiFi connection is available through one of your laptops.  I wouldn?t recommend that you run in this mode for any extended length of time ? unless you live in the middle of nowhere.

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i Don Carlos, thanks for taking the timed to reply to my somewhat hastily written question. Since writing it, I have found thats its actually a Xavi 7868R wireless router made for Telefonica. What I did not make clear was that my PC picks up the wireless signal fine (kidston - although requiring a network key to get in) but I bought the router second hand, with no software with the advice that it had been configured, was working fine on cable and don’t bother using the wireless, its too much trouble. I am now in a position of having no handbook/instructions, no user name/password to get into configure it, and not sure what to do. Even considered pushing the rest/default button, but even then I don’t have any info on it. Sorry I didn’t make myself clear first time round, brain clogged! cheers - Paul

OK Paul this makes a bit more sense.  Usually the username and password for the Amper Xavi 7868r are admin/1234 or 1234/1234 unless someone has changed this.  You’ll find a manual for this device at :

http://www.um.es/atica/documentos/Manual_Router_Amper_Xavi_7868r.pdf

😖 Hey, that was good, got the manual download ok, thats the easy bit over, tried logging on through the config site, and none of the options work, the last owner must have changed the default username and password - even tried case sensitive, is this the end of the world as we know it, I wonder? Thanks mate for your help so far, really appreciated. Paul

Two more options:

1) Factory reset (at your own risk)
2) Dish out 40? on a wireless access point (without ADSL)

:ohh:

OK. One last round, and I will either take the plunge and reset or breeze down to Carrefour to buy a brand new one , untouched by human hand. Your comment of reset/default values at my own risk; a) Is there a possibility I will lose the cable facility if I reset? (I don’t want to lose internet facility completely) b) Is your comment an advisory one insomuch that I am not an expert, and could end up with a box that will need reconfiguring by an expert? (I do want to learn, though!) thanks again.

Basically when it comes to IT I?m a pessimist and I always assume things will go wrong and thus I look for contingencies.  Doing a factory reset could definitely leave you without access to the Internet.  Furthermore there?s no guarantee that you?ll be able to enter the system to reconfigure it.  You could loose both the WAN (Internet) and LAN (internal network) sides.

These boxes generally don?t need reconfiguring by an expert (depending on your definition) ? let?s face it they?re usually set-up by Telef?nica engineers 😊

The good news is that we have the manual that I sent you the other day but the caveat is that this is only valid if we can gain access to the system.

If you really want to do the factory reset, do it Monday morning. Then if something goes wrong you can pop into Carrefour (or the Spar) and buy a new box.

:lol:
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I basically don’t want to be left with nothing at all, but its annoying that I was not given the relevant information with the unit when I bought it, lesson learn’t. I am all for having a go, taking my time and trying to work things out myself. If we all listen to those around us who say `Don’t do it’ without qualifying why, I think civilisation would never have progressed beyond year one. Thanks for your advice and help, have a great weekend, kind regards, Paul