How do I get my wireless WEP password for my Sony PSP?

I have a Sony PSP and have been trying to connect to the Internet with my wireless base station, but it keeps asking for a "WEP" and I don't have a clue what that is or how I get it. Help!

Dave's Answer:

First off, let me show you how to ascertain your WEP password, then let me tell you the bad news...

I have rather an older SMC wireless access point that comes with a software package that runs on Windows XP called "EZ Connect". When I start the program up on a PC that's connected to the access point, here's what I see:

It's not the worlds best application - more modern wireless devices have Web-based interfaces that let you access the unit with your favorite Web browser - but it's functional. To access the WEP password, I need to actually connect to the access point, which means I need to know the AP password (which is different from the wifi password, note).

Once I'm connected, I choose Command -> Configure and here's what I see:

Lots of mysterious settings that I am sure I don't want to tweak, and the all-important button on the right side labeled Encryption.... That's what we want, so I click it and now see:

In this instance you can see that the passphrase for my wireless network is "askdavetaylor!" and that's the WEP key needed for this device. The earlier screen's SSID field showed the network name too, by the way, "WLAN".

Armed with these two pieces of information I should be able to connect to the wireless network with any wifi-enabled device, Mac, PC, Sony PSP, whatever. However, it's not always that easy, so once you've pressed "Apply", you'll see that the "Manual Entry" boxes are also filled out and those offer you a hexadecimal encrypted password too. That's useful: write the first of them down. If your device doesn't like the passphrase, try using the encrypted key instead. It'll be something like 1cf341a34c. Mac users might find that they need to prepend the "$" symbol to get an encrypted key to be accepted as a wireless password too. Lots of choices for you!

Now, having said that, I have to admit that I have never been able to get my own Sony PSP device to connect to a password-protected wireless network, even knowing all these different password entry options. I imagine some people have had success, but most of what I hear about is failure. If you can't get your PSP to work with your password-protected WEP wifi network, consider either turning off encryption (not a great idea) or scanning to see if you can find a kindly neighbor who hasn't enabled encryption on their network and borrow that connection. Many facilities including libraries and cafes offer open wireless networks too, in a pinch.

If you have had success connecting your PSP to a WEP-enabled network, please do let us know about it. Was it 64-bit or 128-bit encryption? Did you use the passphrase or the hex encrypted password?

Hope that helps you figure this out!

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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics , iPod, Sony PSP and MP3 Player Help (Article 5838, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: smc, sony psp, wep, wireless networks
Previous: Motorola RAZR V3c and Mac OS X: Transfer pictures and wallpaper?
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Reader Comments To Date: 143

waleed said, on March 15, 2008 5:16 PM:

wep key is on modem look under u modem

rukia said, on April 15, 2008 3:55 PM:

i have a psp a i dont know how to log on i really need a WEP key i dnt hav a clue what it is please giv me a password please i dont know what to do

master said, on May 21, 2008 10:31 AM:

you have to look on router it says WEP adress on its side!

Erin said, on June 11, 2008 1:08 PM:

I do not remember my password to my PSP how can i get my password to access my games and movies

peter said, on June 14, 2008 5:54 AM:

Dear dave how do u find ur Default gateway number

taj said, on June 16, 2008 11:56 AM:

this helped me

sean said, on July 10, 2008 6:03 PM:

seriously, look on the bottom of your modem, it tells you the s/n wep key mac and everything. ha.

thats how westells have there wireless modems. printed on the bottom of the dang thing,

Dave Taylor said, on July 10, 2008 9:46 PM:

Sean, your WEP password is something that the user sets within the software configuration settings. You can change it every month if you're paranoid. It can't be printed on the bottom of a wireless base station / modem for just that reason.

myk said, on July 14, 2008 5:45 PM:

home phone plus 3 9s

Angelica said, on July 27, 2008 9:10 PM:

Can i use the internet when im in a WiFi Zone

xaiver patrick said, on October 21, 2008 4:03 PM:

well i have a netgear router and the singal strength is 100% but i need a WAP-PSK(TKIP) or the WPA key helep is wonted please.

Anders said, on November 30, 2008 10:21 PM:

Hey guys, the ONLY way that I was able to make my PSP work on my home network (which has a password to connect) was to change my password for my wireless network to a 10 digit hexidecimal password(this means a combination of 10 numbers or letters a-f) so that the PSP would accept it as a WEP. It works FINE for me now! It is at 64 bit encription. I tried all of the other suggestions like looking on my router, my physical address in ipconfigure, and other suggestions. I am so relieved to find one solution that WORKS! For anyone out there who cannot get their PSP to work, try this! It should work for you too!

Jennyle said, on December 23, 2008 4:10 PM:

after i found my WEP KEY, It said : The characters u entered are not vaild.For hexacdecimal : Use 10 or 26 characters from the ranges 0-9,a-f and A-F.
For ASCIL use 5 or 13 characters."
So..what to do know. I dont know !! HELP ME , PLZ

LadyDeath said, on December 29, 2008 1:13 PM:

ok you guys who are LOST on wep keys and other keys. That is what your parents put in when they set up their network. Its a secret password. That way noone can "steal" your network, like if I was out in my car driving around and wanted to use someone elses wifi internet I could just use theirs. The wep key protects people from doing that, IN OTHER WORDS ask your mom or dad what the wep key is that they put in the network so u can get online with your ps3 or whatever..As for trying to find it, thats the point, its hidden, so you cant unless you ask your network admin or your mother or father or whomever watches over your network and allows you to get online. With a router you ALWAYS have a wep key, if you dont, your askin for someone to steal your bandwidth. For those of you that are to young to understand any of this..BREATH and talk to mom and dad for help they are smart they will know.

Lady said, on December 29, 2008 1:17 PM:

Jenn...it sounds like you don't have the correct Key, all else fails if you lost it, or whoever forgot what it is, like me, ding dong me forgot to write mine down, im going to have to change it EVERYWHERE...but yea it doesnt have all those char. its just numbers or letters. so ither the caps are not right or one migh be lower case while one is upper case. I cant give u a solution but to do what i suggested, just ask someone what the new wep key is or change the one thats on there now.

joding said, on January 6, 2009 3:17 PM:

youse guys r all idjets, READ yer stinkin manual and on the WEP/WAPs. So many repeated requests from a buncha ignorant losers!

natasha said, on January 7, 2009 7:01 PM:

i have a red psp and i don't know wat kind of system it is or how to put music,pics,or games on it help me please!!!!!!!!!!

Geronimo said, on January 29, 2009 9:37 PM:

I bought a used psp from a pawn shop and tried to watch a movie but it keeps asking for a password so i can't watch any movies. Does anyone know what I can do to get it reset or something......

Tikeria said, on February 1, 2009 4:12 PM:

I have a black psp and i do not know how or what to do to get to the enternet at all

eugene said, on April 2, 2009 12:48 PM:

how i can get my wep key because my psp is slim plz help.

zabair said, on April 4, 2009 1:54 PM:

i bought a new psp but cant get an internet connection everytime it says acess point timed out

thanks

declan said, on May 6, 2009 2:39 PM:

ive got a psp but how do i find out what my wep is

JC said, on May 18, 2009 1:35 AM:

Hi DAve I have a situation her.I have the silver psp prety much new.It was working perfectly untill 2 dyas ago.When you try to go online and you are ready to type the address for the website you want to go.basically kicks you out and unbale to type it correctly.

Any help on this???

Thanks
J.C.

kyler said, on June 7, 2009 7:49 PM:

i can't figure this password out to this psp i reset it and it still needs a password that i don't know... so how do i figure it out?

Jarred said, on June 20, 2009 1:23 PM:

hey thank you it worked

rzlrocK said, on July 18, 2009 8:31 AM:

ANy help i got a psp ver. 5.00m33-4 when i connect to a SSID without a password it says check the security setting for the network. any help?

Death said, on September 6, 2009 7:57 PM:

my neighbor has an open wireless internet and sometimes that happens to me i just keep trying or turn off wlan switch then try again

psp gone said, on December 27, 2009 8:28 AM:

My WEP key was too long to enter into the PSP go, so i did this

eg WEP key ending 1234567

i put it in 1267

then put the cursor before the 67 and added in 345 which worked

Mark said, on January 7, 2010 9:26 AM:

Thanks for your help - no where else did it highlight that it meant the WEP **key** not the WEP passphrase

Wanda Scott said, on February 4, 2010 9:40 AM:

Helped some still looking for some of this , but thanks for the help I did get.

Carmel Garcia said, on February 14, 2010 4:23 PM:

I did it, with minimal frustration, so I have to share. I was about ready to spend oodles of $$ for router, netgear, everything I kept reading about to connect my PSP. I went to craigslist and was about to buy a router from a gentleman who switched from comcast to AT&T, which is what I have because of the built in router. I thought, hmm, why can't I make this work. So, reading some more on getting the WEP key and so on, and comments like this one-I have Vista and built in wireless-I went to my network summary, clicked on wireless settings-and read how to find my Wireless Encryption Pass key-WEP, which I found on the back of my modem/wireless router under the serial no. I scanned, found the device, and entered the WEP into my PSP and Voila!! I was connected. Off to enjoy my new toy. Good luck everyone, hope this helps.

Trevor Parker said, on February 20, 2010 4:28 AM:

My son who lives with him mum got a ps3 slim for his birthday the other day. He is able to use the equipment at his mums house however when we go to set it up here I go through the system input the WEP code and it just does not work, tried numerous occassions. I understand that you can change the WEP code to a Hex code, don't know how to do that but if someone does then it will be greatly appreciated, WEP code is aa7c899wr5am7. Thankyou very much.

Anonymous said, on March 1, 2010 12:16 PM:

l want a free psp

hikari said, on April 13, 2010 5:02 AM:

Dave,can u please help me?i'm having a problem on how to find my wep key i just type it 1-0 numbers to work but i really want to know my real wep key is!and i can't find my wep key because my wireless router is prolink adsl+2 h9200 and i don't know where to find the wireless settings.and my another problem is that dns error always occured!!!please help becuz i really really want to connect my psp on internet :( please help!!!!

Hikari said, on April 13, 2010 5:42 AM:

Help!Because when i test my connection i always encountered this "dns error occured(8041040F)".Dave please help on how to stop this error and this is my only problem!HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simon said, on April 25, 2010 2:12 PM:

Hi i have recently bought a pre owned psp but it wants a password i cant play games without it don't knw what to do please help urgently

Simon said, on April 25, 2010 3:12 PM:

I would reali b xstatic if u guys respond on my query that my psp wont allow me to play games or anythng i wana start on it right on it please pretty please

Simon said, on April 26, 2010 3:55 PM:

Dave please help me i bought a pre owned psp and it wants a password n i dnt knw it , it wont even load a game without it please help me Dave m begging u

mahesh said, on February 18, 2011 12:06 AM:

iam not geting internet in my psp

daria gbur said, on March 15, 2011 2:02 PM:

i need help! i have a DSi and to connect to the internet so i connected then it says to type in my WEP adress...on the BELL page, where do i find it? (bell wifi page)

Jennifer Street said, on June 22, 2011 3:42 AM:

I have a psp but it wont conneceted to the internet and it has been used

juice said, on June 29, 2011 4:08 PM:

Easiest thing you can do to find your wep key is to go to your network and sharing center on the computer that is connected to the server and it will say "connection" and next to that "wireless network connection" with the SSID following in parenthesis. Next to that is a "view status button" click on that and look for IPv4 Default Gateway it should have a number like 192.168.1.1 by it. Type that into your browser like a website. It will ask you for a username and password. Most people don't take this step when they initially connect their router so the default password is password and the username is admin. You should get all the information you need from that.

cole said, on September 19, 2011 7:17 PM:

how do i get online my adapter wont work

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

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How do I get my wireless WEP password for my Sony PSP?

Reader Comments To Date: 143

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