Snow Leopard 10.6.3 connecting to existing operating router.

[#1]

Hi, hope you're well. Logged a ticket at 10.39am (with PN) this morning and not had a peep - really disappointing.
Just took delivery this morning of Snow Leopard MacBook Pro, one of the new intels. OS 10.6.3.
Existing machine: MacBook Pro Tiger OS 10.4.11, still using while sort new machine.
Thomson 585v7 router.
New machine: router network appears in the airport drop down. Chose it. Dialogue comes up asking for WPA password. Fill-in password and get an "invalid password" message.
Thought I was using the wrong password cos, of course, the old machine remembers and my note-to-self in a 'safe place' is so safe I've not been able to find it. So...action 1: been in to the gateway and changed the password to what I've always thought it was so I'm certain the password is correct. Issue with "invalid password" still persists.. Noticed the gateway pages identify under Home > Home Network > Interfaces >  WLAN: networkName  --> Security Mode: WPA-PSK
The dialogue asks for WPA not WPA-PSK... is that meaningful?
In another thread in here a guy says he needed to put the DNS servers in manually. Looked in old laptop TCP/IP settings (System preferences > network)... unfortunately for me Leopard now has a slightly different TCP/IP dialogue and a separate DNS tab. Guidance would be appreciated as to what I impur to where - that is: hoping this is the issue. If you know otherwise... please share. This is torment - new machine and not a thing I can do with it as all the software needs an internet connection nowadays to install.
Thanks anyone.
Edit: --> My old Mac says it's using WPA2 Personal security to access the router network...is this WEP-WPA security mismatch idea I'm toying with all a red herring?

[#2]

Rather than an "edit".
Action 1 - make sure password is the correct one.
Action 2 - double check password/security format consistent. WPA2 Personal. = different behaviour (slightly). No "invalid password" message just withdraws the window (roller blind stylie) and immediately brings it down again... does this difference in behaviour actually tell us anything I wonder?
Cheers.. feeling totally lost with this.

[#3]

The password is upper-case.

[#4]

Very cryptic Jeremy  :). I've just, cos thoroughness in these things is worth a go, tried the password I changed to in the gateway in UPPERCASE.. and then for the hell of it, I've tried the original password (below the barcode) in UPPERCASE too..  still: "invalid password".
Nice to get a response though, thank you.
New observation: I did see under the airport icon a very brief: "no ip address". Again, whether that's relevant I have no idea. Networks are not my area of expertise.
I realise Snow Leopard is a 'minority' concern and new, having only been around since Sept 09, so I can understand it'll be a bit of a facer for 'support', but the lack of even a "we're looking into it" response on the ticket is really disappointing after a good service since signing-up.

[#5]

Perhaps Mr Evil's comment would be clearer with a question mark - passwords are case-sensitive, so it needs to be right.
The different flavours of WPA do make a difference - you need to have exactly the same settings on both PC and router.
The "No IP address" error is just a sign that your PC is not connecting to the router. Every PC on a network is assigned an IP address, which is a number which identifies each PC, and on home networks it is usually the router's job to assign it.
If your router itself is connected to the internet OK then it isn't really anything to do with PlusNet, although I am sure they will help where they can, as well as us fellow customers.

[#6]

Hi Denzil.
I hear what you're saying. Just attempted to call their support line and though the web site was saying "0 calls waiting 0 time", I found myself listening to an auto message saying they're experiencing unprecedented levels of support calls..       .... I'm concluding some poor soul will eventually surface. I'd hate to work in support myself. Unfortunately not being able to connect the new mac will start costing me money very soon so I'm under pressure too. Bad world we live in eh.
Password - I'm trying to ascertain whether the password I'm convinced I've changed on the router itself (Adminstrator > Change Password) is: a) changing, b) the password the existing mac is using, c) playing the role I think it does. This is where PN could really help me out.
New Mac - I'm concerned Snow Leopard is sending WPA not WPA2. However it's not offering me an alternative - I'm absolutely fine with solving that issue, I do not expect PN to.
.....however... you can see the important part in the team effort that I need PN to play? Unless I eliminate something I'm just going round in circles  
Thanks for taking the time to respond, your pointers are helpful, appreciated.

[#7]

You have a user/password for the administration of the router.
You also have a WPA pass-phrase (as printed on the bottom of the router).
These are different things.
Your router will have a DHCP server in it; it allocates ip addresses to local devices (like your PC) and tells your PC what IP address to use.
So the "No IP address" message is caused by the router failing to talk to your PC.
You don't need a working internet connection for this to happen.
Have you reviewed your router configuration with respect to using multiple PC's?
I know that Apple stole a load of open source - what happens if you type

iwconfig

into a command line?

[#8]

Hi Jeremy, thanks for checking back.
Passwords
"You also have a WPA pass-phrase".. yeah, I was just beginning to feel confident the existing machine's not connecting to the router as the administrator, which makes sense. The password on the sticker beneath the bar code after "SN:" was the password I tried first, and several times since (always with the capitalisation).
IPs
I also understand the mac ends up resolving to different IP's (assiged by the router) - discovered this trying to use IP pattern recognition to exclude myself from the stats of websites I work on.
Multiple connections
"...using multiple PC's?". Had thought "Allow New Devices: New stations are allowed (automatically)" in the "home network" section meant it was ok?
iwconfig
"...stole.." What, Apple? As if   Now I only go into Terminal when I really really have to and I stick with sudo stuff. So dunno if I did this correctly. I wrote: "sudo iwconfig" and got "command not found". After a quick squiz on the internet I found where the location of such a file would be in the system. I need to install on the new machine, a user-friendly little app I know views (and amends) hidden system files maintianing the right encoding. I presume it'd be that rather than executing commands? What is it you're needing to know?
I backed up user.ini thinking I could resolve my doubts over the correct password there, but got a bit stuck with that line of thought because of the encryption...
However... are we agreed this is pointing to Snow Leopard now, because I couldn't have changed the router WPA pass-phrase if I'd have wanted to... as only the administrator password is available to me?

[#9]

I suppose it is possible that it's Snow Leopard, but I haven't seen anything on line about it.
However, I've got two machines running SL connection quite happily over WPA and joined fine, might be worth logging into the router and checking the password?
and the command to use if 'ficonfig'

[#10]

Morning 4d13w00, thanks for stopping by.
I spent yesterday trawling the internet looking for evidence and pointers as to whether this is Snow Leopard, and hadn't found anything logical/likely looking, not even in Apple's forums/technotes. Having used Macs for quite a lot of years now, I've always found that Apple have focussed on how Macs react to peripheral devices - one of the key advantages to Macs in fact, IMHO, their excellent record with "plug-in and go". This is why I've kept such a focus on the "eliminate for certain, for sure, the password doubt".
My ticket has been answered and I'm going to reset the router. PN have clarified what the result of doing so will be as it was unclear (to me).
**** how do I "log in to router and check password"?

[#11]

Silly question and I don't know if the Thompson supports it but, do you have security on the router set up to only allow registered MAC addresses?  I used to do that with my router so only systems which I register can use Wi-Fi.
Also, I had pretty much exactly the same issue with Ubuntu, kept asking for my (correct) password with my Buffalo router, moved my laptop closer and it connected.

[#12]

Hi David
Kind of you to add a thought or two, appreciated. The answer I'm afriad to the first question is: I haven't the faintest idea. I've just leafed through all the online gateway pages and nothing seemed to 'obviously' refer to this.
Last night the new laptop was about 4 foot away at one point. The existing mac has always connected without issue from upstairs and right out in the garden (which is worrying).
I've just seen the router has "Interface Type: 802.11b/g" which I've noticed in the new macs networking panels - it's not in Tiger's. Off to do some research on this, it might be an avenue to explore, if for no other reason than I'll be better informed generally.
Anyway.. for anyone following this thread or reading it after the event: I've posted a general question in another forum (broadband and routers) about passwords and users hoping to increase my understanding before I go reset the router. Hopefully I'll be able to post a conclusion. Never know if these things prove useful to others, but worth doing just in case.

[#13]

Does this new machine have a network port? If you can connect to the router with a network cable initially then you should be able to log on to the router by typing its default IP address into a web browser. Check/reset the WPA settings and password there, then try again with the wireless.

[#14]

Hello. To everyone who has contributed something - I want to express my thanks and appreciation.
The issue here has been the theory I developed early on and couldn't satisfactorily eliminate: Incorrect password. I couldn't satisfactorily resolve it because:
1) I'd got every other password for everything else I'm dealing with, except this one noted, perhaps because when originally setting up I'd "just followed orders" without gaining any understanding in the process.
2) There are, to me, four passwords involved in different parts of the set-up of this router. Three of which you fill in, in the set-up... one you don't.... hence it hadn't registered as one to try.
3) I couldn't access the password 'in use' on my mac and because of 2) I didn't recognise it when I looked at it squarely in the face in the gateway pages. oh boy.
I've dealt with these things long enough to know "it's always something simple" which is why it's felt so frustrating, I knew it was simple, if only I could "ask the right question" by narrowing down the possibilities. I think this is a lot of people's experience and why the whole support thing is difficult on both sides.
The Snow Leopard mac and the Tiger Mac are now both happily doing their thang after resetting the router and being unable to connect with any of the passwords I'd input to the router set-up assistant from either mac.... phoning PN and getting through very quickly today. The guy did comment on this router being confusing in this way.
Again - thank you everyone and best regards. Have a good day all, your attempts to help have been appreciated. I can finally enjoy my new machine now...

[#15]

Glad it's sorted, have fun MBP's are great..