Setting up WPA2 security

The more I get into this the dumber I become. I am trying to set up WPA security on my wireless network. I have a Netgear router WGR614 v.7, an Averatec 5110H with Windows XP SP3. It has an Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3B (driver version-1.1.6.0).
I figure that I need to update my driver for the wireless card, but I don't know where to safely download a driver that will work with this laptop and operating system and add WPA2 capability. Any suggestions?
Also when I look at the properties for my wireless networks in windows, under the associations tab, I only have a choice between disabled, and WEP under encryption. Will these change if I update my network card driver?

 

I am no expert let's get that out of the way. I have set up a WPA2 network. As I see it your wireless card drivers will have no effect on WPA2. I think what you are looking for is in your Router settings. There should be a WPA2 selection if it supports it. If it does not then try updating the firmware.

 

your adapter is wireless-b and does not support wpa2

 

Unfortunately, you need to update the entire wireless card. That card cannot support WPA2, as amoney3 so succinctly stated.

 

Thanks. Will my card support any form of encryption?

If I get a new card, do you have any recommendations as to what kind of adapter to get, or would any adapter that is "g capable" work? I'd probably opt for USB. I also have an HP Pavilion dv9000 that works off my router and an HP 6280 printer connected to the router by ethernet. Will that have any effect on upgrading?

 

Your card should support up to WPA-PSK; I have the same Intel wireless card in my 6 y.o. VAIO, and it managed to handle WPA-PSK when I was using it (I've since switched to a PCMCIA wireless card for other reasons).

 

Do you remember what driver you were using?
That brings me back to part of my original question-I figure that I need to update my driver for the wireless card, but I don't know where to safely download a driver that will work with this laptop and operating system.

 

Try the original Intel driver - the latest one is from 2006, while the one you're using now was released in 2003. I peeked into the .inf files and both driver versions seem to cover the same device IDs, so it should work for you unless the laptop manufacturer did some really wonky stuff with the hardware.

Note that while WPA hasn't been cracked, there have been some advances in considerably speeding up brute force attacks against it, so make sure to set a unique, non-default SSID and a complex passphrase (i.e. at least 20 truly random characters) in your router's config.