Archived - Using wireless routers with WEP and Remote Install Mac OS X

Products Affected

Mac OS installation/setup (any version), MacBook Air (Original)

This article has been archived and is no longer updated by Apple.

Symptoms

You may notice you cannot use the "Remote Install Mac OS X" feature to install Mac OS X across wireless routers that use the WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) security algorithm.

When holding down the Option key on startup, no WEP-enabled wireless networks appear, or can be selected.

Resolution

Remote Install Mac OS X is not compatible with WEP-enabled wireless routers. The WEP algorithm does not provide optimal security for wireless networks and is not recommended.

Changing your wireless router from WEP encryption to a more secure standard (such as WPA or WPA2 Personal) enables remote installations of Mac OS X and enhances the overall security of your wireless network.

Additional Information

To learn how to enable different encryption methods on Airport wireless routers, see this article. To learn more about joining an encrypted Airport wireless network, see this article.

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