• From: Dallas, Tx
  • Registered: 2011-01-08
  • Posts: 1,261

Topic: the wpa key entry horror.

so far, having two chumby ones and having bought one for a friend, the only thing I dislike, and I really really dislike it, is the horrible wifi key entry screen.  can that *please* *PLEASE* be revamped?

when dealing with a good key, that gives you some hope of security in these days and times, such as

gPihjx!Mmuax%&\D-90f8E3L7tu8AZY55ynlWabtBKJEE%RM4+TH/pOsZV\,%,2

the chumby screen is torture.  there are other apps (chumbyland, for one) that use a virtual keyboard, easily shifted, and could shift for numbers/specials too...

to make it even worse, the window that shows the key will helpfully split the key on hyphens... like it thinks you're putting in words,  so, if you were to try to put in the key above, it'd split the key at the hyphen, trying to put the rest of the key on the second line, which it won't fit on, so the last part of the key will have to be typed in blind.

alternatively, how about allowing a keyboard to be plugged into the usb port?

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.
  • From: Australia
  • Registered: 2009-04-14
  • Posts: 118

Re: the wpa key entry horror.

Well you can connect with a simple key and then download/edit the network config file - that's what I did.

3 Reply by diamaunt (edited by diamaunt 2011-01-09 09:46:58)

  • From: Dallas, Tx
  • Registered: 2011-01-08
  • Posts: 1,261

Re: the wpa key entry horror.

I guess if I wanted to shut down my wireless network, rekey the AP, log chumby in, enable ssh, ssh in from some wired box (since all the wireless stuff is now non-functional) change the key, cross my fingers, rekey the AP, reboot  chumby... it could work...

really?

I don't think that's a very good solution to the problem for everybody that buys a chumby...

I thought the whole point of this here was to make chumby better, not work around it's flaws/bugs/problems.... no?

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.
  • From: Australia
  • Registered: 2009-04-14
  • Posts: 118

Re: the wpa key entry horror.

Agreed - but this is a one off problem - do it once and forget it. You can also just make your own network_configs file, copy it to a USB drive, plug in, boot chumby and select the network. See the Wiki for details.

  • From: Dallas, Tx
  • Registered: 2011-01-08
  • Posts: 1,261

Re: the wpa key entry horror.

W6TT6GyA wrote:

Agreed - but this is a one off problem - do it once and forget it. You can also just make your own network_configs file, copy it to a USB drive, plug in, boot chumby and select the network. See the Wiki for details.

again, working around a problem, which is possible for those that have 1) found out that there's a wiki, 2) have the expertise..

I hadn't found the wiki until a couple weeks ago, even though I've had a chumby for months.

what's wrong with trying to get things made better.

and, it's not necessarily a "one off" problem.... some people move their chumbies around, it's designed that way, which is why it has multiple configs.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.
  • Registered: 2011-02-01
  • Posts: 15

Re: the wpa key entry horror.

Can't you plug a keyboard into the USB port on the back and type the code? I haven't tried it, but I thought keyboard support was there.

  • From: Dallas, Tx
  • Registered: 2011-01-08
  • Posts: 1,261

Re: the wpa key entry horror.

alas, no, that woulda been mostly fine, except for the display problems, but when you plug in a keyboard, it drops you to a terminal, with near microscopic type, and no indication of what to do then.... it is possible to enter the proper key into the file, if you know all the parameters, and you know which characters to escape with html code, (my key ended up with two or three of those, I forget).

that was, actually, the first thing I tried with my first chumbyone.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.
  • Registered: 2010-12-04
  • Posts: 58

Re: the wpa key entry horror.

You could change the key entry on the small screen devices to support the rotary encoder.  Scroll the characters through some window when the dial is turned and press the screen to select the letter.  Then have the user press a "Done" button when they're finished.