I FINALLY got my Dlink DWL-120 working with WEP active, under WindowsXP Home. OF course, it's only 40-bit, 'cause while the latest update of D-link's firmware for their wireless access point provides 128-bit WEP, they didn't update the configuration utility. D'oh.

The secret to getting the USB 802.11b NIC to work with WEP is to set the WEP key, not JUST in the NIC's setup utility, but ALSO in the wireless connection management screen of XP. Under XP-Home it's a little harder to find, somehow, but once there, it works the same was as XP-Pro's. Finally, I can have music in my bedroom again. And upload all my RC5 stats-blocks that's been stuck on the bedroom box the last week.

The mat is still missing. My come-home-soon sign didn't help. Boo hoo. ;)