A quick note, when connecting your Kindle to your wi-fi network it will ask you for the password.
You can input your password from now til hell freezes, and it won’t work.
What it actually wants is the Network Key, which you’ll find in your router’s setup, accessed via your browser. A few people have asked how they find it, I haven’t covered that question because while I know how to find mine – it’s on a card stuck to the front of my PC case – I don’t know where yours is – you probably need to talk to whoever set up your router/broadband connection.
A minor fault, but a stupid one and one that, despite being notified by me on the day I published this post (by others too, I have no doubt), Amazon appear to have no interest in remedying the problem.
Apart from that, so far, so impressed.
September 19 – Sorry, but I’ve had to close comments – this was never intended as a sort of forum, just a note about the Network Key.
See also First Impressions.
Ron's Rants... 
Ron,
“Tech-know” language can confuse a lot of people. Similar to the “eject your kindle from your computer” makes it sound like it was a floppy disk drive (for those of us old enough to remember them!) Glad you got it working.
Dave
Based on the display, I had a feeling it wanted the Network Key, but I gave it what it asked for, first, to no avail. And of all the people I know with wi-fi, I doubt any of them have even heard of a Network Key, especially if someone else set up their router for them.
I think Amazon’s Kindle support is going to be very busy.
I did have reservations about the high-contrast screen claims, as it’s black text on grey, but it actually works very well. I downloaded a load of books while I was waiting, and transferring them from Kindle for PC was a one-click job so, as I say, so far, I’m impressed. Next job is manually transferring 50-odd PDF and .txt books, which should be straight forward.
Ron.
Hi Ron
just read your post about wi fi having similar problems but even with my network key it won’t connect, but that is beside the point.
I read you are planning to load pdfs on the Kindle. It is worth either sending them to amazon to conversion or converting them yourself to a prc file. This improves the contrast and the functionality
I am using Mobipocket creator publisher edition which is free and simple to use
Hope this is of some use
Thanks Michael.
I wound up converting them to Mobi format using the Calibre app – it batch-processed them very nicely. Then I noticed that the source actually offered them in a wide variety of formats, including Kindle – must pay attention in future!
Ron.
How do you get the network key on a MAC Airport? I’ve tried for 2 hours and Amazon could not help at all.
Thanks
You’ll need to access your router’s setup to find it. If you don’t know how to get in to it, you’ll have to talk to Apple support (or maybe another MAC user).
It’s always a good idea – too late for you, I know, but it might help someone else – to keep a note of the SSID and Network Key when setting up a new router, and also the URL by which you get into the thing..
Thanks for this- my Mom had the same problem.
Duh.
Judging by the number of hits this post is getting, they’re far from alone! It’s just plain dumb asking for a password when it actually needs something entirely different.
My network key is an alphanumeric combination of 26 characters. Do you have to enter this everytime. Is there anyway this can be saved?
No, you only need to enter it once.
To save it, try copying and pasting it from your router setup page into a Word document. Mine’s on a card stuck to the front of my PC case – I don’t often need it, but it’s there when I do.
got a call from a family member after kindle support couldn’t get them connected on to their home wifi network.
family member had a home wifi network using WPA2 with TKIP encryption and a password.
ended up switching their home wifi to WPA2 with AES encryption (using same password) and kindle hopped right on (using the password).
hope this helps someone else as this to me seems like it will be an issue with a lot of people. i agree with ron, kindle support is going to be pretty busy.
Cheers Bob. This post’s been pretty busy too – looks like a huge problem.
I think there is more to the issue that what has been previously mentioned.
When I got my WiFi-only Kindle, I set it up for our work wireless using WEP64 and MAC filtering. Works like a charm, all the time, every time.
Went home and set the Kindle up for my wireless, using WPA and MAC filtering. It connected fine and I was able to download a book.
After reading a while, I decided to explore the other menu options and tried to use the web browser. The Kindle searched for the network, found it and prompted me for the network key. Never would log on. Router log showed a generic security error, which I assume was password related.
Never did get it to re-connect to the home wireless, even after turning off the encryption. Turned the encryption back on and called it a night.
Brought it back to work, and it connected right away. Took it back home, it connected the first time, then later it quit when I went exploring again. Even reset the Kindle, and still no connection. It worked fine at the office the today.
Tonight I’m gonna see if it will stay connected at home if I just download some books.
After initially inputting the network key, that was the end of it. It hasn’t asked for it again (which is as it should be), and the browser works fine – or as well as a small monochrome browser can.
There are, though, some faulty Kindles around – Bill and mactech – so it’s probably worthwhile talking to Kindle support. Be aware, based on what I’ve read on the Kindle reviews, that there appears to be a one month wait for replacement Kindles. Not brilliant.
had same issue k3, seems kindle wifi has issues recognizing keys with too strong security and password with too many characters… either lower your security level or no wifi on k3?
Ron,
I even went so far as to disable the encryption, turn off MAC filtering and change the SSID of the router — same thing. I figured this would fool it into thinking this was a new / open access point, but it must ‘remember’ the MAC address of the router and use it to store the passwords.
Keep in mind this is a Zoom ADSL modem / router, which is kind of an odd duck anyway.
Plan B is to dig out an old POS wireless router and set it up as a gateway to see if this works.
I did notice I had the older “firmware” revision. I guess I’ll have to go to $tarbuck$ or take it to work so I can get a connection to get the update.
Hi everyone,
I am right in the middle of trying to connect my new Kindle to my working wifi.
I am not that technical but do try :):)
Now :
1. When you say Network key do you mean Encryption key ?
If not where do you get the Network Key ???
The printed readout from my Lynksys wireless unit shows a 22 letter/number long Encryption Key which does not work on the Kindle as it does not connect to the wireless network.
My wireless unit shows it is on WPA with an encryption method of tkip
Only been at it 6 hours hahahaha
Any input valued
Thanks
Rex
Had the same problem not connecting. Called at&t again, they rebooted I& did something, when I picked up the Kindle later, it was connected, don’t know if it was rebooting or they did someething about the router, but I am so glad it is fixed. both Kindle &I atI&t were very patieenet with me.