I believe that your computer should see the network (without you actually being able to join it) before it can even consider entering it.
There are some things which might be amiss. The network could have MAC address filtering on (meaning you can only enter the network if your airport-card-address is one that's listed in the router's/switch's tables). Ask about it.
Mac OS X with Airport Extreme enabled should be able to enter ANY 802.11b and/or 802.11g network. If it's an 802.11a network, you're out of luck.
One word of advise: when entering the WEP key for a network other than an Airport network, you have to start with the character $. This has been a thoroughly problematic issue for many people. I myself need to do this in order to get on my own Linksys network.
Okay I think the MAC address registration must have not happened. I sent in a web page form to the wireless admin people and never heard back. I'll send it again.
Comments
There are some things which might be amiss. The network could have MAC address filtering on (meaning you can only enter the network if your airport-card-address is one that's listed in the router's/switch's tables). Ask about it.
Mac OS X with Airport Extreme enabled should be able to enter ANY 802.11b and/or 802.11g network. If it's an 802.11a network, you're out of luck.
One word of advise: when entering the WEP key for a network other than an Airport network, you have to start with the character $. This has been a thoroughly problematic issue for many people. I myself need to do this in order to get on my own Linksys network.