It means that your wireless network is using WEP encryption and a WEP key requires a very specific number of characters. Confusingly, 64-bit WEP is sometimes called 40-bit and 128-bit WEP is called 104-bit.

However, as your technician is using the less common 40-bit and 104-bit references, I will stick with those descriptions.

For 40-bit WEP encryption, you need to use a key of either 5 ASCII characters or 10 Hexadecimal characters.

For 104-bit WEP encryption, you need to use a key of either 13 ASCII characters or 26 Hexadecimal characters.

ASCII characters are basically all of the letters, numbers and symbols on the keyboard.

Hexadecimal characters are the numbers "0" to "9" and letters "a" to "f" only - a total of 16 available characters.

However, some wireless networking hardware doesn't like an ASCII key, so it is generally better to use a hexadecimal key. This site will generate both ASCII and Hexadecimal keys for you although it describes them as 64-bit and 128-bit keys.

To be honest, it is recommended that these days you should, if possible, use the more secure WPA or WPA2 encryption which uses a much less complicated encryption key. A key of between 8 and 63 ASCII characters, which can include spaces, is used.

Are you using a router provided by Virginmedia?

I cannot help you with your problem but I would like to say well done on your attitude of trying to find a resolution yourself. This,in the long run, will increase your knowledge of the dark arts (computing LOL) and you will find that problems generally become simpler to resolve and you will go on to help others.

Never apologise,for what might seem a daft question,as they do not exist,we all had to start somewhere. I expect Mgmcc will have you sorted in no time. Sometimes phoning an engineer is not the best way forward as they can forget that they are dealing with ordinary mortals and can be a tad technical in their language.