Unexpected Wi-Fi Password Issues: Mismatched Logins on Different Devices

It's definitely strange that your friend's new laptop wouldn't log into your network with the initial password you were using. However, it's interesting that a slightly modified version of the password worked. While it's difficult to say for sure without more information, there could be a few possible explanations for what's happening.
1. Network Configuration Issue: It's possible that there is a specific network configuration or security setting on your friend's new laptop that is causing compatibility issues with the original password. By using a slightly modified version of the password, it could be working around this configuration issue.
2. Password Encryption or Hashing: Depending on how your network handles passwords, it's possible that the password is being stored and transmitted in an encrypted or hashed format. If this is the case, even a small change in the password could result in a completely different encrypted/hashed value. This could explain why the slightly modified password works on one device and not the other.
3. Keystroke Differences: It's also possible that there could be slight variations in the way the password is being entered on different devices due to hardware or software differences. This could lead to differences in the actual password being submitted for authentication, even with a slightly modified password.
To further investigate the issue, it might be helpful to check the network settings and security configurations on both devices. You could also try resetting the network settings on the new laptop and see if it can then log in using the original password. If the issue persists, it might be worth reaching out to your network provider or consulting with a technical expert who can analyze the specific network setup and provide personalized assistance.