How do I hide my router's password? Windows 7 'Starter'__

Anonymous

Hi,

We just got a Lenovo S10 Netbook with Win 7 'Starter' version for my daughter and I have a question about configuring the Wifi access. This is my first exposure to Win 7, so I'll describe things as best I can.

I clicked on the "Internet Access" icon in the tray and up came the list of Wireless Network Connections. I selected the one for our WPA-PSK encrypted router and cut and pasted my ~30 character 'Network Security Key' (passphrase/password) and, bingo, I was connected to the internet and websurfing just fine.

Here is my question. How to I permenently hide my router's 'Network Security Key'?

When I go back to the Wireless Network Connections and right click my router and select 'Properties" and go to the "Security" tab, there is a small check box labelled "Show Characters" that will toggle back and forth between a string of dots and the 'plain text' 'Network Security Key' for anyone to read. I'm not willing to keep her set up to use our network if anyone with access to her Netbook can look up my router's WPA password.

I have quite a few devices connected wirelessly to our network, but this is the only one where I can see the password in plain text. The others only show a string of stars or dots to 'encrypt' the display of the password.

I will appreciate any help and so will the daughter that hopes to keep accessing the internet.

many thanks, BDT

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Anonymous

AFAIK you can't override that, although I could be wrong about that.

As far as others getting your wireless key from her netbook make sure your daughters account is astandard user account and that she does not have administrator permissions. That way if she tried to see the wireless security properties for your wireless network she can't unless she enters the administrator password. In the example screen shot if I am logged in as a standard user and try to check the Show characters checkbox UAC pops up and requests my administrative user password.

http://cid-25ab668da65c8fbe.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Windows%20images/Showcharacters.png

In all cases make sure the administrative user accounts are password protected with a strong password and access to those is severely restricted.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Why-use-a-standard-user-account-instead-of-an-administrator-account

FWIW I run as a standard user 99% of the time on my Windows 7 laptop. My wife runs as a standard user 100% of the time on her XP Pro desktop. When I setup my PCs I create an administrative user, ie. Root in my case, and the required number of standard users for each machine. All are password protected. Root is only used to install programs, change system stuff, security settings, etc...etc...etc...

MS-MVP Windows Desktop Experience, "When all else fails, read the instructions"

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2010-01-02T18:35:38+00:00

The best solution is likely to set her account to a standard account, so that she can't see the characters.

However, please note that XP wasn't any more secure, it just took a few extra seconds. If her computer was running XP, and she let a friend use it for a moment, they could easily open regedit and see the wifi code. And it didn't have any standard user blocks to prevent it, unlike XP.

I might recommend an alternative or suppliment: use MAC address blocking in your router's configuration to only allow devices you know and have. Anyone else will get blocked from your network, even if they know the key.

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Anonymous

2010-01-02T15:55:34+00:00

AFAIK you can't override that, although I could be wrong about that.

As far as others getting your wireless key from her netbook make sure your daughters account is astandard user account and that she does not have administrator permissions . That way if she tried to see the wireless security properties for your wireless network she can't unless she enters the administrator password. In the example screen shot if I am logged in as a standard user and try to check the Show characters checkbox UAC pops up and requests my administrative user password.

http://cid-25ab668da65c8fbe.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Windows%20images/Showcharacters.png

In all cases make sure the administrative user accounts are password protected with a strong password and access to those is severely restricted.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Why-use-a-standard-user-account-instead-of-an-administrator-account

FWIW I run as a standard user 99% of the time on my Windows 7 laptop. My wife runs as a standard user 100% of the time on her XP Pro desktop. When I setup my PCs I create an administrative user, ie. Root in my case, and the required number of standard users for each machine. All are password protected. Root is only used to install programs, change system stuff, security settings, etc...etc...etc...

MS-MVP Windows Desktop Experience, "When all else fails, read the instructions"

Yes, I agree with the advantage of working as a Standard User. While that reduces the problem, it is not a solution.

Win XP handles this issue and the password is not displayed - even in Non-Admin accounts. In cases like mine, I have a network that I want to keep secure and I don't want anyone, even my daughter with Admin privileges to her Netbook, to have access to my network password. Win XP, Apple etc. seem to have resolved this issue, I find it hard to believe that WIN 7 leaves this HUGE hole in network security.

Any other help is greatly appreciated.

thx
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Anonymous

2010-01-02T15:42:55+00:00

Why would you want to hide it? I don't understand.

Why would I connect a device to my network that can display my router's WPA password to anyone except me? Suppose that a guest (such as my daughter) wishes to use the network, the way WIN 7 seems to work, the password is readable to the guest or anyone else that has access to the WIN 7 Netbook.

This is a HUGE security hole. I have multiple wireless music streaming clients, a MacBook and a WIN XP laptop, none of which show the wireless password once it has been entered and saved to the device.

On the flip side, I have had people set up my WIN XP laptom to access their network by setting up their router's password. Once set up, I can log in over and over, but I cannot see what the password is. Fine for my needs and minimal security risk for them. The device can access their network, but the password can't be passed along to another device or person.
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Anonymous

2010-01-02T11:18:36+00:00

Why would you want to hide it? I don't understand.

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