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

Anonymous
2010-01-01T23:23:29+00:00

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

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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Anonymous
2010-01-02T11:36:17+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"

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-02-04T09:27:36+00:00

    After changing the keys and logins on 20+ wifi APS on our campus I am LIVID over this issue and all of the bologna claims above about this not being a problem just show the poster's own ignorance. Our school wifi policy has been to connect personal laptops (that we do not control the admin account settings on) only by typing the key ourselves. Until Windows 7 and this CRAPPY excuse for security we have been able to successfully manage who connects and who doesn't. No sooner than this "feature" was added we now have people giving out the key to their friends neighbors, anyone. It's RETARDED and coming from the inventors of UA(stupid)C all the nonsense above is just bologna. Microsnot blows it again! Those asshats are clearly going to leave it this way. So we have to notify staff that Windows 7 machines are no longer allowed on our wifi. IDIOTS!

    Seriously, I'm so mad at the responses I saw above. "Why would you allow your daughter to be an admin?" ... "Why do you care who has your key?" ... If you don't manage a network just STFU you moron. If you do manage a network you are one of those geeky head in the clouds anti-social pasty skin twerps that have no friends and never will have any friends because you are so flipping out of touch with reality. I'll make anyone an admin I'd like and until this "flawture" it was fine.

    As far as hackware that allows people to scrape the passwords WTF? Seriously, so those things existing justifies making it a simple one click see all process? God I hate  computer people.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-01-27T14:46:35+00:00

    bdt57,

    Try the other non-Microsoft wireless client (from the hardware vendor or 3rd party like Odyssey client) instead of Windows built-in WLAN AutoConfig service.  Most of them will hide the WPA password.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-01-09T23:46:34+00:00

    I appreciate everybody's comments and it looks like the answer is that Windows 7 can't/won't do what I want it to do. 

    Checking with a utility called wirelesskeyview, I found that Windows XP does store the wifi password in hex format (which is 64 characters or 32 pairs), but it does not store the passphrasein clear text (at least not in the registery).  Since the passphrase is entered as the wifi password to connect, having the hex password doesn't grant easy/immediate access to the wifi network.  While XP isn't perfect, it offers some additional security compared to Win 7.

    Hopefully, one day soon, Microsoft will plug this security weakness.  Paranoid or not, any OS should give the user as much security as he/she chooses to apply and Win 7 is a step backwards regarding this issue.

    thanks again,  BDT

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-01-04T23:59:40+00:00

    Al Jarvi, as a MVP, I thought you would have better understanding.  I already stated that the problem is "local admin". 

    While I appreciated Microsoft finally learn that not everyone need to run as administrator since Vista [although the UAC design and security model was pretty bad and broke a lot of applications, it is better with Win7 but still have lots of room to improve.], I do have other consultants, guests need to connect to my network in an adhoc basis, and many of them are running local admin.  It seems no body bother to answer directly to my question.  What's the points to give local admin the ability to unmask WPA password?  If there is a good reason, why it was masked at the beginning?   Because of Win7, I have to purchase a router with multiple SSID and VLAN, but it will be a lot nicer if the "new feature" can be fixed with a patch.  Or at least give us an option as Shawn suggested. 

    Even for my kids, I am tired to install every single application they like to try (or type in the admin credential).  Restricted user can't even install Adobe Flash for Youtube!!!  They can run as restricted users but they still need an admin password or I will have to babysit them all the time.

    Gordon, it's unbelievable.  Why don't you put your PC on DMZ?  I bet you have a lot less firewall issue to deal with, although you may have zero day vulnerability issue. 

    I do care other people connect directly to my internal network.  I will be shocked Al Jarvi agree with you about this.

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