"Connect Automatically" box is checked for all the networks in range

Hi,

I can certainly understand the inconvenience which you are facing at the moment. We will work together and try to resolve the issue.

Please assist me with few more information related to this issue:

1)      What is the Model of the HP laptop?

2)      Did you make any changes to the wireless network settings prior to this issue?

This could be an issue with network settings or the drivers for the wireless network installed on the computer.

I would like to inform you that when you connect to a new wireless network, it’s added to the list, and Windows will connect to that network while it’s in range. If you connect to another wireless network while in range of the first network, Windows will prefer the second network over the first one.

You can refer to the link look for the settings and to manage wireless network profiles:

Refer the section “Delete a profile within range”

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-8/manage-wireless-network-profiles

From the same link, you can also use the option to delete the profile network using “Forget this network” option, if the network is within the range.

If the issue still persists, I would suggest you to follow the methods and check if it helps:

Method 1:

You can refer to the link and follow the steps from the link to troubleshoot the issue:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-IN/windows/network-connection-problem-help#network-problems=windows-8&v1h=win8tab1&v2h=win7tab1&v3h=winvistatab1&v4h=winxptab1

If the issue still persists, move to the next method.

Method 2:

Check if you have installed the latest wireless network driver. To do so, you can refer to the HP website and look for the latest version of network driver for the model which you are using. If the drivers are already up-to-date, let’s uninstall and reinstall the driver and check if it resolves the issue.

Follow the steps to uninstall and reinstall the latest version of the network adapter driver:

Note: Please make sure that you download the latest version of the drivers from the manufacturer website.

a)            Press Windows and X key on the desktop screen.

b)            Click on Device Manager.

c)            Locate the Network adapter and expand the driver icon.

d)            Right click on the wireless driver icon and click on Uninstall.

e)            Follow the onscreen instructions to uninstall the driver.

f)             Open the folder which contains the setup file of the latest driver that you have downloaded or already present on the computer.

g)            Double click on the setup file and follow the onscreen instructions to install the network adapter driver.

Please get back to us with the status of this issue. We will be happy to assist you ahead.

1)      What is the Model of the HP laptop?

    It is an HP 2000 with an Intel Core i3-3110M CPU

2)      Did you make any changes to the wireless network settings prior to this issue?

    No. This is a brand-new computer. The first thing I did was apply all Windows Updates and all recommended HP updates.

"I would like to inform you that when you connect to a new wireless network, it’s added to the list, and Windows will connect to that network while it’s in range."

    I have never connected to any of the wireless networks on the list except for my own. They are all password protected and presumably belong to my neighbors. At any given time the network list shows 30-50 networks within range. All of them have "connect automatically" checked by default and I cannot un-check that option. I do not wish to even attempt to connect to any network other than my own.

"You can refer to the link look for the settings and to manage wireless network profiles:

Refer the section “Delete a profile within range”

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-8/manage-wireless-network-profiles

From the same link, you can also use the option to delete the profile network using “Forget this network” option, if the network is within the range."

    That link suggest running the command "netsh wlan show profiles" at the command prompt.

    When I do this the result shows only my own network. It looks like this:

        Profiles on interface Wi-Fi:

        Group policy profiles (read only)

        -----------------------------------

        <none>

        User profiles

        ---------------

        All User Profile:   [my network name]

    There are no other networks shown within range when I run "netsh wlan show profiles" at the command prompt.

    However, when I click on the network icon in the taskbar, or move my cursor to the right corner and select Settings, then click on the network icon, a list of networks within range appears in a sidebar on the right of the screen. On this list, I can click on any network name and the option "connect automatically" is always checked, regardless of what I do.

"If the issue still persists, I would suggest you to follow the methods and check if it helps:

Method 1:"

    Method 1 is a link to a troubleshooting page which addresses the following issues, none of which apply to me:

    * A wireless network adapter switch that's not enabled

    * WEP, WPA, or WPA2 security key or passphrase issues

    * Cables that aren't connected properly

    * Corrupted or incompatible drivers

    * Missing updates

    * Network connection settings

    * Hardware or software problems

    That troubleshooting page appears to be relevant to problems connecting with any network. I do not have these issues, I am able to connect to my own network without difficulty.

    Again, my concern is that the list of Networks which appears in the sidebar includes every network within range, and the option to "connect automatically" is selected by default for every network. I would like to know why.

"Method 2:

Check if you have installed the latest wireless network driver. To do so, you can refer to the HP website and look for the latest version of network driver for the model which you are using. If the drivers are already up-to-date, let’s uninstall and reinstall the driver and check if it resolves the issue."

    I am starting to wonder if you even understand my issue at all?

    Just for fun, I did uninstall and reinstall the latest wireless network driver. As I suspected this is not the issue. My wireless network driver is working properly.

    I want to know why the option "connect automatically" is selected for every network within range when I look at the list of networks which appears in the sidebar. On that list I cannot right-click and access the menu choices which include "forget this network" for any network other than my own.

    Further, I would like to point out that manually identifying and opting out of "connect automatically" for each network that does not belong to me (if indeed that is even possible, which it seems that it is not), is both tedious and ignorant of the underlying security risk posed by Windows 8 having the default setting of "connect automatically" chosen by default for all networks within range.

    Why do I say this is a security risk?

    Because even if am able to opt-out of "connect automatically" to all undesired networks which currently appear within range on the network list in the sidebar, that list is constantly changing. I live in a densely populated area and new networks appear and disappear on that list frequently. Even if I am able to opt-out of "connect automatically" from networks I can currently identify, it does not address the issue of trying to connect automatically to new networks which I have not seen or yet identified.

    So far, every network that has been identified within range is password protected. Since I do not have the password for any network other than my own, my computer will not actually be able to connect to any of them, even if it does attempt to connect automatically.

    However, what happens if a non-password protected network appears within range? It would seem that Windows 8 is going to attempt to "connect automatically" to any network it identifies as being within range, regardless of whether I have ever connected to it in the past. If someone with malevolent intent wished to exploit a Windows 8 machine, it would appear that they would only need to set-up a non-password protected wi-fi network and lure every Windows 8 machine within range to connect to it. Or perhaps use something like the WiFi Pineapple device to troll for any Windows 8 machine that will connect to it and effect a Man-In-The-Middle attack. Hopefully you can understand that connecting to an unknown, untrusted network is a bad idea. Windows 8 seems intent to do exactly this by default.

​

Hi,

I would request you to provide a screen shot on the issue. You can follow the steps to add an image related to this issue:

a) Click on Add image icon.

b) Browse and locate the screen shot. Add it.

Please get back to us with the required information which would help us to troubleshoot the issue better.

Here are two screenshots showing the right side of my screen and the Network list which appears as a sidebar. I hope this illustrates the concern I have adequately. I have obfuscated the names of the networks on my list for security reasons.

Again, for every network on that list the box "Connect Automatically" is always checked. I have never actually logged into any of these networks other than my own, they are simply all of the networks within range. The list of networks within range changes frequently. So far, every network I have observed on that list is password protected. Since I do not have the password for any network other than my own, I understand that I will not successfully connect to them even if Windows 8 attempts to "connect automatically." Nevertheless, I do not want Windows to even ATTEMPT to connect to any network other than my own.

If I try to click on the check mark for "Connect Automatically" it does disappear, and the box appears un-checked, but only momentarily. That change does not persist; if I look at it again a moment later, the box is checked again. If I try to hover my cursor over any network other than my own, I cannot right-click and access a context menu with the choice "forget this network." A right-click while hovering over any network other than my own does nothing.

And again, even if I could un-check that box manually, it is tedious to do so for every network on the list and does not address the fact that Windows 8 should not be trying by default to "connect automatically" to every network within range. For best security, Windows 8 should not be trying to connect automatically to ANY network other than those which I specifically identify as trusted networks that I wish to connect to.

No response? Does anyone have any suggestions?