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

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.

I have seen multiple posts on this issue at microsoft and yet to see a solution.

I have exactly the same PROBLEM........HOW DO YOU STOP EVERY NETWORK WITHIN RANGE FROM HAVING CONNECT AUTOMATICALLY CHECKED.  I will add that this was not always like this...when we bought the computer in May the only Connect Automatically that was checked was the one we checked. This started with one of the Microsoft updates within the last 2 weeks. It is a real pain when the network you're working from drops out and all of a sudden you're connected to a different network.  Quite frankly this sucks and should be taken care of.

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 Loreto Osa, 

It's 05:03am and I am writing Powershell scripts and came across your post by accident.  I can't believe that you have been left hanging for a solution for 3 years. I'm so sorry that I never saw your post before or the other Windows users.

I am a high level self-taught Operating Systems support consultant and digital network engineer and fully versed in Cisco, Windows, Linux protocols, applications, kernels, CLI interfaces and a host of other digital eco-system tec products.

It is absolutely unacceptable that users concerns are not addressed: Please follow to the letter the following:

1. Now we are going to get YOU to deal directly with your machines NETWORK SHELL and not with pretty Graphical user interfaces which have no power over your issue. We are going to direct NETSH to terminate these offending profiles SSID's which are broadcast as Microwave signals (radio). We are going to get NETSH to block at HARDWARE LEVEL your network card identifying and accepting these signals as connectable profiles. 
2. CLICK ON YOUR WIFI ICON AND WRITE DOWN EVERY SINGLE PROFILE THAT IS PEEING YOU OFF (MAKE SURE IT IS TO THE LETTER - EXACTLY AS DISPLAYED - CAPITALS AND LOWERCASE). 
3. Right-click 'START' and choose 'Command Prompt(Admin). You need admin privilege level.
4. type the following to block these profiles from your hardware:

netsh wlan add filter permission=block ssid="WLAN name" networktype=infrastructure

Type the name of the first profile on your list exactly as it was displayed on your screen between the speech marks. NETSH has now blocked this profile/profiles. Now we are going to direct NETSH not to display them (blocking and displaying are 2 different issues but you have to block first before you can stop their display because NETSH can only stop displaying blocked profiles). To stop displaying blocked profiles type:

netsh wlan set blockednetworks display=hide

You can do the above one at a time for each profile name or you can block them all first then enter the stop display command. Personally I like to do things one at a time. 

Also, you will see different ones popping up. They are:

1.  Cars going past your house/flat/apartment and the people's phones in their cars broadcasting their SSID profiles (these will disappear just as quick after about 150 feet). 
2.  Your furthest away neighbors whose SSID's weak single hits your network card. Just quickly right down these profiles and block and stop display. 

Now your network connections panel will be gloriously empty except for your one (if you want to remove a particular profile from blocked list 

netsh wlan delete filter permission=block ssid="WLAN name" networktype=infrastructure

And if, for whatever reason, you want to re-display the blocked connections (which I am sure you don't) just add "show" instead of "hide". 

I know the solutions to all the forums problems but when I post solutions and people claim credit for it it kinda hurts, especially as I spend hours into the early mornings teaching myself. 

All the best.