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Set wireless settings from a script

Post image for Set wireless settings from a script

by Steve Wiseman on October 11, 2012 · 2 comments

in Tips,Windows 7,Windows Vista


.

This week we have a question from Linda:

“Hi Steve,

I am looking for a way to set wireless key settings from a script. We have lots of laptops, and it would take quite a bit of time to put in our key on all of them.

Any easy way to do this?”

Yes. Starting with Vista, you can export and import wireless profiles.

First, get one computer on your wireless network.

Then you can export the settings using this command:

netsh wlan export profile folder=c:\temp\wireless

Notice the last option, it tells it where to store the profile files for your wireless connections.

Wireless Export

If you go into that folder, all of your wireless connection profiles are stored in XML files.

The files are in the format of {WIRELESS CARD NAME} – {WIRELESS SSID}

In my case, I have a network named ‘WirelessE’ You can see it in the directory listing below:

Wireless Export File

Once you have your file, put it on a network share. You can rename it so it is easier to remember or reference. In my case I copied it to my server, and called it Wireless.xml

To get it to import, you would put this in the users logon script:

netsh wlan add profile filename=”\\server\public\Wireless.xml”

When the user logs in, they will automatically get the updated wireless profile. Thankfully it will work for them even if they do not have local admin rights.

One bonus: The key is encrypted, so it is a little more difficult to get the key from the xml file (But not impossible).

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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Hot Dog October 11, 2012 at 11:59 am

Thanks for the tip steve. Will be using this for my laptops. Did not know it was so easy.

2 Hotel Hotspot November 24, 2012 at 10:50 am

Great tip. Does the system check for an updated profile on every logon?

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