Forgotten WiFi Ppassword

[Photoguy21]

If you forget your WiFi password no need to panic you can find it on your computer. To do this do the following:

 

1. Click the little windows symbol at the bottom right hand side of your screen. Go to Windows PowerShell (Admin) and click.

You will get as shown in Fig 1

2. In the window type: netsh wlan show profile

You will get a list of WiFi networks you have logged on to

3. Type netsh wlan show profile <name of network> key=clear then press Enter

 

You can scroll down and your password will be shown

 

[Liverpool Lou]

Or you can just call your wifi provider and get it reset.

[Photoguy21]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

Or you can just call your wifi provider and get it reset.

Takes you a couple of minutes to do it yourself and a lot longer for the provider to do it.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 minute ago, Photoguy21 said:

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Or you can just call your wifi provider and get it reset.

Takes you a couple of minutes to do it yourself and a lot longer for the provider to do it.

I don't doubt your sincerity, of course, but those of us who know next to nothing about computers may be wary of an anonymous forum poster telling them weird stuff to type into their computer.  I know that the girl on the end of the phone at True won't be hacking my banking information, for example, and it takes a couple of minutes to do.

[Photoguy21]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I don't doubt your sincerity, of course, but those of us who know next to nothing about computers may be wary of an anonymous forum poster telling them weird stuff to type into their computer.  I know that the girl on the end of the phone at True won't be hacking my banking information, for example, and it takes a couple of minutes to do.

You know your password so try it on your computer. It works I work with computer systems for a living and it is easy. No one sees what you are doing it is all on your computer.

Edited June 18, 2022 by Photoguy21

[Liverpool Lou]

Just now, Photoguy21 said:

You know your password so try it on your computer. It works I work with computer systems for a living and it is easy

That's my worry!   So, no thanks, I don't know anything about computers so I won't be typing anything in to my computer on a strangers suggestion!

[Photoguy21]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's my worry!   So, no thanks, I don't know anything about computers so I won't be typing anything in to my computer on a strangers suggestion!

Your choice

[Pib]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's my worry!   So, no thanks, I don't know anything about computers so I won't be typing anything in to my computer on a strangers suggestion!

Well, in this case a stranger is just passing along good info....good info that can be found on the internet like at the Asus Support web site....see below....and it does work...I tried it...shows your Wifi password.   Could come in handy if you ever forget your Wifi password, lose wherever you may have it documented, etc....sure beats having to reset your router to create a new password.

https://www.asus.com/me-en/support/FAQ/1046400/#:~:text=In the Command Prompt window,that has been connected currently.

 

I too just don't do anything that some folks recommend on the web as sometimes that info is just plain wrong or is missing key details...I usually try to validate the info by doing some googling to see what other folks/sites say.   In this case the recommendation is just running a Windows built-in command that will show certain info and other sites like the Asus Support website talk its usage in their Windows 10 FAQ section. 

 

[Photoguy21]

6 minutes ago, Pib said:

Well, in this case a stranger is just passing along good info....good info that can be found on the internet like at the Asus Support web site....see below....and it does work...I tried it...shows your Wifi password.   Could come in handy if you ever forget your Wifi password, lose wherever you may have it documented, etc....sure beats having to reset your router to create a new password.

https://www.asus.com/me-en/support/FAQ/1046400/#:~:text=In the Command Prompt window,that has been connected currently.

 

I too just don't do anything that some folks recommend on the web as sometimes that info is just plain wrong or is missing key details...I usually try to validate the info by doing some googling to see what other folks/sites say.   In this case the recommendation is just running a Windows built-in command that will show certain info and other sites like the Asus Support website talk its usage in their Windows 10 FAQ section. 

 

Like you I am always sceptical of using software commands but as you have shown it uses standard Microsoft commands and each one can be looked at to see what it does.

It only works for WiFi networks you have previously logged onto. I have found it useful when I have been on holiday, back in the office and the WiFi password has been changed as per company rules. I just go through the motions and I get the password without any fuss.

[CharlieH]

This issue is also addressed in the pinned tip n tricks post at the tol ov the forum.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by CharlieH

[Photoguy21]

56 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

This issue is also addressed in the pinned tip n tricks post at the tol ov the forum.

 

 

I think you suggested a link which is not very useful if you cant get any WiFi to connect to the internet

[FriendlyFarang]

Or you could open the "Control Panel", then click on:

-> Network and Internet

-> View network status and tasks

-> Connections: Wifi (Name of your wifi)

-> Wireless properties

-> Security

-> Show characters

 

[Photoguy21]

On 6/19/2022 at 9:59 AM, FriendlyFarang said:

Or you could open the "Control Panel", then click on:

-> Network and Internet

-> View network status and tasks

-> Connections: Wifi (Name of your wifi)

-> Wireless properties

-> Security

-> Show characters

 

The Security Key Password using this is not shown in standard text. Not a lot of use really

[FriendlyFarang]

13 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

The Security Key Password using this is not shown in standard text. Not a lot of use really

For me it shows the password of my wifi, what does it show for you?

[Photoguy21]

1 minute ago, FriendlyFarang said:

For me it shows the password of my wifi, what does it show for you?

Just the ****** as I would expect

[ChaiyaTH]

12 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Just the ****** as I would expect

Select show characters checkbox, you can always see wifi passwords in plain text. Both windows and mac. So no, not as you expect.

[FriendlyFarang]

13 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Just the ****** as I would expect

 

Check [ ] Show characters, then you see it in plain text.

[Photoguy21]

1 minute ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Select show characters checkbox, you can always see wifi passwords in plain text. Both windows and mac. So no, not as you expect.

It is as i would expect. Passwords are generally shown like that. If the full word is there then you have pretty poor security. I would do something about that if I was you.

[Photoguy21]

Just now, FriendlyFarang said:

 

Check [ ] Show characters, then you see it in plain text.

You need to disable that

[ChaiyaTH]

Just now, Photoguy21 said:

It is as i would expect. Passwords are generally shown like that. If the full word is there then you have pretty poor security. I would do something about that if I was you.

Passwords are shown like that on the visible side, that does not mean they are encrypted and has zero to do with general security. But as you are the expert here, who can't retrieve it's own wifi password, I leave it to you. Byeee ????

[Photoguy21]

Just now, ChaiyaTH said:

Passwords are shown like that on the visible side, that does not mean they are encrypted and has zero to do with general security. But as you are the expert here, who can't retrieve it's own wifi password, I leave it to you. Byeee ????

Yes it does have to do with general security. I can retrieve my password. Such a stupid comment from you but I expect that on here.

[RedBackman]

1 hour ago, Photoguy21 said:

Yes it does have to do with general security. I can retrieve my password. Such a stupid comment from you but I expect that on here.

I don't think it's much of a security risk because people aren't really trying to get access into your (presumably) encrypted and password protected device just to learn your wifi password. Even unprotected ethernet ports and wps setup are considered mostly fine for home use. If there isn't a special reason anyone wants to target you it's not something to be concerned about. And as you just showed at the start of this post if the user has admin privileges (which you presumably do over your own personal device) it's pretty trivial to retrieve a wifi password.

 

For smaller commercial networks where you just don't want some idiot employee clicking "show characters" and then connecting personal devices or something it might make more sense along with tweaking a ton of other security settings.

[Photoguy21]

On 6/20/2022 at 6:27 PM, RedBackman said:

I don't think it's much of a security risk because people aren't really trying to get access into your (presumably) encrypted and password protected device just to learn your wifi password. Even unprotected ethernet ports and wps setup are considered mostly fine for home use. If there isn't a special reason anyone wants to target you it's not something to be concerned about. And as you just showed at the start of this post if the user has admin privileges (which you presumably do over your own personal device) it's pretty trivial to retrieve a wifi password.

 

For smaller commercial networks where you just don't want some idiot employee clicking "show characters" and then connecting personal devices or something it might make more sense along with tweaking a ton of other security settings.

They will hack your computer and see your password. If it isnt a problem for people then it isnt a problem for me. Their computer their choice