Utility for importing/exporting wireless network settings?

[Pinga]

Isn't there a quick & dirty utility to import and export (backup and restore) wireless network settings to/from Windows XP and Vista? Or, alternatively, is it possible to back up the corresponding registry entries?

[ThunderZ]

Are you talking about the IP, sub-net mask, default gateway, and preferred and alternate DNS servers?

If you are running a static IP (manually assigned) then a pen a paper work great. Right click on the wireless connection icon. Go to properties, hi-light "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click on Properties. This is in XP. Not being a smart-ass. It is what I use.

If you are running a Dynamic IP (assigned automatically assigned) then bring up the command line, type in ipconfig /all and hit enter. This will show you the info. on your wireless NIC settings.

Note; there is a space between ipconfig and the /all

[pandlouk]

-{ Quote: "Isn't there a quick & dirty utility to import and export (backup and restore) wireless network settings to/from Windows XP and Vista? Or, alternatively, is it possible to back up the corresponding registry entries?" }-
Give Avanquest Connection Manager (freeware) (http://www.avanquest.com/USA/software/avanquest-connection-manager-107347?meta=work&cat=communication-tools&sub=laptop-and-cell-phone) a try.

Panagiotis

[Pinga]

-{ Quote: "Are you talking about the IP, sub-net mask, default gateway, and preferred and alternate DNS servers?" }-

Sorry for not expressing myself more clearly, networking is not my forte ;D Basically I'm looking for a utility that can help me backup the network access settings (WEP or WPA keys) for different wireless networks and copy them onto other machines. So far, I've only found a way to do it manually:

Export Wireless settings

1. Launch a command prompt as administrator
2. Type “netsh wlan show profiles”
image
3. Chose profile you want to export.
4. Type Netsh wlan export profile name=”[ProfileName]” Folder=”[Folder Path]”

Example: netsh wlan export profile name=”home-network” folder=”g:\wireless-profile”

Import Wireless Settings Profile

1. Open command prompt with Administrator privileges
2. Type netstat wlan show profile – you will see no profiles defined.
3. Type netsh wlan add profile filename="c:\profiles\WifiProfile.xml”
4. By default it will add to all user profiles, so everybody on this computer can see this new profile and use it.

[ThunderZ]

-{ Quote: "Sorry for not expressing myself more clearly, networking is not my forte ;D" }-

Got it. You`r a step ahead of me on this one. ;)

I use a pen and paper for this as well. Put the key into a .txt document on a flash drive then just copy and pasted as needed.

[Alec]

You may be referring to, or be interested in, what Microsoft calls "Windows Connect Now"...-{ Quote: "In the past, wireless networks were hard to set up and even harder to make secure. With Microsoft Windows Connect Now technology, setting up a wireless network is much easier. If your computer is running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and you have Windows Connect Now-compatible wireless devices, you can simply answer a few questions in a wizard, and then use a USB flash drive to transfer the wireless settings to the computers and devices you want to connect.

Now anyone can set up their own encrypted wireless network without needing to understand details about wireless network keys or other technical information." }-
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/setup/connectnow.mspx

[Pinga]

-{ Quote: "You may be referring to, or be interested in, what Microsoft calls "Windows Connect Now"" }-
Interesting but way too complicated - as always with Microsoft :P

Problem: Roaming means using a multitude of wireless networks. Since most are encrypted these days that means having to enter many long network keys.

Solution: A simple utility that is able to create an xml file that stores these network keys, and that can also be used to quickly set up wireless connections by means of importing such an xml file.

(Guess that should have been built into Windows in the first place, but that's a different discussion.) Anyone?

[HAN]

While not a method for exporting, I have used this importing method with great success on XP. It's fairly simple to set up if you understand the use of a batch file.
http://www.pixelninjas.com/Forums/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=10

[HAN]

I've attached another batch file import method that I've tried on XP that doesn't involve a menu. One is for DHCP and the other for a static address. All you need to do is rename them to .bat files.

[ThunderZ]

Maybe I am missing something here.

What I think ::) I understand is that the User needs to have the ability to connect to different wireless networks at different locations. What I will guess at is that the networks have a DHCP server set up to broadcast IP`s etc. I will also guess that they broadcast their SSID.

If this is the case then simply having the User that wish`s to connect to the network (using XP, similar in Vista) is to right-click on the wireless network icon. Choose "View Available Wireless Networks". Select the proper SSID. Copy the (assuming already provided) key and paste it into the window when prompted. The DHCP server should take care of the rest.

Apologies if I am missing something and over simplifying. :-\

[Pinga]

-{ Quote: "Choose "View Available Wireless Networks". Select the proper SSID. Copy the (assuming already provided) key and paste it into the window when prompted." }-
Yes, it's as simple as that. But - many locations, hotels for example, provide their keys on pieces of paper. And it's not one or two keys, but 20 or 40.

If you travel a lot, or work on different locations, or both, it is convenient to be able to have all your keys in a single file that can be used on multiple machines - pretty much the same way in which people carry their browser bookmarks around.

That's what I want :)