How to find out the Wi-Fi password once already connected?

I'm using my home network, but I am not an administrator and did not set up the network either.

As far as I can tell, the network is connected and there's a passcode to enter, but I am always automatically connected. When I go to see the connection/network properties, it asks me to re-confirm it, so it won't let me see what was used to connect to it in the first place (while it's connected or not).

Can anyone tell me how to find out the exact password from the computer/Windows itself?

It seems very ridiculous that I can connect but I can't simply obtain the passcode. What's to hide? The WPA-2 code is already obtained, so if I'm connected, it's assumed I would know it and no need to hide it.

Windows XP SP 3.

user409863

Posted 2015-01-30T21:12:01.157

Reputation:

If you mean your wifi password then you can't. This is by design. The only way to get your wifi password is through the router GUI. – Kinnectus – 2015-01-30T21:15:18.277

Another way is to forget the password, then ask someone who knows the password what it is and hope they tell you. But yeah, its not possible to get it otherwise. – LPChip – 2015-01-30T21:17:14.040

1You say "my home network", meaning you own it? Do you have access to the administrative features of the router? From there you should be able to reset the WiFi password...then you will know it. – CharlieRB – 2015-01-30T21:20:17.770

Try this – Alex – 2015-01-30T21:21:54.190

Isn't the design ridiculous then? The OS automatically connects but then won't simply reveal the password? What's there to hide? I'm already in the network; it's at my house. – None – 2015-01-30T21:35:33.170

@Alex Downloaded ... it says it can't find any network. I guess I'm on my own in figuring this out. – None – 2015-01-30T21:37:48.950

@LPChip That would defeat the whole purpose of asking this question. If I would simply ask someone, I wouldn't bother coming here to find out how to reveal it, would I? It's a matter of not wanting to ask someone and wanting to get wherever it's stored on the disk. – None – 2015-01-30T21:38:41.443

@BigChris It has to be stored somewhere when used by auto-connecting, so it can't be impossible to get it if it must exist somewhere on the disk (like a password on the login screen). – None – 2015-01-30T21:43:20.710

Passwords on login screens are usually already hashed in a database. The same hash algorithm is then used when comparing the entered password against the stored password. This means the original password was never stored on the device. Windows will store your wifi password in a hashed state and present it when connecting to your wifi, but it is inaccessible by any user – Kinnectus – 2015-01-30T22:48:56.750

@BigChris Something hashed must be unhashed, so whether or not it's stored in plain, direct format means little as it has to get the original data still when it's connecting. Plus, the hashed state is reversible. If it presents it when connecting to the device/router, it must be in non-hashed format. – None – 2015-01-30T22:58:25.047

Answers

Recover lost wireless network key

You can use WirelessKeyView by Nirsoft:

WirelessKeyView recovers all wireless network security keys/passwords (WEP/WPA) stored in your computer by the 'Wireless Zero Configuration' service of Windows XP or by the 'WLAN AutoConfig' service of Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2008.

It allows you to easily save all keys to text/html/xml file, or copy a single key to the clipboard. You can also export your wireless keys into a file and import these keys into another computer.

...

License

This utility is released as freeware.

Source WirelessKeyView v1.70 - Recover lost wireless network key

Disclaimer

I am not affiliated with Nirsoft in any way, I am just an end user of the software.

DavidPostill

Posted 2015-01-30T21:12:01.157

Reputation: 118 938

I'd also recommend the tools Nir Sofer provides through his NirSoft site, but you can also obtain a WEP or WPA2 key stored on a Microsoft Windows system from a command prompt on the system using a utility provided by the operating system. First issue the command netsh wlan show profiles to view all of the stored Wi-Fi profiles, since, if the system is a laptop, it may have connected to multiple Wi-Fi networks so have profiles for several Wi-Fi networks stored. If there are multiple profiles and you don't know which of those is available from your current location, you can issue the command netsh wlan show networks, which will show you nearby ones available to you at the moment or netsh wlan show interfaces to see details on the one to which you are currently connected, if you have established a wireless connection.

Let's say the one you are interested in has an SSID of "linksys". Then you would issue the command netsh wlan show profiles name=linksys key=clear. You will see a number of lines of output for the profile; the WEP/WPA2 key will be in the "Key Content" line. I've posted an example below where there is just one profile stored on the system - see Viewing a stored WEP or WPA key for another example with multiple profiles.

C:\>netsh wlan show profiles

Profiles on interface Wi-Fi:

Group policy profiles (read only)
---------------------------------
    <None>

User profiles
-------------
    All User Profile     : DD-WRT3


C:\>netsh wlan show profiles name="DD-WRT3" key=clear

Profile DD-WRT3 on interface Wi-Fi:
=======================================================================

Applied: All User Profile

Profile information
-------------------
    Version                : 1
    Type                   : Wireless LAN
    Name                   : DD-WRT3
    Control options        :
        Connection mode    : Connect automatically
        Network broadcast  : Connect only if this network is broadcasting
        AutoSwitch         : Do not switch to other networks
        MAC Randomization  : Disabled

Connectivity settings
---------------------
    Number of SSIDs        : 1
    SSID name              : "DD-WRT3"
    Network type           : Infrastructure
    Radio type             : [ Any Radio Type ]
    Vendor extension          : Not present

Security settings
-----------------
    Authentication         : Open
    Cipher                 : WEP
    Security key           : Present
    Key Content            : 1234567890
    Key Index              : 1

Cost settings
-------------
    Cost                   : Unrestricted
    Congested              : No
    Approaching Data Limit : No
    Over Data Limit        : No
    Roaming                : No
    Cost Source            : Default


C:\>

moonpoint

Posted 2015-01-30T21:12:01.157

Reputation: 4 432