How can I connect to an Access Point by BSSID instead of ESSID in Windows 7?

Suppose there is a network with several Access Points, all with the same ESSID, but I always want to connect to an specific access point that has a certain BSSID (MAC address), is it possible to do this in Windows?

I tried making this type of connection by using the Native Wifi API, but the Connect function only lets you specify the ESSID not BSSID.

Has anyone found a way to connect to an AP, by specifying its BSSID in Windows?

Marcel Valdez Orozco

Posted 2012-10-09T16:34:54.853

Reputation: 201

Why don't you just avoid connecting to the other access points and mark the access point you do want to connect to as a prefeered connection. – Ramhound – 2012-10-09T17:36:35.900

I'd like to do that, but the Windows Wireless Network Configuration only lets you mark access points by ESSID (Network Name), I can't tell it to select an AP by BSSID (AP Mac Address). – Marcel Valdez Orozco – 2012-10-09T17:38:26.287

Several Access Points (with different BSSID[MAC Address]) near me have the same ESSID(Network Name), since they are part of the same network. – Marcel Valdez Orozco – 2012-10-09T17:39:22.823

For some stupid reason, windows sometimes disconnects from the AP with the best Signal and instead connects to one with a worse signal, and my connection gets mega super slow. – Marcel Valdez Orozco – 2012-10-09T17:40:06.443

Answers

Did you manage to solve this? In case it's helpful, I've found a partial solution.

The utility WirelessMon - http://www.passmark.com/products/wirelessmonitor.htm It allows you to override Windows wifi selection, and explicitly connect to an AP by MAC address.

I had the highly frustrating problem of needing to use a public hotspot network with a portal website, and every time my wifi roaming jumped AP, every ~5 minutes or so owing to two of them being very similar signal strength, I'd have to re-enter my login details.

The downsides of using WirelessMon are, it's only a 30-day trial, and it also tends to screw up the connection itself by constantly scanning in the background. The best solution I've found is to set its sampling rate to the maximum of 60 seconds, which helps enormously compared to the default of 3.

If anyone knows of a free app that does a similar job, please post about it!

dw28

Posted 2012-10-09T16:34:54.853

Reputation: 31

@MarcelValdezOrozco: There is no "the" solution. Windows does not have a capability so you have to use a third party tool. Some wireless cards come with a free one but they are specific to that card and there is no information about the card in the question anyway. – qasdfdsaq – 2015-07-24T11:01:03.937

Haven't tried it, but I will nice answer. +1 – Marcel Valdez Orozco – 2013-01-27T05:26:56.720

This worked, but since it is not a free tool, I am afraid I cannot accept it as the solution. – Marcel Valdez Orozco – 2013-08-25T21:26:26.003

Try Nirsoft WirelessNetView - it's freeware. There's no option to do this without 2nd party software, just for available BSSID's - it can be done via netsh, powershell etc. If you want to do this in Windows - you must change Wireless Zero configuration.. and it's Windows built in.

Rrr

Posted 2012-10-09T16:34:54.853

Reputation: 1

The free utility (for home use) NetSetMan includes a utility called NSM Wifi Management, which lets you do just that... connect to WiFi AP by BSSID instead of ESSID.

Once installed, choose

Tools --> NSM Wifi Management

Then choose

Down Arrow next to Refresh --> In-Depth Refresh.

All APs will be listed, even those with the same ESSID, and you can choose the one you want. It doesn't show you the MAC/BSSID in the search results, but you can try them all one at a time and type

netsh wlan show interfaces

at the cmd prompt to check when you have the right one.

Mark Ch

Posted 2012-10-09T16:34:54.853

Reputation: 521

Solution for Intel adapters with PROSet software here.

Basically you have to choose your Wi-Fi network from list, select checkbox for using Intel parameters, select "Mandatory Access Point" and enter BSSID. (Unfortunately cannot tell exact names because my Windows localization not in english.)

radioxoma

Posted 2012-10-09T16:34:54.853

Reputation: 125