Mysterious WiFi entries

[Mark Phelps]

I've run into a situation that has me baffled!

My son bought a new WiFi router for their household and change the default login/passphrase.

So, I went over to his house and reconfigured all their PCs (which I had setup, initially) to use the new router -- all, except one Win7 Lenovo Desktop.

For the sake of discussion, let's call the two SSIDs "OLD" and "NEW" ...

So, I create a WiFi network entry for NEW, fill in the fields, and it errors out --claiming the passphrase is wrong! I went to the trouble to write it down, so I enter it again -- same problem. I have someone stand over and watch me as I try a third time -- same problem.

So, I reboot the PC to start again -- and notice that the OLD network entry is in the list of WiFis. I disconnect that, uncheck "connect automatically", and check the list of WiFi networks -- and it is not listed. So, I go through adding the NEW network again -- and it fails.

I reboot again, and this time:
1) the OLD network is back, and the automatically connect box is checked
2) the NEW network is there and it has the error that the settings are invalid for this network!

So, I hunt down the "netsh" commands and enter them, with the following results:
1) the command to remove the OLD profile errors out with profile not found
2) the command to list all profiles shows only the NEW profile, not the OLD one

But, if I click on the WiFi icon in the taskbar, it still shows the OLD network and automatically connect is STILL checked!

So ... I bring up regedit and delete ALL references to both the OLD and NEW networks, and reboot.

Same situation after reboot -- as above.

I thought, that since this was a Lenovo PC, it might be running the Lenovo software to manage networks, but a search of the Apps and of the Services shows no such stuff either installed or running.

So, WHERE is this WiFi network stuff HIDDEN such that both the Control Panel utilities and the command line can't find it!

 

[Gator]

Just because you didn't specifically mention this, did you try to forget the network when it shows back up as connected?

I would try uninstalling the wifi/network drivers and reinstall them

Also try running some virus/malware programs and see if this may be some type of virus on the laptop.

Do you see the profile listed here?
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles

 

[Mark Phelps]

Just because you didn't specifically mention this, did you try to forget the network when it shows back up as connected?

I would try uninstalling the wifi/network drivers and reinstall them

Also try running some virus/malware programs and see if this may be some type of virus on the laptop.

Do you see the profile listed here?
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles

I'm getting the PC this weekend to work on -- so I will check all these, thanks.