Windows won't remember wifi passwords

For some reason, on my desktop, I have to input the wifi password to a network every single time I want to connect. If my connection drops, I have to resubmit the password. This is on a network with a WEP passcode (I'm not the one who manages the network in my house so don't ask why we haven't switched to WPA2.). On my laptop, it works as it should. What could cause Windows 7 x64 to behave this way?

Go into Internet Options and look under Browsing History and make sure that "Delete browsing history on exit" is unchecked.

No, I'm not talking about passwords within the browser. I'm talking about the key you must put in to gain access to an encrypted wireless network. On my desktop, it never seems to store these passwords and asks me every single time to put it in. It never does this on my laptop.

In that case, as it is only your Window 7 setup that does this I think you should ask your "network controller" (your Dad?) to go into the router settings and change them from WEP to WPA2.

This will mean, of course, that all the computer wifi settings on the network would need to be updated too.

It happened exactly the same for me too. Except I AM running WPA2 security!

The WLAN password is encrypted and stored in an XML file in c:\Program Data\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Profiles\Interfaces\..GUID\.
However, the xml file was being deleted so the settings not kept. I made the file RO after logging in and connecting and now all is fixed.
Goodness knows why this is happening though.
(You need admin rights to be able to change the file attributes).

Aweome! Unfortunately, my wifi antenna just died a few days ago and I have a new one in the mail. Will try it out when it arrives...

Sorry for digging up an old post, but i just want to say to robbieg: I F***NG LOVE YOU MAN!!! This has been killing me for ages! YOU ROCK MY SOX!

I never do this, but I only registered so I could send my appreciation to you. You have just cured a long term headache for me!

this worked for me. I've been trying to figure this out for months why it would not remember the wifi password. thanks!

robbieg said:

It happened exactly the same for me too. Except I AM running WPA2 security!

The WLAN password is encrypted and stored in an XML file in c:\Program Data\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Profiles\Interfaces\..GUID\.
However, the xml file was being deleted so the settings not kept. I made the file RO after logging in and connecting and now all is fixed.
Goodness knows why this is happening though.
(You need admin rights to be able to change the file attributes).

robbieg said:

It happened exactly the same for me too. Except I AM running WPA2 security!

The WLAN password is encrypted and stored in an XML file in c:\Program Data\Microsoft\Wlansvc\Profiles\Interfaces\..GUID\.
However, the xml file was being deleted so the settings not kept. I made the file RO after logging in and connecting and now all is fixed.
Goodness knows why this is happening though.
(You need admin rights to be able to change the file attributes).

I made an account just so I can reply to this thread because this really helped me.

Though instead of changing the file extension (which wasn't so helpful because apparently my problem was there was a conflict between the settings of my profiles), I opted to DELETE all of the profiles under Interfaces. LOL Yeah, it will forget all of the other remembered passwords but at least I only have to input them once; compared to before when I had to re-type the password every time I turn on my laptop.

Kudos to robbieg and sevenforums!