Windows 7 Automatically Connecting To Unsecured Wireless Networks On Startup

Question

Most of the questions on this topic related to folks connecting to somebody else's wireless network when their own was available and could remedy the situation by going to their connections and unchecking the "connect automatically" box. See this: " Avoid automatically connecting to wireless network on windows 7 " as an example.

In my situation, I've noticed that Win 7 will automatically connect to any unsecured wifi network - even if I have never connected to it in the past. If I am traveling and boot Win 7, it will start and connect to what appears to be the best signaled unsecured network without prompting me for confirmation (note: in the above link, "Naveen" seems to have same problem). Obviously, that is a security concern to me.

Further, when I open "Network and Sharing" and "Manage wireless networks" the network is not displayed (probably because I labelled it a public network). Again, these are new, never connected with before, wireless networks. I always promptly disconnect from them but don't want to have to be on constant guard for an auto connection to a malicious network.

This began about a month ago, as I recall, Win 7 did not behave like this in the past, I didn't monkey with wifi settings, and don't use a 3rd party connection manager. I did have to download some internet security certificates for army website access but I don't think that should mess with network settings.

Any ideas how I can tell Win7 cease automatically connecting to networks or, at least, to prompt me for a confirmation before connecting?

Answer 1

You can see a list of available wireless networks, and then connect to one of those networks, no matter where you are. The wireless networks appear only if your computer has a wireless network adapter and driver installed and the adapter is enabled.

If you want Windows to request permission prior to attempting to connect to a wireless access point, you may turn-off Wireless connection on the laptop.

You may have a switch on the laptop to turn-off the same. Turning off wireless is specific to laptop model.

You could follow the links below to configure your preferred networks.

How do I prevent my computer from switching between two preferred networks?

View your preferred wireless networks

How do I prevent my computer from switching between wireless access points?

OR

Auto Enable/Disable Wireless Network Connection In Windows 7, Vista, XP

Answer 2

This is a wild guess that's not based on facts.

1. Check when your wireless drivers were updated last, could be a change in drivers behaviour.
2. For some software that controls wireless networks it's possible to tell the wireless card to connect to any network by specifying special any or auto as network name. Could you've at some point used wlan that had some kind of special word or wildcard that your system did not escape properly leaving a match to all connection to your wireless AP list.

Answer 3

You can try the following:

1. open "Manage Wireless Networks"
2. go to "Adapter Properties"
3. click "Configure"
4. go to "Advanced" tab
5. change "Roaming Aggressiveness" to a lower setting

Here is what Intel says about the setting: "Wi-Fi roaming aggressiveness refers to the rate that your Wi-Fi client automatically selects and switches to another access point or router with better signal quality."