wireless network question

i have set up my home wireless router with a WPA-PSK password, and it works just fine. but my laptop only prompted me for the password the first time i connected. if i disconnect and reconnect, even if i turn off the computer in between, it still remembers the password. WTF, and how do i make it not do that?

my kids use my computer when i'm not home, and i don't want them to be able to get onto the interweb when i'm not here.

thx.

So you don't want it to remember the password? Are you running windows and what version?

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: So you don't want it to remember the password? Are you running windows and what version?

that's right, i don't want it to remember the password. windows 7.

dig around in the network settings part of the control panel...

AngryCorvair wrote:

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: So you don't want it to remember the password? Are you running windows and what version?

that's right, i don't want it to remember the password. windows 7.

Ok, so go down to the lower right hand corner, right click your wireless "bars", and go to "Open Network and Sharing Center".

Once that window opens, over on the left hand bar it should say "Manage Wireless Networks" and click on that.

Once that opens, you should see all the wireless networks you have ever logged on to. Find the current network you are on, right click the network, and click properties .

Once that opens you should see "Connect Automatically When Network Is In Range" already check marked, go a head and uncheck that.

Now it should require you log into the network every time you want to use the internet.

^That will require you to manually select the network each time but it will still remember the password. You'll have to delete the network if you want it not to remember the password.

I think the only way to make this work is to set up the administrator user account, with a password, and have that be yours. All others be guest. Give the guest users access to the programs, but keep the controls locked in the administrator account.

You'll still have to manually log in and out of the network, but others will not be able to log the computer into the network.

Be assured, your kids are better at this than you are, and will find interesting work arounds that you aren't aware of.

Another thing that might help. Depending on what Router you have you should be able to set up time restrictions when the laptop is allowed to connect to the router/internet. If that is something you want to set up post what kind of router you have and we may be able to figure out where to go from there.

fox, you are right on all counts.

Rusted, i did see the time restrictions in the router setup but it requires MAC addresses for all the computers and I was not interested in trying to find them at 11pm.

i will look at other router settings to see what i can find.

You should be able to only restrict the laptop if that is the end goal, the MAC is easy to find.

Clever kids will learn to spoof the MAC address.

Don't let them use the laptop? Take it with you? Or ?

Do they have smart phones, by any chance?

A buddy of mine's parents used to take the router whenever they left the house. He ordered a new one on Amazon for like $20, and just plugged it in when they left....

As well even things like an old Nintendo DS. My wife caught our son on that one surfing the web about a year ago.

Something I'm trying (and it's not easy) is not setting up blocks for him to get around; but letting him go, and trying to silently watch over his shoulder, as it were. He tends to forget that I can actually track him...somewhat. From his texts to his web sites.

Got to be careful about over tipping my hand. Has caused me to carefully choriograph some car rides and conversations. Works well with boys, sitting side by side not looking at each other, staring through a windshield.

flash your router to DD-WRT and set time limits on associated workstations.

Grtechguy wrote: flash your router to DD-WRT and set time limits on associated workstations.

DD-WRT will allow much more control and tends to be more reliable than the factory Firmware. Good call.

Just be aware that kids can possibly figure a way around that eventually, but it should slow things down for a bit.

Yeah MAC address spoofing could get around the time limits as well.

There's also OpenWRT, it's not as quick to set up but has a lot more features than DD-WRT and package management is far better if you want to add more features.

Grtechguy wrote: flash your router to DD-WRT and set time limits on associated workstations.

english, motherberkeleyer. do you speak it?

srsly, i have no idea what you just said.

For the most part anything suggested here so far is only a speed bump not a road block for a kid that puts in the time but you have to start someplace.

AngryCorvair wrote:

Grtechguy wrote: flash your router to DD-WRT and set time limits on associated workstations.

english, motherberkeleyer. do you speak it? srsly, i have no idea what you just said.

http://dd-wrt.com/site/index

Its alternative software for your router, that improves it capabilities and makes it potentially more secure.

basically it turns common $50 wifi routers into high functioning internet access & control devices. including and not limited to Access control, Internet Filtering, etc

In reply to turboswede and Grtechguy:

is it foolproof? cuz i'm a dang fool.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/43782/how-to-enable-user-specific-wireless-networks-in-windows-7/

Make yourself an administrator of the computer and give the kids limited accounts. Use the above to make your wireless networks a per user setting.

It's pretty self explanatory once you get into it.