In WinXP Home, I could examine the details of my BT Broadband internet connection (single user with USB connection) as follows:

Control Panel > Internet Options > Connections tab

Select a connection from the list. Click "Settings"



I then typed all the settings in a text file. So if I lost a connection, I could manually enter all the settings without needing to insert the BT installation CD.

I changed to Vista at the same time that I changed to Orange Broadband (4-user wireless). The connection was set up by CD from one laptop. The other laptop just connected itself by magic, using a LAN cable.

Can anyone tell me how to find the settings?
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Start---Network---Network and Sharing Center--Manage Wireless networks is on the right

Is this what you're looking for?

SuperXero

Originally Posted by SuperXero

Start---Network---Network and Sharing Center--Manage Wireless networks is on the right

Thanks for your response

I followed your directions. The list of networks has a single entry - for Orange.

I right-click to get Properties. The "Connection" tab only has check marks, so I can record these.

The "Security" tab has three fields. Two of these are in clear text, so I can record them.

The "Network security key" is encrypted.

Question 1: How do I find the value of the network security key?

Question 2: Where can I see the user name and password (probably encrypted) that I typed in during the CD installation process?

Thanks.
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The network security key can be found with a program called wireless key view from Nirsoft. You can Google it.

As far as the admin login for the router, I don't think you can get that without resting the router to factory defaults using the reset key.

SuperXero
HackingManual.Net

Originally Posted by SuperXero

The network security key can be found with a program called wireless key view from Nirsoft. You can Google it.

As far as the admin login for the router, I don't think you can get that without resting the router to factory defaults using the reset key.

Thanks for the response

I must apologize if my post gives the impression that I'm trying to hack something

My Orange internet connection was set up from the CD, using Orange's choice for "username" and my choice for "password". Both of these are in a letter, and I know what they are.

I just want to see where all the other settings are, so that I can write down the values for other text fields, check boxes, radio buttons, drop-down menus, etc, etc.

Reason: If my settings become deleted or corrupted, I want to be able to set up the connection using the values that I write down. Then I would feel like a geek, rather than using a CD from some crooks such as Orange

Question 1: Was the Network Security Key entered by the CD. Or is it a fixed value for my specific hardware? .

Question 2: As you recommended, I used WirelessKeyView to display my Network Security Key. Thanks for the tip.

WirelessKeyView displayted a "hex" value, which is a 26-digit value that contains digits 0 through 9. The "ASCII" value is a 12-digit value that contains hex digits 0 through F. If I use the Windows calculator, the 12-digit value does not convert to the 26-digit value, using Decimal, Octal, or Binary. If I ever need to re-enter this value, do I enter the hex or the ASCII value?
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I found this in the software section of this forum. It's Free, Although I haven't tried it.

Wireless Migrator - Wireless Migrator - HomeHandy small program, that knows to backup and restore all wireless networks setting from your computer. For some reason, there is no way to do it by using regular Windows Vista tools.
This feature is extremely useful, when you have to reinstall your computer or use the same settings of wireless networks for different machines.

I have found that the best way to gather the proper wireless connection configurations is the go directly to the web based page of the router. From the web based page you can make any configuration changes you want. You can get the web based IP address by typing "ipconfig /all" (without quotes, and a space beteen the g and /), in your command prompt.