Help - Unattended wifi settings

[mallen]

I might be missing something really obvious here, but how can I go about adding a wireless network and configuring the WEP keys in an unattended manner? I need to be able to do this in an unattended installation of Windows XP Pro SP2, Server 2003 SP1, and XP Embedded SP2.

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks!

[druiddk]

Have you tried running regshot before and after setting it up? Im pretty sure its saved in registry!

[mallen]

I've tried looking in the registry and it is only stored there if you use wireless software for particular cards. Using windows wireless zero configuration doesn't seem to put anything in the registry. I did a bit of digging and found this article:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default....ardsettings.asp

I believe the best way to add the settings is to create a custom app that uses the WPS (wireless provisioning service) to add the settings from an xml file. I think you can create the xml file using the wizard that saves settings to a usb key, then pinch it off there. All of this is only available in XPSP2 or W2KSP1.

[druiddk]

I will try to play abit with InstallRite today if i have time.

[dougiefresh]

How can I go about adding a wireless network and configuring the WEP keys in an unattended manner?

Try using AutoIt for this solution. I use it to craft unattended solutions to software that won't install unattendedly, or won't install like I want it to unattendedly. AutoIt might work for this particular problem, but I don't have a wireless card in my hardware collection so I would not be able to craft a script for you.

Edited December 28, 2005 by dougiefresh

[Djé]

Hi,

I was in the same need and couldn't find any proper answer so I'm presently trying to craft something using AutoIt to unattendedly hook to my home WLAN providing a WEP key.

First tries succeeded at run time but failed to do so during unattended installation.

I will post news here when it will work.

Edited January 19, 2006 by Djé

[Djé]

Here it is.

WPS (wireless provisioning service) API is not well documented.The WPS DDK (which i found) comes with some sample source code but it require Windows DDK (which I haven't) to compile.

So I wrote autoWEP, an AutoIt script that automate the filling of the "Wireless Network Setup Wizard" with your SSID and WEP/WPA key.

I ran it successfully many times from RunOnceEx, on 2 laptops with different wireless cards.

I don't know if it works earlier in the install process.

Interestingly, you DON'T even need a wireless adapter to run this, only XP sp2 as it uses the Wireless Zero Configuration. Plug-in your nic later and ... the SSID of your network will be selected automagically!

The .rar archive contains

- the .au3 script to be compile to a .exe prog with AutoIt,

- a .ini configuation file to hold your values and to be used with the exe

(please RTFM at the beginning of this file),

- an icon ResHacked from xpsp2 to (optionaly) compile the script with.

Please note that you should first fill the configuration file. Don't forget to check the 'wizard window title' in your OS language.

Currently, only the French title is validated.

If you post the title in your language here, I will update the file.

AutoWEP0.2.rar

Edited March 30, 2006 by Djé

[Djé]

Thanks to BoarBabe who stung my curiosity, here is an even simpler version of autoWEP:

It does not even requires you to set the 'wizard window title': it finds it on its own, like a big boy !

It should now be completely Language Independant, at least for western languages.

Just feed it with your SSID and WEP/WPA (in a file or on the command line), et voilà!

This version (AutoWEP0.3) doesn't requires anything else but a recent beta version of AutoIt to be compiled/run with.

And more than ever, it works with Windows XP sp2 and above, but NO NEED for a wireless adapter!

Addendum to The F*cking Manual: For specifying WPA encription within the .ini file, you must have a 'UseWPA = yes' or 'UseWPA = WPA' directive in the [Wlan] section of the .ini file (This was not well documented in TFM at the top of the .ini file, shame on me):

autowep.ini

[AutoWEP]
version  = 0.0.3b0
[Wlan]
WlanSSID = OhFcukIForgotToInsertMyOwnValues
Wlankey  = WHATALAMERIAMICANTFIGURETHISOUT
UseWPA = yes

If you use a WEP key, just forget about this directive.

AutoWEP0.3.zip

Edited July 8, 2006 by Djé

[druiddk]

Very nice Djé!

[RyanVM]

Pardon my ignorance, but does the WPA parameter also cover WPA2-PSK?

[Foose]

Having a weird error with the script and I am unsure why it is happening. Tried it command line and in the INI but it tells me my wep key is invalid length. Here is my ini (slightly altered)

[AutoWEP]

version = 0.0.3b0

[Wlan]

WlanSSID = myssid

Wlankey = 736475940a7b9df73849e72a55

the ssid is made up, but i left my key. As you can see it is 26 characters long. This is unaltered (other than the ssid name) as it appears in the ini. Am i missing quotes or something else?

[The Glimmerman]

@RyanVM

Yes it does. I use it

[Foose]

Having a weird error with the script and I am unsure why it is happening. Tried it command line and in the INI but it tells me my wep key is invalid length. Here is my ini (slightly altered)

[AutoWEP]version = 0.0.3b0

[Wlan]

WlanSSID = myssid

Wlankey = 736475940a7b9df73849e72a55

the ssid is made up, but i left my key. As you can see it is 26 characters long. This is unaltered (other than the ssid name) as it appears in the ini. Am i missing quotes or something else?

Ok, to add to the troubleshooting. On a machine that has never had wireless profile set up on it, it always fails at the wep length. On a machine that has had at least 1 profile created on it it goes passed the WEP section and the next screen (to save to a USB drive) and asks for a USB key to save data to(like it is missing the click to bypass the USB). If you follow through slightly, it finishes itself on the final screen to close out.

Again, seems just like a click number issue or something. I am running normal XP SP2, US English. Any ideas?

EDIT: Ok, i messed and fussed and messed for days on this. Finally broke down and downloaded the beta version of autoit and it works flawlessly. Sigh. Maybe I missed you saying you build this with beta.

Edited July 7, 2006 by Foose

[bober]

thanks Djé,

works perfectly

[Djé]

EDIT: Ok, i messed and fussed and messed for days on this. Finally broke down and downloaded the beta version of autoit and it works flawlessly. Sigh. Maybe I missed you saying you build this with beta.

@Foose:

I'm Sorry that I could not help you before but glad that you eventually found the root of the problem.

I'll try to make it more clear about the beta version of AutoIt.

Also, I've just found that the 'UseWPA' parameter in the .ini file is not documented enough, so I'll update this as well.

@The Glimmerman: Can you give us more infos because Ryan replied in another thread that he did not manage to achieve this?