Networking•Security•Tips and Tricks•Windows 7•Wireless Networking

How to get around Windows 7 asking for a user name and password when connecting to a wireless network

July 23, 2010 by Ian Brown 21 Comments

Do you have a Windows 7 PC that asks for a user name and password when you try to connect to your wireless network? I was having the same issue with a friend’s Windows 7 laptop. I did some searching and finally found the answer.

The main problem is that Windows 7 does not really support WEP encryption. It prefers WPA. So if you want a quick fix, and you have access to the router’s settings, then just change the encryption type for the wireless network to WPA.

However, if you really want to stick with WEP, here is the workaround:

  1. Click on START (the multi-colored ball in the bottom left corner of your screen
  2. Click on CONTROL PANEL on the right
  3. Click on NETWORK AND INTERNET
  4. Click on NETWORK AND SHARING CENTER
  5. Under CHANGE YOUR NETWORK SETTINGS, click on SET UP A NEW CONNECTION OR NETWORK
  6. Select MANUALLY CONNECT TO A WIRELESS NETWORK and click the NEXT button below
  7. Type in the name of your network in NETWORK NAME exactly as it was entered into the router
  8. Set the SECURITY TYPE to WEP
  9. ENCRYPTION TYPE should automatically change to WEP and should be grayed out so you can’t change it
  10. Type your network password/key into the SECURITY KEY field
  11. Check the box next to START THIS CONNECTION AUTOMATICALLY, if you want it to and if it is not yet checked
  12. Check the box next to CONNECT EVEN IF THE NETWORK IS NOT BROADCASTING if you have the SSID Broadcasting feature disabled on your router (meaning you set it so that your network name won’t show up when someone searches for the available wireless networks in the area)
  13. Click NEXT
  14. Click CLOSE
  15. Then, if you are not already connected and you are broadcasting your SSID, click on the bars in the bottom right corner of your screen where the time is where you normally connect to a wireless network, and select your network
  16. Click CONNECT
  17. You should be good to go!


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Written by Ian Brown
Ian has been involved with computers since very young. He took his first computer class when he was just 8 years old. He always had an affinity for computers, but never really took it seriously. It was not until he graduated from college and experienced the real world for a while did he realize that computers may be where his talent and passion lie. He has since branched out into Internet marketing and LOVES it. He currently resides in Los Angeles where he services clients ranging from residential to small business to celebrities.