Need help: Windows 7 won't remember wireless network settings

[HoneyBadger]

My windows 7 desktop REFUSES to remember my wireless settings. Every time it wakes up from hibernate or restarts, I must re-enter the wireless key. Furthermore, if I open the network and sharing center and click "manage wireless networks", it shows an old network that I don't want to connect to any more, even though I have previously right-clicked on this network and removed it many times. The network I want is configured to automatically connect at startup and also to connect even if not broadcasting it's SSID. I'm lost. It's a pain because the Security Key is 16 random digits long. I should also note that I resolved this problem for a few months and then after a recent forced windows update, it resurfaced. [Mad]

Help!

Edited to add (because I know someone will try to be a smart-ass): Google has not been helpful. None of the links on this page fixed the problem: https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome-psyapi2&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8&q=windows%207%20won%27t%20remember%20wireless%20ke y&oq=Windows%207%20won%27t%20remember&aqs=chrome.3.0j69i57j0l4.7183j0j7

[USMC88-93]

I presume you have right clicked your wireless icon then "open network and sharing center" then "manage wireless networks" then clicked on the memorized network in the list and then clicked remove?

[HoneyBadger]

I presume you have right clicked your wireless icon then "open network and sharing center" then "manage wireless networks" then clicked on the memorized network in the list and then clicked remove?
Many times. It keeps showing back up. [Dunno]

[20X11]

VIRUS!!!!

[sellersm]

Try this thread: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2297885

[sellersm]

Here's another potential solution that I've seen before:

Open your Network Sharing Center
Click on Manage Connections
Right click on the wireless connection you want to always be connect to
Click Properties
Click the Configure button you see on the first page

Click the last tab “Power Management” and make sure that both boxes are NOT checked. The first box was checked on mine (Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power). Therefore the connection would not save once the computer went to sleep because the computer was automatically disconnecting the wireless every time the computer would sleep). Since I disabled this I haven’t had any issues and my wireless internet stays connected all the time now.

[cstone]

If Microsoft was HQ'd in Georgia rather than Washington state, you would be using Winders and your computer would go to sleep in the middle of the day when it was real hot outside. I'm sure the default sounds with the OS would be better as well. [Coffee]

Since no one else has mentioned it yet:

Have you turned the machine off and then turned it back on again?

If that didn't fix it, switch to linux.

[HoneyBadger]

Thanks for the responses, fellas.


Here's another potential solution that I've seen before:

Open your Network Sharing Center
Click on Manage Connections
Right click on the wireless connection you want to always be connect to
Click Properties
Click the Configure button you see on the first page

Click the last tab “Power Management” and make sure that both boxes are NOT checked. The first box was checked on mine (Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power). Therefore the connection would not save once the computer went to sleep because the computer was automatically disconnecting the wireless every time the computer would sleep). Since I disabled this I haven’t had any issues and my wireless internet stays connected all the time now.
Tried this pretty early on. Boxes weren't checked.


If Microsoft was HQ'd in Georgia rather than Washington state, you would be using Winders and your computer would go to sleep in the middle of the day when it was real hot outside. I'm sure the default sounds with the OS would be better as well. [Coffee]

Since no one else has mentioned it yet:

Have you turned the machine off and then turned it back on again?

If that didn't fix it, switch to linux.
Did that first. I worked at a tech helpdesk for linux-based system for a while and this was my first thought. We would occasionally answer the phones with "Thank you for calling xxxxxxxxx support. Have you tried turning it off and on again?" [LOL]

As far as switching to linux goes, I've already done it on 2 other systems, but I want to keep this one windows for ease of compatibility with my families' photo servers. Or so they tell me.


Try this thread: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2297885
I had already done everything mentioned at this link, except re-install windows. I'm considering it. It's been about 4 years since I installed, and I like to start fresh every once in a while. [Dunno]

[sellersm]

What's managing your wireless settings/config? Windows or an aftermarket/vendor installed program?


The machine was installed (built by my IT support) with Intel PROSet/Wireless WiFi manager. I’d always ignored it, and just used Windows wifi management. Well … mistake. It turns out that if you have Intel PROSet running, you need to use it to start and stop all connections — otherwise, even if you’re exclusively using the Windows manager to start/stop, it won’t save your connection information. Switching to just using the Intel manager to start/stop solved my problem.

[sellersm]

Do you have McAfee's privacy protector?

[USMC88-93]

What's managing your wireless settings/config? Windows or an aftermarket/vendor installed program?

Yep that would be my next question. Do you have a third party program that is managing your wireless settings?

[HoneyBadger]

What's managing your wireless settings/config? Windows or an aftermarket/vendor installed program?
Windows


Do you have McAfee's privacy protector?
Negative. I hate McAfee.


Yep that would be my next question. Do you have a third party program that is managing your wireless settings?
See above.


Thanks again for your responses, gents.

[sellersm]

Have you tried reinstalling your wireless adapter? Have you checked your startup (via msconfig) to make sure there's not a program/application that's managing the wireless?

[HoneyBadger]

Have you tried reinstalling your wireless adapter? Have you checked your startup (via msconfig) to make sure there's not a program/application that's managing the wireless?
The wireless adapter is a$10 Edimax USB plugin. Never had to install anything for it. It worked fine with other wireless networks, but when i switched to this one, Windows is giving me all sorts of trouble. No other devices on the network are having trouble.

I did not check msconfig yet... I'll do that now

[sellersm]

This probably has been covered by you, but just in case:

Does your wireless publish its SSID? If not, be sure this checkbox is checked: "connect even if the network is not broadcasting its name (SSID)"

[HoneyBadger]

Well, this is interesting... It seems that the Edimax USB dongle does, in fact, manage the networks on its own... But it's not listed anywhere. I'll let you know what else I dig up.

[HoneyBadger]

Well, lookie here: http://www.systemlookup.com/Drivers/9212-RtlService_exe.html

That is the driver for the Edimax wireless dongle. And it is listed under services in msconfig.

[HoneyBadger]

I may have come to the root of the problem...

[HoneyBadger]

Now that I've managed to find and open the Edimax USB wireless utility, I managed the networks from there. We'll see if that works. If not, I may scrap it and try to just use the windows manager.

[sellersm]

Now that I've managed to find and open the Edimax USB wireless utility, I managed the networks from there. We'll see if that works. If not, I may scrap it and try to just use the windows manager.

Sounds good.

[HoneyBadger]

Not in the mood to restart the computer right now because I have 20+ tabs open and several other projects going now. I'll update this thread if the problem is or isn't fixed.