If you have linked your Windows device to the network and have forgotten your Wi-Fi password, the command prompt could save you some time. It is normal to forget passwords, and resetting the WiFi password is more trouble than needed. This is due to the fact that resetting the password involves reconnecting all other devices to the network with the new password. It’s difficult, especially if you have a lot of devices.
To bypass all of that, we can use the netsh command to find the wifi password. This is easy because Windows saves a record of all networks used on the Windows device. They do this to avoid having to re-enter the password every time we connect to the same network. In this article we will check out how to get wifi password using cmd.
What is CMD?
A command-line interpreter known as CMD, or Command Prompt, can be found in many operating systems, including Windows. It has a user interface that is based on text and lets people send commands to the operating system. Using CMD, users can perform a variety of tasks, such as running programs, managing files, changing system settings, and resolving issues.
In a general sense, CMD is a shell that lets customers enter orders and get the best results. It is based on the MS-DOS order brief, which served as the primary UI for the early cycles of Windows (Microsoft Plate Working Framework). CMD continues to support a large number of MS-DOS commands and features, but it has also added more features over time.
In Windows, users can open CMD by going to the Start menu, searching for “Command Prompt,” and then opening the program. Alternatively, they can open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows + R, entering “cmd,” and then pressing Enter. A black window with a blinking cursor appears when CMD is launched, signaling that the user can begin entering commands. Now that we understand what CMD is, let’s learn how to get wifi password using cmd.
How to Get a WI-FI Password Using CMD?
Step 1: Open the command line
Simply type “Command Prompt” into the window’s search box in the bottom left corner to find the command line on your computer. Next, select Run as administrator to open the CMD.
Step 2: Using the command line to enter commands
The next step of how to get wifi password using cmd is to use the command line to enter commands. A flashing white box right next to the ‘>’ symbol on the command line serves as an indication that there is enough space for you to type. You should type this into this field:
> netsh wlan show profile
Upon entering the command, these lines of text will appear. Here you’ll see the WiFi connections listed (“o2-WLAN02″ is the network used for this instance). You will notice many names here if the computer has been linked to more than one network.
Finding the computer files that hold the WiFi passwords is the next step. Enter this in the command line:
> netsh wlan export profile folder=c:\ key=clear
This command commands the computer to save all files pertaining to passwords to the computer’s C disk. When the command is entered, the following line of text appears:
This demonstrates that the files were saved successfully. You will see many files mentioned here if you have multiple networks. This file’s path is “c:WiFi-o2-WLAN02.xml” for the purposes of this example.
Step 3: Finding the Passwords
Finding the files you just made and the WiFi password key is the last step in how to get wifi password using cmd. It’s really easy to do this; just open up your computer’s files and navigate to the c drive. Here you can view the most recent saved files. You will see many files here if you save multiple networks. Next, open the file (it doesn’t really matter what application you use).
Here, the text you should be looking for is “KeyMaterial.” You can find the network file password on this line of code for the network file you just opened.
Congratulations, you have successfully learned how to get wifi password using cmd!
How to Secure Your Wi-Fi password?
Create a Strong Password
You should also learn about securing your wi-fi password while learning how to get wifi password using cmd. Try not to use well known passwords like “secret word” or “123456” as they are easy to figure out. Use a combination of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters to complicate your password. Make sure your password has at least 12 characters to make it stronger.
Enable WPA2/WPA3 Encryption
Ensure your Wi-Fi network is scrambled with either the WPA2 (Wi-Fi Safeguarded Admittance 2) or WPA3 (Wi-Fi Safeguarded Admittance 3) conventions. These encryption technologies offer superior security to the dated WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) protocol. WPA2 and WPA3 encryption prevents unauthorized users from decoding or intercepting data transmitted across your network.
Using Firewalls
When your device is being kept away from the Internet, a firewall serves as a barrier. Ports are tiny sockets that can connect to a device. At this point, the firewall blocks certain ports and protects your device from hackers. Antivirus software is one more form of security software you can use. Hardware firewalls are important for people to secure their password.Â
Hide your network from view
Make sure the network remains hidden whenever you configure a connection using a password. By hiding your network, you can prevent outsiders from connecting to it. To hide your SSID, open settings, choose basic wireless settings from the options, disable SSID Broadcast, and then select the save settings option.
Keep Firmware Updated
Maintaining security requires routine firmware updates for your network. Updates to firmware frequently include security updates and bug fixes that resolve vulnerabilities found in earlier versions. To make sure your network is safe, regularly check for firmware updates from the router’s manufacturer and download them right away.
