# Location of Network Key



## Ekental (Jul 9, 2005)

I've forgotten my network key and I am trying to set up another computer on the network. 
I do not want to reset my router or the key as i'd have to redo the settings for other computers as well. 
I have admin access to all the other computers, however, so is there a way that I could legally obtain the network key from one of these computers?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

When I logon to my (Belkin) router I can see, under Wireless - Security, the type of encryption and the key that I used.

On the other computers use whatever utility you use to manage the wireless adaptor to see if it will show you the key it has stored. Not sure, but I think some utilities will show it, and others will only show asterisks.


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## Ekental (Jul 9, 2005)

Mine shows asteriks only, so is there a way to find the key on the computers themselves?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I'm a little senile, but I did remember that I sometimes do not remember things, so on each of my three computers there is a little .txt file on the desktop that contains keys to my networks. However, this is not a standard feature of Windows.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

There are some pretty good free utilities for viewing passwords that only show as an asterisk.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/index.html#password_utils

Maybe one will work for you.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

AFAIK, there is no way to obtain the key. It's a simple process to just assign a new key and then configure the other machines for the new key. Write it down this time.


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## Bob Cerelli (Nov 3, 2002)

I have three wireless computers in my network. The key shows as an asterisk, which is should. However, using AsterWin from the link previously provided showed the key just fine. These were all on XP computers with a few different types of wireless cards. Use that program a lot when I need to find things out like customer's e-mail passwords etc.

It may not work but is certainly possible and worth a try. They also have a version that will let you see the asterisked passwords in IE as well. IN addition to working, the nice part is that they don't need to be installed. Simple small running programs.


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