How to disable ad-hoc wireless connections?

Question

I have Intel 5100 AGN on my laptop. I want to make sure it wont make ad-hoc wireless connection ever.

Couldnt find anything suitable in Advanced adapter settings (was looking for something like Infrastructure Only)..

The OS is Windows 7 x64

Solution 1

Here is how to disable ad hoc networks on Vista, It should work on W7 as well

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/kbase/WindowsTips/WindowsVista/AdminTips/Security/HowtoDisableAdHocWirelessConnectionsonVista.html

Windows Vista won’t automatically create ad hoc wireless connections with other computers, but for greater security you may want to disable ad-hoc wireless connections entirely. You can do this by running the following Netsh command at an elevated command prompt:

netsh wlan add filter permission=denyall networktype=adhoc

To re-enable ad hoc wireless connections, run this command:

netsh wlan del filter permission=denyall networktype=adhoc

Solution 2

If you go to Network and Sharing Center then select from the left hand "Manage Wireless Networks", you should see every wireless network your computer is set to automatically connect to.

If there are no Ad-Hoc Networks listed, your machine will not connect to one automatically.

As long as you do not create or join an Ad-Hoc network, your machine will never automatically connect to one (Unless someone Spoofs one with the same name as a network you use etc, but that is always the risk of using wireless - and it is highly unlikely).

There is a more complicated way of actually disabling it - If you have access to group policy editor and the Wireless templates, you can set it to only connect to "Access point (infrastructure) network only." If you want a full guide for this, let me know and I will write one.

Comments

[Moab]

Your wireless connection manger should tell you if it is a connection to a router or another (ad hock) PC. So it is really up to you what wireless connection you choose to connect to. I don't know of a way to disable all ad hock connections on Windows 7, maybe someone else knows, great question.

[William Hilsum]

... Sorry about the above, not trying to be lazy but I do not have access to a machine with group policy editor at the moment so I wouldn't be able to make a good accurate guide or screenshots. If you need it, I will make one when I have access to another machine.

[Boppity Bop]

thats ok. i used netsh as per moab post

[William Hilsum]

No problem - Looks like a better answer! I learn something new as well!