Windows 7: Connect to Android device using WPA2 PSK

Question

I've enabled Settings -> More networks -> Tethering and portable hotspot -> Portable - Wi-Fi hotspot, and when I click on the left-hand-side of such entry (after enabling its left-hand-side green toggle button), and click Configure, I can set the Security option to either Open or WPS2 PSK (the latter being the default).

But with the WPS2 PSK enabled Windows 7 tries to connect, but fails because it just won't ask me the password and try to connect as though the only connection configuration setting it knows for this type of connection is the Open option (which works if enabled on Android).

Is it possible to get WPS2 PSK to be supported on Windows 7?

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NOTE: I can probably obtain a reasonable degree of security by setting the connection security to Open and allowing only allowed devices to connect, but then someone faking my MAC address, if they knew it, could still connect (the MAC address can be obtained by issuing the ipconfig /all DOS command and grabbing the entry next to Physical Address. But such method has the following disadvantages:

• Information sent is visible over the network (any plaintext and other unencrypted data).
• I've entered the PC's mac address from ipconfig /all into my Android device's allowed devices list and configured the device to allow only allowed devices, but after this connecting from the PC was unsuccessful. Not sure what I've done wrong.

Solution

I believe the type of connection you're trying to use is WPA2 PSK, which is short for Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 with Pre-Shared Key.

In Windows 7, go to Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Manage Wireless Network -> Add -> Manually create a network profile

In here, enter your access point's name (SSID, whatever you have setup on your phone). Choose WPA2-Personal as the security type, and choose AES as the encryption type. Type in your password in the Security key box, and you may choose to check Start this connection automatically or Connect even if the network is not broadcasting if you like.

Hit next, and your computer should now automatically be tethered to your phone.

Comments

[YetAnotherRandomUser]

Are you sure that all the hardware devices can do WPA2? I have a device that's pretty old that doesn't do WPA2, it can only do WPA. You don't list your hardware, so we can't check its specs.