Wireless via MSI/Registry?

[kmount]

Morning,

 

I was hoping to be able to deploy our wireless settings via an MSI package, or some form of startup script reghack or so.

 

Basically, we've just bought 30 laptops and I'm loathed to manually go round and do it if its something we could deploy.

 

Any advice would be welcomed.

 

Thanks.

 

Kim.

[SYNACK]

There is a way to deploy wireless settings to XP SP2(win 2k3 sp1) via group policy under computer settings. It only works with enterprise type authentication though so you will need to be running RADIUS on one of your servers to push out domain authentication to the wireless access points.

 

I don't know of any way to deploy a set private shared WPA or WEP key in this way.

Edited April 14, 2008 by SYNACK

[Michael]

Yes you can do this with Windows Server 2003, however I've never managed to get it working properly!

 

To be honest, the time I wasted trying to get it working, 30 laptops is nothing. I had 80 to do at one site!

[kmount]

Morning guys,

 

Thanks for your responses.

 

We found a way of just using a standard GPO to achieve this effect.

 

Works like an absolute treat!

[tomscaper]

Sorry to bring this back up after so much time, we have over 100 laptops now and are getting many more, up to now i am logging on each and setting the wireless up, which is time consuming, as i cant see us getting anything soon is there a way set the wireless on these machines automatically.

 

I had a look at that site above but I cannot see a way to deploy the key.

 

Do anyone know of a way to do this.

[dtakias]

Same here, never managed to get that working properly via GPO.

 

On the other hand, you can use Wireless Network Setup Wizard and make a USB stick with your new wireless settings

Then plug that inside every laptop and double click the setupSNK.exe file inside it, or wait for the autorun process since the wizard creates an autorun.inf inside the USB. Copy the contents to a few USB sticks and you'll finish in no time...

[sted]

Same here, never managed to get that working properly via GPO.

 

On the other hand, you can use Wireless Network Setup Wizard and make a USB stick with your new wireless settings

Then plug that inside every laptop and double click the setupSNK.exe file inside it, or wait for the autorun process since the wizard creates an autorun.inf inside the USB. Copy the contents to a few USB sticks and you'll finish in no time...

 

could you copy that to a network location and run it via a startup script?

[rocknrollstar]

From Working with Wireless GPO Settings from XP SP2:

So, in order to get the Wireless GPO settings on a Windows XP Pro workstation you need to perform the following steps:

1. Copy the following files from the %systemroot%\system32 folder on an Windows Server 2003 server to the %systemroot%\system32 folder on your Windows XP workstation:
   

• wlsnp.dll
  
• wlstore.dll
  
• ws03res.dll
  

Lamer note: %systemroot%\system32 means the system32 folder found in your Windows folder, in your system partition, typically C:.

1. Next, register wlsnp.dll, which is the actual MMC extension snap-in by running the following from a command line or from the Run menu:
   

regsvr32 wlsnp.dllDone.

 

Anyone know if this will work with a Win2k server? I.E. if I get these files from a 2003 server, and copy them into a winxp pro machine, and follow the instructions, will it still work? I can access GPO editor and AD from my XP Pro machines, and it works fine. Assuming that it will be legal to copy these files from Server 2003 and put them on xp pro machine (which it probably isn't....).

[dtakias]

could you copy that to a network location and run it via a startup script?

 

Actually that might work but haven't tried it yet to be honest. Have a go if you like and let us know.

If you copy the files to a folder and try to run the executable it doesn't seem to do anything. Maybe for some reason it needs to be a removable drive.

[PiqueABoo]

Hmm.. if you want something that will add a wireless connection (complete with key) quickly then consider WZC Auto Provision from https://labs.arubanetworks.com

 

[Can be used with some s/w deployment systems *if* you're happy to have a key flying about]

[Newton]

Have a look at http://www.edugeek.net/forums/scripts/34952-script-joining-wireless-networks.html works brillently.

[tomscaper]

Thanks i am going to try that now although wish i had noticed that thread before i had set up 70 laptops lol