This won't work on someone else's Wi-Fi network: You need physical access to the router for this. Type the following, replacing the Xs with the network name. In macOS, open up the Spotlight search (Cmd+Space) and type Terminal to get the Mac equivalent of a command prompt. (If you don't like the command line, third-party password recovering software such as Cain & Abel (Opens in a new window) or WirelessKeyView (Opens in a new window) do the same thing.) The word displayed is the Wi-Fi password or key you are missing.

In the new data that comes up, look under Security Settings for the line Key Content. At the prompt below, type the following, but replace the Xs with the network name you copied you need the quotation marks only if the network name has spaces in it, as in 'Cup o Joe Cafe.' netsh wlan show profile name='XXXXXXXX' key=clear Pick the network you want the password for, highlight it, and copy it. The results bring up a section called User Profiles-those are all the Wi-Fi networks (aka WLANs or wireless local area networks) you've accessed and saved. Some require such extreme patience that the café idea is going to start looking pretty good. Or download an app for your phone such as WiFi Map (Opens in a new window), and you'll have a list of millions of hotspots with free Wi-Fi for the taking (including some passwords for locked Wi-Fi connections, if they're shared by the app's users).īut yes, there are other ways to get wireless connectivity. You could just go to a café, buy a latte, and use the 'free' Wi-Fi there. Without a password or passphrase, you're not going to get access to that network or the sweet, sweet internet that goes with it. The problem is, if there's a lock next to the network name (the SSID, or service set identifier), that indicates security is activated. Or you live close to one or more strong connections that taunt you whenever you boot up your laptop or look at the phone. But maybe you forgot the password, or you don't have neighbors willing to share their Wi-Fi goodness.

How to Set Up Two-Factor AuthenticationĬhances are you have a Wi-Fi network at home.

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