How to hack wi-fi network passwords

If you have a Wi-Fi network at home or live near one (or more), chances are you’ll see an intriguing pop-up on your list every time you turn on your laptop or look at your phone. I have.

The problem is that if there is a lock next to the network name (aka SSID, or Service Set Identifier), it indicates that security is enabled. Without a password or passphrase, you cannot access that network, or the sweet, sweet Internet that comes with it.

Perhaps you forgot your network password, or you don’t have a neighbor to share your Wi-Fi goodness with. Just go to a cafe, buy a latte and use his ‘free’ Wi-Fi there.(opens in new tab)Download a smartphone app such as WiFi Map(opens in new tab) (Available on iOS(opens in new tab) and android(opens in new tab)), you’ll see a list of millions of hotspots with free Wi-Fi (including passwords for locked Wi-Fi connections, if shared by app users).

Click here to read the original post on PC Mag. (opens in new tab)

However, there are other ways to switch back to wireless. Some require extreme patience for the cafe idea to work quite well. If you can’t wait, read on.

Windows command to get the key

This trick works to recover your Wi-Fi network password (AKA network security key) only if you forgot the password you used previously.

This works because Windows creates a profile for every Wi-Fi network you connect to. When you tell Windows to forget the network, it also forgets the password. In that case this won’t work. But very few people do it explicitly.

You need to enter Windows Command Prompt(opens in new tab) with admin privileges.Click the star menu and type “cmd” (without the quotes) to get the menu command prompt; Right-click on that entry and select run as administratorThis will open a black box full of text with a prompt. This is the line with the right arrow at the end, probably something like this: C:\WINDOWS\system32\>A blinking cursor indicates where you typed. Start with this:

show netsh wlan profile

In the results you will see a section called User profile—These are all Wi-Fi networks (also known as WLANs, or wireless local area networks) that you have accessed and saved.(opens in new tab). Select the one you want to get the password for, highlight it and copy it. At the prompt below, type: However, replace the X with the copied network name. Quotation marks are required only if the network name contains spaces, such as “Cup o Jo Cafe”.

netsh wlan show profile name=”XXXXXXXX” key=clear

With the new data displayed,[セキュリティ設定]Check the line below Main contentsThe words that appear are your lost Wi-Fi passwords or keys. (If you don’t like the command line, there are third party password recovery software like Cain & Abel.(opens in new tab) or WirelessKeyView (opens in new tab)help you do the same. )

On macOS, open the Spotlight search (Cmd + Space) and type “Terminal” to get the Mac equivalent of the Command Prompt. Enter the following, replacing X with your network name:

security find-generic-password -wa XXXXX

reset the router

This doesn’t work on someone else’s Wi-Fi in the apartment next door. This requires physical access to your router.But before running a full router(opens in new tab) Try resetting, connecting to your Wi-Fi, and logging in into the router(opens in new tab) beginning. If you forget your Wi-Fi password/key, you can easily reset it from there.

It’s not possible if you don’t know your router password. (Wi-Fi password and router password are no Unless you purposely assigned the same password to both). Resetting the router will only work if you have access via Wi-Fi (which I just confirmed you don’t have) or if you have physical access using an ethernet cable.

If you are using a router provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), check the sticker on the unit before resetting. Your ISP may have printed his SSID and network security key on the hardware.

This is the core option. Almost all routers in existence have a built-in reset button. Press with a pen or unfolded paperclip and hold for about 10 seconds to reset the router to factory settings.

Once the router is reset, another username and password combination will be required to access the router itself. Again, do this via a PC connected to your router via Ethernet. Resetting the router probably dropped all Wi-Fi connections at that moment. The actual access is usually done using a web browser, but many routers and even entire home mesh systems are used.(opens in new tab) Now you can control it with the app.

Some routers may have a sticker showing the default Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and network security key (password) so you can switch back to Wi-Fi after resetting.

The URL you type into your browser to access your router’s settings is typically 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, or variations thereof. Try it randomly. It generally works. To see which of your PCs are connected to your router via Ethernet, open a command prompt and type: ipconfigFrom inside the gobbledygook IPv4 address, starting at 192.168. The other two spaces, called octets, can be different numbers between 0 and 255. Note the third octet (probably 1 or 0). The fourth is specific to the PC you’re using to log into your router.

Type 192.168.x.1 into your browser and replace the X with the number you found in your ipconfig search. The 1 in the last octet should point to the router. This is the number one device on the network. (Read more about how to access your Wi-Fi router settings.(opens in new tab).)

At this point, your router should ask for its username and password (again, probably different from your Wi-Fi SSID and network security key). Assuming you didn’t throw it away, check the manual. Or visit RouterPasswords.com.(opens in new tab), exists to tell people the default username/password for every router ever created. Your router model number may be required, but not always.

It’s easy to spot a pattern of router manufacturers using a username of ‘admin’ and a password of ‘password’, so feel free to try that first. Most people are lazy and don’t change their assigned passwords, so you can try these options before hitting the reset button. Once in your Wi-Fi settings, turn on your wireless network and assign it a strong but easy-to-remember password.(opens in new tab)After all, you don’t want to share with your neighbors without their permission.

Make it easy to enter that Wi-Fi password on your mobile device. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to connect your smartphone to Wi-Fi, even if it’s the most secure password you’ve ever created.

decipher the code

However, you didn’t come here because the headline said “reset your router”. I would like to know how to crack the password on my Wi-Fi network.

Searching for “wi-fi password hack” or other variations will give you many links. Most of it is software on sites that are infused with adware, bots, and scams like snake oil. The same goes for the numerous YouTube videos that promise how to crack passwords by visiting certain websites on your mobile phone.

If you download these programs or visit their sites, you do so at your own risk.Mostly Phishing Scams(opens in new tab) at most. In that case, it’s better to have a PC that you can afford to mess around with a bit.I tried it and my antivirus thankfully completely removed multiple tools(opens in new tab) before running the EXE installation file.

Kali Linux

You can make your system just for this sort of thing, or you can dual boot it into another operating system that can do what’s called a “penetration test”. This is a form of offensive approach security that examines the network for all possible paths. of violation. Kali Linux(opens in new tab) It’s a Linux distribution built for exactly that purpose.you probably saw it used Mr. Robot(opens in new tab)Check out the video tutorial below.

You can run Kali Linux from a CD or USB key without installing it on your PC’s hard drive. It’s free and comes with all the tools you need to crack your network. There is also an app for Windows in the Windows App Store (opens in new window).(opens in new tab).

If you don’t want to install the entire OS, check out Wi-Fi Hacker’s Proven Tools.

air crack

Aircrack has been around for years, since the days when Wi-Fi security was solely based on WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). WEP was weak even then. Superseded by WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) in 2004.

air crack(opens in new tab) Labeled as “a suite of tools for assessing Wi-Fi network security,” it should be included in any network administrator’s toolkit. We undertake WEP and WPA-PSK key cracking. It comes with full documentation and is free, but not simple.

To crack a network, your computer needs the right kind of Wi-Fi adapter (one that supports packet injection). Familiarity with the command line and patience are required. Wi-Fi adapters and Aircrack need to collect a lot of data to get close to cracking the passkey on the target network. It may take some time.

Here’s how to do it with Aircrack installed on Kali Linux(opens in new tab) The other is about how to use Aircrack to secure your network.(opens in new tab)Another similar option on PC using the command line is Airgeddon.(opens in new tab).

Reaver-wps

The real trick is cracking much stronger WPA/WPA2 passwords and passphrases. Reaver-wps(opens in new tab) It’s one tool that seems to be able to do the task. You will again need the comfort of the command line to work with it. After 4-10 hours of brute force attack, Reaver should do it Can reveal passwords… but only works if the router you’re looking for has both a strong signal and WPS(opens in new tab) (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is turned on.

WPS is a feature that allows you to press a button on your router and another on your Wi-Fi device, discover each other in a fully encrypted connection, and magically link automatically. It’s the “hole” that the Reaver crawls through.

Turning off WPS may not turn it off completely, but if you’re worried about someone hacking your router via Reaver, turning it off is the only way to go. Or get a router that doesn’t support WPS.

Hacking Wi-Fi over WPS is also possible with some Android tools that only work if the Android device is rooted. Check Wifi WPS WPA Tester(opens in new tab)Reaver for Android(opens in new tab)or Kali Nethunter(opens in new tab) as an option.

Cracking codes takes too long when you really need Wi-Fi. But most of the time, you can turn your smartphone into an instant hotspot.(opens in new tab)It will be much easier in the short term.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.(opens in new tab), Mashable’s sibling site. PCMag.com(opens in new tab) A technology authority, providing lab-based independent reviews of the latest products and services.