Windows – How to get Windows 7 to automatically connect to an ad-hoc network

ad hoc networkautomationwindows 7wireless-networking

I have two machines – one is running Ubuntu 12.04 64-bit and the other is running Windows 7 Starter Edition (32-bit).

The Ubuntu machine is connected to the Internet via the eth0 interface. That machine also has a wireless network interface (wlan0) that is currently functioning as an ad-hoc network.

I can connect to the ad-hoc network just fine with the Windows machine but each time I wish to do so, I must manually initiate the connection and enter the password.

Is there some way to instruct Windows to automatically connect to this network (an option I have for standard wireless networks but not ad-hoc networks)?

Best Answer

This is a Starter edition of Windows 7 and, according to Microsoft:

Ad hoc networking. A computer running Windows 7 Starter can't create an ad hoc network (also called a computer-to-computer network), but it can be part of an ad hoc network. Ad hoc networks are often used for a specific purpose, such as playing a multiplayer computer game.

Networking in Windows 7 Starter

You may start the ad hoc connection with netsh as pointed in comments but the password must be entered each time. Windows 7 Starter edition can't remember the password like in professional edition... (same problem with the command runas for example: it's a "feature"...)

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