Can't Connect to WiFi on Boot? This Windows Fix Will Get You Online Every Time!

Is your Windows PC failing to connect to WiFi after a reboot, especially when accessed remotely? This is a common problem that can be incredibly frustrating. You're not alone! Many users face this issue. If you need to force wifi connection on Windows we'll explore a detailed solution involving a script and the Non-Sucking Service Manager (NSSM) to ensure a stable internet connection, even after a remote boot.

The Problem: WiFi Woes After Remote Boot

Imagine this: You remotely start your PC, but it doesn't connect to the internet. This prevents you from accessing your files or controlling your computer from afar. This often happens because the WiFi connection hasn't fully established before all the startup processes are complete.

The Solution: A Script and NSSM to the Rescue

Here's a comprehensive approach to automatically reconnect to your WiFi network on boot. This solution uses a batch script that automates the WiFi reconnection process and NSSM to run the script as a service in the background, ensuring it runs even before user login. This will help address how to automatically connect to wifi on Windows.

1. The WiFi Reconnection Script

This script disables and re-enables your WiFi adapter, adds a WiFi profile, and then attempts to connect to your specified network. This whole process ensures a stable and reliable Windows Wi-Fi auto-connect solution. Adapt the configuration section to your specific needs.

@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion

:: Configuration
set SSID=your_network_name
set PASSWORD=your_network_password
set NIC_NAME=Wi-Fi
set ESP_URL=your_esp_url_for_confirmation
set MAX_RETRIES=10
set RETRY_DELAY=5

echo [%date% %time%] Script de réinitialisation de la carte réseau lancé >> wifi_debug.log

:reboot_wifi
::Redémarrage de la carte réseau
netsh interface set interface name="%NIC_NAME%" admin=disable
timeout /t 1 >nul
netsh interface set interface name="%NIC_NAME%" admin=enable
timeout /t 5 >nul
echo Carte reseau redemarree.

::Redémarrer la connexion wifi
echo Redemarrage de la connexion wifi...
netsh wlan disconnect
timeout /t 1 >nul

:: Créer un fichier de profil Wi-Fi temporaire
echo Création du profil Wi-Fi pour le SSID "%SSID%"...
(
echo ^<?xml version="1.0"^?>
echo ^<WLANProfile xmlns="http://www.microsoft.com/networking/WLAN/profile/v1"^>
echo ^<name^>%SSID%^</name^>
echo ^<SSIDConfig^>
echo ^<SSID^>
echo ^<name^>%SSID%^</name^>
echo ^</SSID^>
echo ^</SSIDConfig^>
echo ^<connectionType^>ESS^</connectionType^>
echo ^<connectionMode^>manual^</connectionMode^>
echo ^<MSM^>
echo ^<security^>
echo ^<authEncryption^>
echo ^<authentication^>WPA2PSK^</authentication^>
echo ^<encryption^>AES^</encryption^>
echo ^<useOneX^>false^</useOneX^>
echo ^</authEncryption^>
echo ^<sharedKey^>
echo ^<keyType^>passPhrase^</keyType^>
echo ^<protected^>false^</protected^>
echo ^<keyMaterial^>%PASSWORD%^</keyMaterial^>
echo ^</sharedKey^>
echo ^</security^>
echo ^</MSM^>
echo ^</WLANProfile^>
) > "wifi_profile.xml"

:: Ajouter le profil Wi-Fi
echo Ajout du profil Wi-Fi...
netsh wlan add profile filename="wifi_profile.xml" >nul

:: Connexion au réseau Wi-Fi
echo Connexion au réseau Wi-Fi "%SSID%"...
netsh wlan connect name="%SSID%" ssid="%SSID%" >nul
if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
echo Erreur: Impossible de se connecter au réseau Wi-Fi "%SSID%".
goto end
)

:: Attendre que le wifi soit de nouveau connecté
echo Attente de la connexion au wifi...
set /a RETRIES=0

:wait_for_wifi
echo.
set /a RETRIES+=1
echo Tentative de connexion au wifi...!RETRIES!/!MAX_RETRIES!
ping -n 1 www.google.com >nul 2>&1
if not errorlevel 1 (
echo Connexion au wifi etablie.
goto check_esp
) else (
echo Connexion au wifi non disponible. Nouvelle tentative dans %RETRY_DELAY% secondes...
if !RETRIES! GEQ !MAX_RETRIES! (
echo Echec de la connexion au wifi apres %MAX_RETRIES% tentatives.
goto reboot_wifi
) else (
timeout /t %RETRY_DELAY% >nul
goto wait_for_wifi
)
)

:: Appel HTTP vers l’ESP8266
:check_esp
echo Contact de l ESP: %ESP_URL%
where curl >nul 2>&1
if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
echo Erreur: curl n'est pas installe ou n'est pas dans le PATH.
goto end
)
curl --silent --output nul %ESP_URL%

:end
echo.
:: Fermeture du script
echo Fin du script.
echo [%date% %time%] Script de réinitialisation de la carte réseau terminé>> wifi_debug.log
exit /b 0

• Configuration: Change SSID, PASSWORD, and NIC_NAME to match your WiFi network details. The ESP_URL is optional and will send a request to your ESP8266 device when your PC is connected to the internet.
• Disabling/Enabling Network Card: Restarts the Network Interface Card.
• WiFi Profile Creation: Generates a temporary XML file containing your WiFi profile information. This adds a profile so the reconnection is as smooth as possible.
• Connection Attempts: Uses netsh wlan connect to connect to the WiFi, including retry attempts.
• Error Handling: Includes checks for potential errors, such as the inability to connect to the WiFi network.
• Debugging: Logs the script's process in wifi_debug.log

2. Setting up the Script with NSSM

NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) allows you to run the script as a Windows service, ensuring it starts automatically at boot time.

• Download NSSM: Download the latest version of NSSM from its official website.
• Install NSSM: Extract the downloaded archive and place nssm.exe in a directory like C:\Windows\System32 so it's accessible from the command line.
• Create the Service: Open Command Prompt as administrator and run the following command, replacing C:\path\to\your\script.bat with the actual path to your batch script:

nssm install WifiReconnector "C:\path\to\your\script.bat"

• Configure the Service: Use the nssm edit WifiReconnector command to configure the service. Key settings to adjust:

  • Application Tab: Ensure the correct Path, Startup directory, and Arguments (if needed).
  • Details Tab: Provide a descriptive Display name.
  • Log on Tab: Ensure the service runs under the "Local System account" with "Allow service to interact with desktop" unchecked.

• Start the Service: Open the Services application (search "services" in the Start Menu), locate the "WifiReconnector" service, and start it. Set the startup type to "Automatic".

3. Fine-tuning and Troubleshooting

• Firewall: Ensure your firewall isn't blocking the script's attempts to connect to the network.
• Permissions: Check that the account running the service has sufficient permissions to modify network settings.
• Event Logging: Examine the wifi_debug.log file to diagnose any errors or failures during the reconnection process.
• Dependency: In the NSSM settings, on the "Dependencies" tab, try adding "Tcpip" as a dependency to ensure the TCP/IP protocol is started before the script. You can also try adding "Wlansvc" dependent service, which is the "WLAN AutoConfig" service.

By implementing this comprehensive solution, you can effectively force wifi connection on Windows at boot, guaranteeing remote access to your PC regardless of the network environment.