Solved Windows WiFi Networks Manager - Convenient Usabily Removed

Mosslump · Jun 21, 2013

In pervious versions of Windows, the WiFi Networks icon in the notification area was more useful. You could access a WiFi connection's status and other detail pages through the right-click context menu or whatever. Now, the only way I know to access this information is by opening up the Network and Sharing Center and going from there. Is there any other way to do this?

Brink · Jun 21, 2013

Hello Mosslump,

If you like, you could create a shortcut that will open directly to the "WiFi Status" dialog.

Open "Network and Sharing Center"
On the left side, click on "Change adapter settings" link
Right click on your WiFi connection, and click on "Create Shortcut"

This will create a shortcut of it on your desktop. Afterwards, you could use the shortcut on your desktop or place it in Quick Launch to use it on the taskbar.

Hope this helps,

Shawn

Mosslump · Jun 21, 2013

Thanks, that is helpful. Do you know of a way to edit the context menu when I right-click the Networks icon in the notification area to now include those shortcuts?

Brink · Jun 21, 2013

It can't be added to the notification area by the end user as far as I know, but using Quick Launch next to the notification area could be an alternative if you like.

Mosslump · Jun 22, 2013

Do you happen to know the location/target, so that I could make a shortcut of my own - I'd like to use it in another context menu or something.

Brink · Jun 22, 2013

You could still create the WiFi adapter connection shortcut from my previous post, move that shortcut to where you like to keep it at (ex: in a "C:\Users\Public folder"), then just have the context menu run the shortcut.

Mosslump · Jun 22, 2013

Hmm... Well, I can't seem to add that shortcut to a context menu.

Brink · Jun 22, 2013

You should be able to use something like this .reg file below to add the shortcut to say your desktop context menu.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\[COLOR=#ff0000][B]WiFi Status[/B][/COLOR]]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\[COLOR=#ff0000][B]WiFi Status[/B][/COLOR]\command]
@="[B][COLOR=#ff0000]Full path of shortcut within quotes[/COLOR][/B]"

Mosslump · Jun 22, 2013

That's what I tried to do and it wouldn't add the shortcut to the registry. If I edit it in regedit, I can add the path to the shortcut. However, when I execute the command from the context menu, it gives me an error message:

This app can't run on your PC
To find a version for your PC, check with the software publisher.

The shortcut works fine on it's own though. I also tried using an autohotkey script to run the shortcut, using the Run command. That didn't work either. I could bind it to a hotkey and use it that way though. I was also unable to add the shortcut to the Win+X menu.

Brink · Jun 23, 2013

When adding it with a .reg file, be sure that the path has double \\ slashes. The path will not be added with only a single \ unless you directly modify the value in the registry.

For example: "C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents"

If you like, go ahead and post the contents of your .reg file to see if something may stand out as a reason why it's not working.

chev65 · Jun 23, 2013

Mosslump said:
In pervious versions of Windows, the WiFi Networks icon in the notification area was more useful. You could access a WiFi connection's status and other detail pages through the right-click context menu or whatever. Now, the only way I know to access this information is by opening up the Network and Sharing Center and going from there. Is there any other way to do this?

The link below shows how to do this with Windows 8.

How to Manage Wireless Network Connections & Profiles in Windows 8 | 7 Tutorials

Mosslump · Jun 24, 2013

Well I'm not certain, but it seems like Windows doesn't allow you to refer to a shortcut to the Wi-Fi Status page. I can't seem to get it to run from a .bat file either. I only seem to be encountring this problem with the Wi-Fi Status.lnk specifically.

chev65 said:
Mosslump said:

In pervious versions of Windows, the WiFi Networks icon in the notification area was more useful. You could access a WiFi connection's status and other detail pages through the right-click context menu or whatever. Now, the only way I know to access this information is by opening up the Network and Sharing Center and going from there. Is there any other way to do this?

Click to expand...

The link below shows how to do this with Windows 8.

How to Manage Wireless Network Connections & Profiles in Windows 8 | 7 Tutorials

Thanks, but I don't see anything about Wi-Fi status there.

chev65 · Jun 24, 2013

Is this your only complaint? Because from my point of view it doesn't take any longer to get to the WiFi status page compared to how it was. Either way you had to right click then click on the status button. :geek:

Brink · Jun 24, 2013

Mosslump said:
Well I'm not certain, but it seems like Windows doesn't allow you to refer to a shortcut to the Wi-Fi Status page. I can't seem to get it to run from a .bat file either. I only seem to be encountring this problem with the Wi-Fi Status.lnk specifically.

Does the "WiFi Status" shortcut itself work?

If so, then what's the full path of with file name of where you are keeping it saved at? The shortcut must stay there for the context menu to work.

I'll see if I can create a .bat file to add it to your desktop context menu for you.

Mosslump · Jun 24, 2013

chev65 said:
Is this your only complaint? Because from my point of view it doesn't take any longer to get to the WiFi status page compared to how it was. Either way you had to right click then click on the status button.

No, it's not my only complaint. I have many issues, some rather insignificant, with Windows 8. However, I think there is plenty to like about the OS as well.

The Wi-Fi Status shortcut does work. The path to the Wi-Fi Status shortcut is "C:\Users\[username]\[folder]\WiFiStatus.lnk".

The WiFiStatus shortcut properties tab indicates:
Target Type: {BA126ADB-2166-11D1-B1D0-00805FC1270E}
Target Location: Network Connections
Target: {BA126ADB-2166-11D1-B1D0-00805FC1270E}
The property "Target" is grayed out and cannot be changed.

I tried a few .bat files, one in the location above:

Code:

@echo off
start C:\Users\[username]\[folder]\WiFiStatus.lnk
exit

And another in a public folder.

Code:

@echo off
start %PUBLIC%\Documents\WiFiStatus.lnk
exit

I also tried other essentially identical variations, and tried it in a few other locations. Using similar .bat files, I was always able to get other shortcuts to run from these locations, but not the WiFi Status shortcut.

Brink · Jun 24, 2013

Mosslump,

If you like, instead of trying to do it through a .bat file, see if you can create a .reg file with this below, then merge it to have it added to your desktop context menu.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\[COLOR=#ff0000][B]WiFi Status[/B][/COLOR]]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\[COLOR=#ff0000][B]WiFi Status[/B][/COLOR]\command]
@="C:\\Users\\[COLOR=#ff0000][username][/COLOR]\\[COLOR=#ff0000][folder][/COLOR]\\WiFiStatus.lnk"

Mosslump · Jun 24, 2013

That causes an error:

Explorer.EXE
Application not found.

Brink · Jun 24, 2013

Hmm, ok. Could you post a screenshot showing this entry in the registry to see if it merged properly?

Mosslump · Jun 24, 2013

Brink · Jun 24, 2013

Ok. After some more testing, this should work for you with a desktop context menu.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\WiFi Status\command]
@="explorer \"C:\\Users\\Matthew\\Mjsk\\Network\\WiFiStatus.lnk\""

Solved Windows WiFi Networks Manager - Convenient Usabily Removed

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