Activate Default Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies

Updated: October 4, 2010

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, Windows XP

This procedure describes how to activate the default Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies by using the Group Policy Management Editor (GPME).

Note

After you activate either the Windows Vista version of the Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies or the Windows XP version, it is removed from the list of options when you right-click Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies, and it is added in the details pane of the GPME when you select the Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies node. This state remains until the wireless policy is deleted, at which time the wireless policy returns to the menu when you right-click Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies in the GPME. Additionally, the Windows Vista and Windows XP wireless policies are only listed in the GPME details pane when the Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies node is selected.

Membership in Domain Admins, or equivalent, is the minimum required to perform this procedure.

To activate default Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies

  1. On your Windows Server 2008 R2 domain controller, do one of the following:

    • If Group Policy Management Editor is already open, proceed to step 2.

    • If GPME is not already open, do the following:

      1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Group Policy Management. The Group Policy Management Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in opens.

      2. In the left pane, double-click your forest. For example, double-click Forest: example.com.

      3. In the left pane, double-click Domains, and then double-click the domain in which you want to manage a Group Policy object (GPO). For example, double-click example.com.

      4. Right-click the domain-level GPO you want to manage, and then click Edit. The Group Policy Management Editor MMC opens. Proceed to step 2.

  2. In the GPME, in the left pane, double-click Computer Configuration, double-click Policies, double-click Windows Settings, and then double-click Security Settings.

  3. In Security Settings, right-click Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies, and then click either Create a new Wireless Policy for Windows Vista and Later Releases or Create a new Windows XP Policy. The properties dialog box opens for the policy you selected.

  4. Click OK. The default policy is activated and listed in the details pane of the GPME.

To access the properties of a policy you have already created, select Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies. In the details pane, right-click either the Windows Vista or Windows XP policy that you want to modify, and then click Properties.