check if WiFi network needs password

Projects Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

Hi,
I have recently started using the ESP8266 Thing from Sparkfun for a WiFi based project.
My first step has been to use the common WiFi.ScanNetworks() to produce a list of available WiFi network names and signal strengths.
When I look using my mobile phone it lists them with a padlock icon to show that they are locked (i.e. need a password).

Can anyone tell me if there is a function in the Arduino WiFi library to get this information ? It's not a show-stopper, I know I want my project to join a known network with a known password but I was curious about whether I could reproduce the list as it is seen on my phone.

thanks for any advice offered

PhilipJ

2

Have a look at the WiFiNINA Reference ScanNetworks example. It also shows you the encryption of the networks.

3

Hi,
thanks for the link, is it the encryption type that determines whether a password is needed ? I can't see anything in the example other than that, that is different from what I already have.

I'll give it a try and see how the ecryption type compares with my phone listing the padlock icon or not...

Regards
PhilipJ

4

philipj451:
.. is it the encryption type that determines whether a password is needed ?

Yes, unless the encryption type is None you will see a padlock. One could imagine a network without encryption that needs a password but that would not be secure. You would just need to listen to a device that knows the password.