Different versions of Windows tend to remember every WiFi network we've connected to, but unless we manually explore the logs, there's no information about session duration or auxiliary advanced details. A new app from NirSoft called WifiHistoryView lets us visualize every piece of data available about the WiFi sessions recorded on the computer, including the protocol and security type.
Why Keep a WiFi Connection Record?
The temptation to connect to an open WiFi network is great, but unless we're certain of its origin, it's best to keep our devices disconnected. A valid question is how we can keep a record of WiFi connections, especially when the computer in question is used by more than one person. While Windows has its own logging system, it has never been its strong suit to present them in a coherent format for the user. This makes external tools necessary, and when it comes to presenting information, there's probably nothing better than NirSoft applications. Their latest release is called WifiHistoryView.
How WifiHistoryView Works
As with other NirSoft programs, the process comes down to downloading the zip file and dumping its contents into a temporary folder, then opening the executable inside. Information about WiFi connections is distributed across several columns, which include the network name, date and time of the event, the event type, the network card used, the protocol, and the security available at the time of connection. WifiHistoryView has support for viewing external reports (for example, those extracted from another computer) and for exporting data to classic formats such as HTML.
Portable and Lightweight
The program takes up less than 100 kilobytes, which fully guarantees its portability, as well as a place on our maintenance USB drives. The information available in the log may depend on the Windows version, but we should keep in mind that WifiHistoryView supports at least Windows Vista, both 32-bit and 64-bit. This application will definitely be useful to find out if someone was connecting without notice, or if they entered a network different from the usual ones.
