Active Directory: Disabling Wireless via Group Policy

[wilbs]

I'd like to disable the ability of some of my laptop users to use their wireless NICs for security reasons. The most ideal way of doing this would be via a group policy.

Out of the box I cannot see anything that disables it completely, only to define what wireless connection you have. We do not use wireless at all.

Does anybody know of any third party snap-in or template that would allow this in a Windows 2003 AD?

TIA.

 

[bcastner]

Use Group Policy, or place the following .reg file in your logon scripts:

****** remove wireless zero service
Windows Registry Editor 5.0
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WZCSVC]

 

[wilbs]

If I use this method or apply the Disable Wirless Configuration policy the user is still able to enable wireless, which defeats the whole object of doing it.

 

[bcastner]

They can enable the adapter but not connect to anything.

An alternative approach is to use Devcon.exe from Microsoft Downloads.

This command can be run (with suitable permissions) to disable devices on remote machines, or simply added to the logon scripts for the users.

The command you would need would be devcon disable *PNPxxx, where the *PNPxxx would have the proper device ID.

See:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;311272

 

[wilbs]

Cool. I'll have a look at that.

My users can actaully enable to adapter as well as connect.

Thanks again.