Restored Mac connects automatically to wifi network without intervention

[Tomovich]

Hello

This morning I erased my Mac and reset it to factory settings with this Apple guide. I was at work when I did this and connected on the work wifi.

After resetting I logged in with my iCloud account, set all the settings as I wanted, configured Mail and then all iCloud Drive files and pictures in the Photos app where automatically downloaded.

I came home, opened the Mac and I saw that I was connected with my home wifi. I didn't do anything. Is it possible that even after factory restoring and resetting it still remembers my home wifi? Or is it because I'm connected on my iPhone and it sends it to the Mac?

Thanks!

 

[Apple_Robert]

Your saved password is saved in Keychain. When you logged in with the same Apple ID on the Mac, the WiFi connected like it had done before.

 

[Tomovich]

I have 1Password for that, I do not use the password app in macOS.

 

[fiftofar]

I’d guess keychain wifi networks would still sync even when you use a different password manager? Unless it’s turned off in iCloud, even then there is a chance the networks were already saved in keychain previously and auto sync.

I only have experience with Intel, don’t know about apple silicon, however, wifi networks can also be stored in NVRAM and don’t seem to be cleared by an erase alone in my experience, unless I cleared NVRAM in terminal or button combo.

Apple Silicon still has NVRAM so it’s probably the same, I think it can only be cleared by terminal “nvram -c”
Pretty sure you can check NVRAM contents in the log section of system report, or “nvram -p” in terminal.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I have 1Password for that, I do not use the password app in macOS.

I can't think of any other explanation than you having used Keychain at some point in time to connect to your Wifi and the password was saved.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I have 1Password for that, I do not use the password app in macOS.

You do use Keychain, whether you know it or not. Unless you're opening 1Password and entering the password every time the wifi connects.... it's using Keychain

 

[nottorp]

If you logged into iCloud it surely carried over stuff for your convenience.

I bought a new laptop, did enter my local wifi password manually for the initial setup and then had it import the old laptop. Then went to a customer's place and the new laptop automatically got into their wifi although I had only been there with the old.

 

[JonaM]

Your wifi credentials and background keys are stored in Keychain even if you are not using it for saving website passwords, so when you logged into your iCloud account it sync'd your iCloud Keychain, which includes known WiFi credentials.

 

[bogdanw]

They might be stilll stored in NVRAM
"current-network: binary: Last Wi-Fi networks to have connected to
preferred-networks: binary: List of stored Wi-Fi networks.
preferred-count: int: Number of networks in preferred-networks, if not 1."
https://github.com/AsahiLinux/docs/wiki/SW:NVRAM
https://apple.stackexchange.com/que...g-the-wifi-password-on-the-recovery-partition

 

[Tomovich]

What I meant with:

I do not use the password app in macOS.

is in system settings > passwords. Not the keychain.

I did not know that things in the keychain are also kept in iCloud.
When I open the keychain.app then I see a few categories on the left side: login, iCloud, system and system root. I suppose that what's in the iCloud category is what's been transferred to new installs?

How long is it since keychain stuff is being stored in iCloud?
Are wifi passwords that are on my phone also stored in iCloud? Or is it only Mac to Mac?

 

[McScooby]

What I meant with:

I do not use the password app in macOS.

is in system settings > passwords. Not the keychain.

I did not know that things in the keychain are also kept in iCloud.
When I open the keychain.app then I see a few categories on the left side: login, iCloud, system and system root. I suppose that what's in the iCloud category is what's been transferred to new installs?

How long is it since keychain stuff is being stored in iCloud?
Are wifi passwords that are on my phone also stored in iCloud? Or is it only Mac to Mac?

2013 - https://support.apple.com/en-gb/109016

Setting up iCloud Keychain on Mac Computers and iOS Devices

www.afb.org

 

[Tomovich]

On my Mac the Passwords & Keychain is on (automatically). On my iPhone and iPad it is not, never has been. Then how can it be stored in iCloud?

 

[fisherking]

On my Mac the Passwords & Keychain is on (automatically). On my iPhone and iPad it is not, never has been. Then how can it be stored in iCloud?

it is stored in icloud, just not shared to your iphone & ipad. (you've sort-of answered your own question!) 👍

 

[Tomovich]

Thanks for the explanation. I just didn't get it...