Wifi SSID prioritization

[cddwyer]

We currently deploy a WPA2 PSK via a configuration profile, we are finding a lot of client Macs are ending up with our client machine wifi at a lower priority than the guest wifi so suddenly nothing works and they get captive portal pop ups.

Can anyone help with a way to:

1. Script the change of priority/index of a remembered wireless network?
2. Reinstall a computer level config profile
3. Script the addition of a wifi network without storing the PSK in plain text as part of a one line networksetup command?

Help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Christian

[sgoetz]

Hey @cdwyersg

You can use the following commmands to modify priorities of wifi.

#!/bin/sh

currentUser=$(stat -f%Su /dev/console)
currentUserUID=$(dscl . read /Users/$currentUser UniqueID | awk {'print $2'})
wifi=$(/usr/sbin/networksetup -listallhardwareports | grep -A 1 Wi-Fi | grep Device | awk '{print $2}')
SSIDcheck=$(/usr/sbin/networksetup -listpreferredwirelessnetworks $wifi | grep $4 | awk {'print $1'})

echo "Wi-Fi on device port $wifi"
echo "Preferred wireless Network $SSIDcheck"
echo "Policy running for $currentUser"


#############################################################
######## Removes SSID from Preferred Wireless List #########
#############################################################

if [ "$SSIDcheck" = "$4" ];then
    echo "Removing $4 from Preferred Networks List"
    /usr/sbin/networksetup -removepreferredwirelessnetwork $wifi $4
    echo "Adding $4 to number 1 spot for Preferred Networks List"
    /usr/sbin/networksetup -addpreferredwirelessnetworkatindex $wifi $4 0 WPA2 $5
else
    echo "$4 not in Preferred Networks List, adding to number 1 spot"
    /usr/sbin/networksetup -addpreferredwirelessnetworkatindex $wifi $4 0 WPA2 $5   
fi

[brian_mccarthy1]

Pardon my ignorance on this, where do I replace the Wifi SSID we're trying to remove and/or the one we're trying to make top priority?

[joshua]

@jjones Had a good post here: https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=17858

[cruess]

How about this exact same issue but on iOS???

[jared_f]

@cruess If you need to stop a device from connecting to a network you could push out a profile to the device with the wireless login and password and then remove the profile and that should stop the device from connecting.

[miwe01]

Can´t get any of the scripts to change the order of SSIDs I've found to work on Sierra.
Anybody have a script or trick that works?

[chris_hansen]

I had good luck with this one at https://gist.github.com/pudquick/fcbdd3924ee230592ab4#file-reorder_wifi_alt-py-L5 after reading about it here
https://www.jamf.com/jamf-nation/discussions/18223/re-order-wifi-preferred-networks