Reinstalling Ubuntu wipes out connection info one might have expected preserved

[O Gopal]

I keep /home on a separate partition.

I upgrade by performing a fresh install.

Expected behavior: My internet connection passwords, like most of my other settings, will be stored somewhere in /home and so will be preserved.

Actual behavior: The passwords are saved in /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections, so a fresh install wipes them out.

Though I suppose the actual behavior is intended, for the unsuspecting it can be a trap.

Ubuntu 14.04
Network-manager: 0.9.8.8-0ubuntu7