In Windows, when y'all connect to a wireless network, it will either register it as a Public network or a Private network. Private networks are basically home and work whereas public networks are anywhere else, which you don't trust.

Sometimes Windows detects a private network as a public 1 and vice versa. You tin manually brand some changes to ensure that yous are non accidentally sharing either too much on a public network or blocking all sharing on a private network.

In this commodity, I walk y'all through the steps for Windows ten, Windows 8.1, Windows viii and Windows 7.

Windows 10

In Windows 10, go alee and click on the Ethernet or wireless icon in the system tray of your taskbar. The Ethernet icon is like a lilliputian figurer and the wireless icon is, well, pretty well-known. Once you practise that, click on theNetwork & Internet Settings link.

This will bring you to the PC settings dialog with the Status tab selected. If y'all are connected to a WiFi network, click on WiFi in the left-hand pane, otherwise click on Ethernet.

Become alee and click on the name of the WiFi network or Ethernet network that has the Continued status. When y'all click on the network, you will at present be able to select Public or Private.

For WiFi networks, yous'll also take the option to connect automatically when in range of the WiFi network.

Windows 8.1

In Windows 8.i, to change the network profile, we have to get into the PC Settings screen. To do that, open up the Charms bar and click on Change PC Settings at the bottom.

change pc settngs

Now click on Network and you'll run across the list of connections, i.due east Ethernet, Wireless, etc.

network connections

Now all you have to practice is turn on the Detect devices and content selection. Information technology'south automatically turned off for public networks, so when you turn it on, it changes the network to a private network.

find devices and content

Windows 8

For Windows viii, follow the following procedure. First, correct-click on the network icon in the Windows 8 arrangement tray and click on Open Network and Sharing Center.

network sharing

Here y'all will run into the network yous are connected to and what type of network Windows 8 has identified it as.

private network

As yous tin meet above, my network is considered a Private network, which is correct since I'one thousand at home and connected via Ethernet. If this is incorrect, there are a couple of things yous tin exercise. First, you can click on Change advanced sharing settings in the left-mitt pane.

change sharing settings

Click on Individual and then brand sure you take these options enabled:

– Turn on network discovery

– Plow on file and printer sharing

– Permit Windows to manage homegroup connections

network sharing

And so plummet Private and expand Invitee or Public and make sure y'all have these options gear up:

– Turn off network discovery

– Turn off file and printer sharing

public network

In one case you lot accept done this, y'all then demand to become to the Windows eight desktop and open the Charms bar. Click on Settings and then click on the Network icon.

network settings

You lot'll see Network then Continued. Become ahead and right-click on that and cull Plow sharing on or off.

turn sharing on

At present cull Yes if you want your network to be treated like a private network and No if you want it to exist treated like a public network. Note that the label Private or Public may remain the same in Network and Sharing Center, just once you choose the sharing settings manually, the network will have the appropriate settings practical.

turn sharing off

Windows seven

In Windows vii, the process is a bit different. You nevertheless have to click on the network icon in your taskbar, only this time click on the Open Network & Sharing Centre link.

Hither, you will see an overview of your network connection. Nether View your active networks, you'll encounter the proper name of the Ethernet or WiFi network and it should have a link underneath called Dwelling network, Work network or Public network.

Click on that link and yous'll exist able to alter between the 3 different network types.

In that location is too an pick in Windows 7 to treat all future networks as public networks automatically, though I don't call back well-nigh people would find that useful.

Manually Force a Network Location

As a last resort, if y'all tin can't change the network location using the methods above, you tin manually alter the network location using a tool called secpol.msc. This volition not work on the Home, Student or Starter editions of Windows. In Windows, press the Windows Key + R, which will bring upwardly the Run dialog box. Type in secpol.msc into the run dialog box.

run dialog

Then click on Network Listing Manager Policies at the left and on the right-paw side you should meet a couple of items with descriptions and so something called Network, which is the electric current network you are connected to. It may too be called something else, only it doesn't have a description. If you are connected to a WiFi network, information technology will be the name of your WiFi network.

network list manager policies

Double-click on it and click on the Network Location tab. Here you can manually change the network location from Private to Public and vice versa.

network location

That's virtually it! Not the easiest affair in the globe, only information technology's Microsoft! If you are having problems with irresolute network locations in Windows, mail a comment here and we'll help. Savour!