How do I set my wireless network to be private instead of public?

Question

Trying to maintain good security settings on my laptop, I want my home network to be interpreted as private and the university network at school to be interpreted as public. However, my home network is currently showing as public.

Here is what my Network and Sharing Center looks like:

How do I change my home network from public to private on Windows 8 Consumer Preview?

Answer 1

There are a few paths to the correct UI.

"Easiest" : (Use homegroup to get to the UI / No right clicking needed)

1. Tap Win+W to open the search charm for settings
2. Type HomeGroup and Click the tile labeled only "HomeGroup"
3. Click on the "Change sharing settings" button
4. Then select the "Yes" option which corresponds to private networks

"Most Direct"

1. Bring up the "Networks" UI via a Click on the network icon from the desktop taskbar or from the system charm (Win-I)
2. Right Click on your connection and select "Turn Sharing On and OFf"
3. Then select the "Yes" option which corresponds to private networks

Here is the correct UI:

Answer 2

1. Press Win+R, then type secpol.msc
2. Click on "Network List Manager Policies"
3. Double-click on your network
4. Click on "Tab Network Location"
5. Set "Location Type" to "Private"

Go back to Network and Sharing Center to check the result.

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Answer 3

Things have changed for Windows 8.1. The public/private setting might be even less discoverable now. Well here is what you need to do:

• Open the PC Settings (Win+C, Settings, Change PC Settings)
• Go to Network -> Connections
• Tap/Click on the network you want to change
• A page with network details opens
• There should be a switch "Find devices and content" -- turn it on

Caveats: The switch is not there if the machine is domain-joined and connected to the domain network. I think the switch is also missing if you are connected to an unsecure WiFi.

See also http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/find-pcs-devices-content-on-network.

Answer 4

using Powershell

Set-NetConnectionProfile -interfacealias <Ethernet name> -NetworkCategory [Public,Private,DomainAuthenticated]

so..

Set-NetConnectionProfile -interfacealias Draadloos -NetworkCategory Private

credit to an account called "Reader"

Answer 5

The HomeGroup troubleshooter worked for me. It noticed that I didn't have any private networks, and fixed the problem by turning my "public" network into a private network.

Answer 6

While the answer about secpol.msc is great, on my win8.1 there is no such program. I came up with another simple option: forget the network and add it again with the proper settings.

You can do this by clicking on the wireless icon, manage connection settings, manage known networks, select the network by clicking on it, click on forget network. After this you need to connect to the network again with the wifi password and select that you share printers and files, so Windows will put it into the private network category.

Answer 7

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but you are trying to keep good security posture by making the change from category of public to private on your home network?

Note that categorizing the network as public is actually more secure in this particular setting. If you change from public to private then you open yourself up more-so. It's a bit of a false positive if you take it at face value. It is asking you if this network is considered a public or private and not actually making it public or private.

Answer 8

on win10 it is quite easy....

1. left click on your network icon in the task bar. This will list all the currently available wifi connects
2. left click on your wifi connection. It will be top of the list and have Connected, secured. Also under that will be Properties (underlined)
3. left click Properties
4. a settings page will pop up. Right click on the private button and is done!