Need to Modify Network Names

Hello. I'm here about the age-old issue of network names getting a "#2" or "#3" appended to their names.

For instance, I have a hotspot device called "Hotspot". I just bought a new one today and I want to name it "Hotspot" as well -- but Windows is a clever beast, and it knows that the hardware has changed so it insists on calling my new device "Hotspot 2".

In previous versions of Windows I could go in and delete the old entries from the registry, and then the new device is detected as never having been seen before. I believe I would do this in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList -- but in Windows 10 this key exists with no subkeys.

FYI, if I go into secpol.msc and look at Network List Manager Pol, then All Networks, there are many many networks listed there - most outdated. But I cannot seem to find the corresponding entries in the registry anywhere!

Advice appreciated! /jim

I figured out my problem - I thought I was running regedit as an admin but I was not. Now I can see the traditional 'networklist' entries and delete/modify as I wish.

Thanks! /jim

Brink said:

Hello Jim, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

You might see if you may be able to use OPTION ONE in the tutorial below to rename the networks in secpol.msc.

Network Name - Change in Windows 8