Network property keeps changing between public and private

This is really frustrating with Microsoft.
The Network used to be stable and reliable, but it is not anymore.
We have several PCs in the house and some are hardwired and some are on wifi. They used to be accessible on a private network which was set in every PC. For a while the public / private has been changing on a chance basis....
One day I cannot see the other PCs in the house and have to go back into some crappy Microsoft settings to find where I can change back to private. It will stay for a few days only to then revert on another PC to the stupid public default.

I do not want to use Microsoft's cloud or their account access setting and simply run my network behind the router. Why is this so difficult now while it had been working fine in the past?????

Try with Group policy editor (Start, type gpedit and hit Enter)

Set properties for key

Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Setting -> Network List Manager Policies

shown in picture below. There should also be a way to do this in registry.

Thanks,
I went through the steps.
I will report back on how long we keep the private network setting.

And Windows 10 is back to public settings despite this being o.k. for almost an entire week.
The look of the Group policy editor has changed. I don't know whether windows 10 / bloody Microsoft have sneeked in some kind of update......

This is probably the next thing to disable from "automatic" although this is much more akward nowthan in W7. I wished I had not updated.

Can you check in event viewer, or Reliability history, which update changed it?

And how is your network set-up? Microsoft did make some changes and is dropping "Homegroup" or whatever that group setting was. Also some older, insecure protocols are not enabled by default (SMBv1), but normally you don't need them.

Maybe your router is changing something?

Btw, I still have that key in Group policy, although some tabs in key properties are gone.

I had a look in event viewer, but I have never opened this and it is just a huge amount of data in there.

The Local Security network settings are on private for all networks. I do not know why windows still ignores this.
I changed back to private now - not sure how long for though - via the homegroup troubleshooter. It is telling me IPv6 needs to be activate, BUT it is.

26dipp said:

I had a look in event viewer, but I have never opened this and it is just a huge amount of data in there.

The Local Security network settings are on private for all networks. I do not know why windows still ignores this.
I changed back to private now - not sure how long for though - via the homegroup troubleshooter. It is telling me IPv6 needs to be activate, BUT it is.

Lets try this other way. Something is messing with your home network - and to check this out, try to set your network manually.

Instead of DHCP assign static local IP. Open Network and Sharing in Control panel and click on Adapter properties.
in IPv4 properties set values outside your router DHCP range.

I don't know your skills, so post back if you need instructions.

tutorials | find-ip-address-windows-10-pc

howtogeek | how-to-assign-a-static-ip-address-in-xp-vista-or-windows-7