How to prep for a new router?

pokeefe0001 · 12 Jan 2020

In about a week I am getting a new router and want to be reasonably prepared. My local network consists of 4 computers (all running Win 10 1903), 3 NAS drives (all using SMB 3, I think - definitely no SMB 1), and a printer. All devices use dynamic IP addresses and will undoubtedly get new addresses, but I access everything using host names so I don't expect that to be a problem.

As I recall, switching routers will cause the network interfaces on all of the computers to switch from Private to Public which will make them "not discoverable". Is that still true? If so, is there any way to keep this from happening - to tell Windows ahead of time to accept the new router as trusted?

One of the computers is normally accessed only by Remote Desktop and I assume I will lose that if the computer goes "not discoverable".

Is there anything else I need to worry about (other than making sure I configure the new router the same as the old one)?

hsehestedt · 12 Jan 2020

That's a great question. I'm not certain if changing the router will cause your computers to appear as though they are now on a public network. My suspicion is that you are correct and that this would happen. However, I'm not sure what it keys on. It may simply be the network name so if you use the same network name with the router, that may stop it from changing you to a public network. Maybe someone else who knows for sure could comment on this.

If you should find that you end up on a public network, you could simply write a script in advance that will quickly allow you to change back to private. See this tutorial for details:

Set Network Location to Private, Public, or Domain in Windows 10

As for the machine accessed via remote desktop, you could simply temporarily change the settings to allow discovery on a public network. Then, when you swap out your router, that machine should still be accessible and you can add that machine back to a private network. Then you can change the public settings back again.

Sorry for not having all the answers, but I hope that this helps.

Try3 · 12 Jan 2020

The first time Windows sees the new router's network on each computer it will ask if it should treat it as private i.e. if it should make the computer discoverable. So there's nothing to prepare.

I suggest choosing a new SSID so that there can be no confusion anywhere. If you did use the same SSID, Windows would still recognise it as different from the old one but many settings would just use the SSID so you couldn't be sure which they referred to. So there's nothing to prepare other than choosing a new name & [not essential] a new password.
- When I once tried to re-use an SSID, I found that the System tray icon named the network with a suffix - networkname 2 - but other settings such as Settiings, Internet, WiFi did not have the suffix. Everything worked but it made me worry that there might be a hidden problem somewhere.

If you set your networks as metered ones you could consider altering the Registry entry beforehand so new networks are set as metered by default.
Stop Windows 10 Updates Properly and Completely

Denis

pokeefe0001 · 12 Jan 2020

Try3 said:

I suggest choosing a new SSID so that there can be no confusion anywhere. If you did use the same SSID, Windows would still recognise it as different from the old one but many settings would just use the SSID so you couldn't be sure which they referred to. So there's nothing to prepare other than choosing a new name & [not essential] a new password.
Denis

I'll think about that, but I'm not sure it's a worry (unless I misunderstand your comment). I'm going to be switching from one ASUS router to another and expect to use the exact same router configuration - export from the old; import into the new. (I did that years ago when upgrading from an even older router.) Unless Windows is bothered by reuse of the SSID(s), I don't expect a problem.