Windows 10 Unable to set ethernet network type (Set to Private)

MoridinUK · 10 Aug 2023

Hey all,

Please help, I'm trying to set an ethernet connection to be a private network (it's my home LAN) in Windows 10 but the setting won't stay.

I have tried using the settings app, PowerShell, Local Group Policies, and even a direct registry edit. I have also reset the network connection but still, the network will not be set to private.

I do manage to change the setting, there are no errors on screen when I try but when I check the setting it is still public and I can not see any network shares from the other computers on the network.

I'm totally at a loss any ideas, please?

Windows version: 22H2 (OS Build 19045.3208)

dalchina · 10 Aug 2023

Hi, please confirm you're logged in as admin,

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to change the network location of a network adapter.

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

MoridinUK · 10 Aug 2023

Thank you,

I have just tried each option and the network has still been left as public.

My account is an Admin, and each time I could I ran applications as an administrator.

dalchina · 10 Aug 2023

Considering Option 2, step 5;

a. Post a screenshot like that before any change.
b. Make the change; post a 2nd screenshot.
c. Close the registry editor.
d. Launch the registry editor again.
e. Post another screenshot.
(to check if the change has been retained).
f. Follow down to Step 8.
g. When logged in again, again post a screenshot as in Step 5.
Has the change been retained?

Do you get a UAC prompt when you launch the registry editor?

MoridinUK · 10 Aug 2023

Ok, I followed all this, having done this once already. And I took the screenshots.

No need to link them though because this time it stuck! I first tried the registry before resetting the network. Or maybe it was changing the policies back and forth or the combination. But this time it stayed as private and is showing as private in the settings app!

Thank you!

- - - Updated - - -

Though I still can't see the network shares I should!

dalchina · 10 Aug 2023

Good. Maybe you didn't log out/in before or something like that.. anyway, it's done.

I understand you to be adding this PC to an existing network. Considering the shares you say you can't see, can I assume the other PCs can see them, and that they are all Win 10?

Share Files and Folders Over a Network in Windows 10
Option 1 covers setting this up.

Member Try3 has an exhaustive check list published several times on tenforums.
Do not know my password when trying to join the WORKGROUP

MoridinUK · 10 Aug 2023

Thank you, yes I have three windows PCs all on windows 10 all on the same ethernet lan.

Two of them can see and access each other's shares. The last one was stuck with the network as public but we've resolved that. However, it still can't see the other computers (or the router, or printer etc) nor can the other computers see it.

It is set up to allow network discovery and file and printer sharing on private networks. I'll double check it all.

dalchina · 10 Aug 2023

Plenty of things to check and configure... work carefully thru the list.

Are all Win 10 PC's on 22H2?

Try3 · 10 Aug 2023

MoridinUK said:

it still can't see the other computers (or the router, or printer etc) nor can the other computers see it.
I'll double check it all.

You are talking about failures of network comms aren't you?
You are not just referring to whether or not things get shown in File explorer's chronically unreliable Network section?
Use the tests in my checklist's step 10 to make sure you are looking at a real network problem rather than a File explorer problem.

Please use the latest version of my checklist -
A consolidated network setup checklist for Windows 10 and 11 - my post #4 - TenForums

Best of luck,
Denis

MoridinUK · 11 Aug 2023

Thank you both,

Yes, all 3 pcs are running 22H2.

I figured it out. The host pc had reset the network to public! But I changed it back in the settings app and can connect now no problem. I'll check to see how often it swtiches back again!

- - - Updated - - -

Actually, the orginial problem PC has switched it's location back to public again too.

Dropbox - Screenshot 2023-08-11 11.46.38.png - Simplify your life

Why do my PCs keep doing this every restart? It held with a log off and on yesterday! And one PC out of three has held it private!

At this rate, Should I just activate file and printer sharing on public networks too? None of them have wireless adaptors so the network would always be my wired home lan?