Can't split networks between Public and Private

Arete One · 14 Mar 2016

New Win10 Pro install from scratch on a laptop with both a wi-fi and wired ethernet connections.

The wi-fi connects to a router on 192.168.253.x, and that router connects to the Internet. The IP is delivered by the DHCP server based on the MAC address.

The wired ethernet connects to a hub, with a total of four computers. The IPs for each are specified in the NIC configuration on the 192.168.252.x network.

Windows 10 calls the wired ethernet "Unidentified network" and sets it to Public along with the wi-fi network. There is no listing for the wired ethernet network in the registry under the ..\NetworkList\Profiles entries, so I can't flip the Category setting there. There is only one entry, and it's the wi-fi network.

I turned the wi-fi adapter off and then shared a folder. This made the wired ethernet network Private, but when I turned the wi-fi back on, they both showed up as Public.

With the wired ethernet network set to Public, I can't easily connect to shares or use RD from my main system into this one without turning off Windows Firewall. But since the WF setting is based on the Private and Public setting, right now it's an all or nothing thing.

I need to find a way to leave my wi-fi connection set to Public, but get my wired ethernet set to Private.

Any suggestions?

TIA.

bro67 · 14 Mar 2016

Do not have to go into the specifics of your network. Your issue is one that is already addressed in the Tutorials, which is done the same way with previous Windows editions. Because you have the Firewall enabled, it will restrict what ports are available, because Public is not going to let anything in that may be bad. Network Location - Set to Private or Public in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

Arete One · 14 Mar 2016

Thanks for that link. I had worked through the first two options, but neither applied because my wired network isn't identified as an individual network, but rather lumped in with all that are "unidentified". Then I got sidetracked banging on it and closed the link before working them all. Option 3 - modifying the local security policy for the item "unidentified networks" accomplished what I'm looking for.

I guess an even better solution would be to put my .252. network on a router so the network can be identified and named, thus creating an individual entry for it. With four peers connected through a dumb hub and all ips defined at the nic, it makes sense that it's going to decline to give the network a specific name.