Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows  

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows

    How to Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Network & Sharing
    12 Apr 2021
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows 10


    When you connect to a new wireless network, Windows will create a profile for the wireless network. A wireless (Wi-Fi) network profile contains the SSID (network name), password key, and security information to be able to connect to a wireless network.

    If you turned on to automatically connect to wireless networks, Windows will automatically connect to your wireless network profiles based on a priority order when the wireless network is in range.

    The autoSwitch parameter controls the roaming behavior of an auto-connected wireless network when a more preferred wireless network is in range.

    If autoSwitch is turned on, it allows Windows to continue looking for other auto-connected wireless networks while connected to the current wireless network. If a higher priority auto-connected wireless network than the currently connected wireless network comes in range, Windows will automatically connect to it instead.

    This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off autoSwitch for wireless networks set to connect automatically when in range in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.


    Contents

    • Option One: Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Control Panel
    • Option Two: Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Command Prompt






    OPTION ONE

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Control Panel


    This option requires you to be connected to the wireless network you want to turn on or off autoSwitch for.


    1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Network and Sharing Center icon.

    2 Click/tap on the Change adapter settings link on the left side of the Network and Sharing Center. (see screenshot below)

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows-wlan_autoswitch_control_panel-1.png

    3 Click/tap on the wireless network connection (ex: "Brink-Router2") you want to turn on or off autoSwitch for to open its Status dialog. (see screenshot below)

    You can also select the wireless network connection (ex: "Brink-Router2") you want to turn on or off autoSwitch for, and click/tap on View status of this connection on the toolbar.

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows-wlan_autoswitch_control_panel-2.png

    4 Click/tap on the Wireless Properties button in the Status dialog. (see screenshot below)

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows-wlan_autoswitch_control_panel-3.png

    5 Check (on) or uncheck (off - default) Look for other wireless networks while connected to this network for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    Look for other wireless networks while connected to this network requires Connect automatically when this network is in range to be checked.

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows-wlan_autoswitch_control_panel-4.png

    6 When finished, you can close Status dialog (step 4), Network Connections (step 3), and Network and Sharing Center (step 2).






    OPTION TWO

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Command Prompt


    This option does not require you to be connected to the wireless network you want to turn on or off autoSwitch for.


    1 Open a command prompt.

    2 Copy and paste the netsh wlan show profiles command into the command prompt, press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    The wireless network profiles will be listed in priority order to connect to when in range.

    Make note of the wireless network profile name (ex: "Brink-Router2") you want to turn on or off autoSwitch for.

    Make note of the interface name (ex: "Wi-Fi") this wireless network profile (ex: "Brink-Router2") is on.

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows-wlan_autoswitch_command-1.png

    3 Type the command below you want to use into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)

    (To turn on autoSwitch for this wireless network)
    netsh wlan set profileparameter name="profile name" autoswitch=Yes

    OR

    (To turn on autoSwitch for this wireless network on specific interface)
    netsh wlan set profileparameter name="profile name" interface="InterfaceName" autoswitch=Yes

    OR

    (Default - To turn off autoSwitch for this wireless network)
    netsh wlan set profileparameter name="profile name" autoswitch=No

    OR

    (Default - To turn off autoSwitch for this wireless network on specific interface)
    netsh wlan set profileparameter name="profile name" interface="InterfaceName" autoswitch=No

    Substitute profile name in the commands above with the actual name (ex: "Brink-Router2") of the wireless network profile from step 2.

    Substitute InterfaceName in the command above with the actual interface name (ex: "Wi-Fi") from step 2. Specifying an interface name (aka: wireless adapter) can be handy when you have more than one wireless adapter, and only want to turn on or off autoSwitch for a wireless network on a specific wireless adapter (aka: interface).

    For example:

    ON: netsh wlan set profileparameter name="Brink-Router2" autoswitch=Yes
    ON (specific interface): netsh wlan set profileparameter name="Brink-Router2" interface="Wi-Fi" autoswitch=Yes

    OFF: netsh wlan set profileparameter name="Brink-Router2" autoswitch=No
    OFF (specific interface): netsh wlan set profileparameter name="Brink-Router2" interface="Wi-Fi" autoswitch=No

    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows-wlan_autoswitch_command-2.png
    Turn On or Off AutoSwitch for Wireless Network Connection in Windows-wlan_autoswitch_command-3.png

    4 You can now close the command prompt if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn Brink


    Related Tutorials



  1. Windows 11 Tutorials



  2. Try3
    Posts : 16,949
    Windows 10 Home x64 Version 22H2 Build 19045.4170
       New #1

    Brink,

    Option 1 Step 3 has changed, you now get the WiFi Status dialog by clicking on the View status of this connection item in the row above them



    All the best,
    Denis
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  4. Brink
    Posts : 68,967
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #2

    Try3 said:
    Brink,

    Option 1 Step 3 has changed, you now get the WiFi Status dialog by clicking on the View status of this connection item in the row above them

    All the best,
    Denis
    Thank you Denis. This is now added as an addition to the tutorial.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

  5. Try3
    Posts : 16,949
    Windows 10 Home x64 Version 22H2 Build 19045.4170
       New #3

    A user has reported that the autoswitch setting is no longer required for Windows to switch to a higher priority network i.e. it does so even if that setting has not been set.
    Windows 10 auto switching to stronger WIFI connection not working

    I've re-tested mine, and that user is correct. Switching is much quicker with the setting made.
    - auto-switching took 1 minute to switch to a higher priority network in my test if the auto-switch property was set
    - auto-switching took 7-9 minutes to switch to a higher priority network in my test if the auto-switch property was not set

    Have you experienced this?

    Denis
      My Computer
    Quote Quote

  6. Brink
    Posts : 68,967
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    Try3 said:
    A user has reported that the autoswitch setting is no longer required for Windows to switch to a higher priority network i.e. it does so even if that setting has not been set.
    Windows 10 auto switching to stronger WIFI connection not working

    I've re-tested mine, and that user is correct. Switching is much quicker with the setting made.
    - auto-switching took 1 minute to switch to a higher priority network in my test if the auto-switch property was set
    - auto-switching took 7-9 minutes to switch to a higher priority network in my test if the auto-switch property was not set

    Have you experienced this?

    Denis
    I haven't tested since I only use one Wi-Fi network here, but I can see auto switching making automatically connect faster.
      My Computers
    Quote Quote

 

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