Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10  

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    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10

    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10

    How to Set Wi-Fi and Cellular Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered Connection in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Network & Sharing
    07 Dec 2021
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Set Wi-Fi and Cellular Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered Connection in Windows 10


    A metered connection is an Internet connection that has a data limit associated with it. Cellular data connections are set as metered by default. Wi-Fi and Ethernet network connections can be set to metered but aren't by default. Some apps might work differently on a metered connection to help reduce your data usage. Also, some updates for Windows won't be installed automatically.

    Internet service providers can charge by the amount of data used (the amount of data sent and received by your PC). That's called a metered Internet connection. These plans often have a data limit, and if you exceed the limit you might have to pay extra. In some cases, you aren't charged extra but your connection speed becomes slower until the billing cycle ends.

    If you have a metered Internet connection, setting your network connection to metered in Windows can help you reduce the amount of data you send and receive, and prevent Windows Update from automatically downloading and installing updates.

    Wi‑Fi networks — Windows sets Wi‑Fi networks to non-metered by default. But if your Internet service provider charges you by the amount of data you use, setting your network connection to metered can help you limit your data usage.

    Mobile broadband networks — Windows sets mobile broadband networks to metered by default. But if your mobile broadband service is actually unlimited, then you might want to change the network setting to non-metered.

    If a wireless network is set as a metered connection, then:
    • Any app that relies on an Internet connection to update or display info might be limited in the amount of data it can download or display.
    • Windows will automatically download and install updates, except on metered connections. In that case, Windows will automatically download only those updates required to keep Windows running smoothly.
    • Apps downloading from the Windows Store might be paused.
    • Start screen and Start menu live tiles might stop updating.
    • Offline files might not sync automatically.

    Starting with Windows 10 Creators Update version 1703, Windows Update will now also automatically download on a metered connection only those updates required to keep Windows running smoothly.
    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-updates_over_metered_connections.png

    This tutorial will show you how to set a wireless network (Wi-Fi or cullular) as a metered or non-metered connection to help reduce data usage for that network connection for all users in Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to do the steps in this tutorial.

    If you set a data usage limit for a cellular, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet network, it will also automatically set the network as a metered connection.



    Contents

    • Option One: Turn On or Off Metered Connection for Wireless Network in Settings app
    • Option Two: Turn On or Off Metered Connection for Wireless Network in Command Prompt






    OPTION ONE

    Turn On or Off Metered Connection for Wireless Network in Settings app


    1 Connect to the wireless network that you want to turn on or off as a metered connection.

    2 Do step 3 or step 4 below for how you would like to open Network settings.

    3 Open Settings, click/tap on the Network & Internet icon, and go to step 5 below.

    4 Click/tap on your network system icon in the taskbar notification area, click/tap on the Network settings link, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-network_settings_taskbar.png

    5 Do step 6 (current) or step 7 (select) below for which wireless network you want to manage.


    6 To Set Current Connected Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered

    A) Perform one of the following actions depending on if this a Wi-Fi or cellular network.
    • Click/tap on Wi-Fi on the left side, click/tap on the connected wireless network name (ex: Brink-Router2) on the right side, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)
    • Click/tap on Cellular on the left side, click/tap on the Advanced options link on the the right side, and go to step 8 below.

    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-metered_network_settings-1b.png


    7 To Set a Selected Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered

    A) Perform one of the following actions depending on if this a Wi-Fi or cellular network.
    • Click/tap on Wi-Fi in the left pane, and click/tap on the Manage known networks link under Wi-Fi on the right side. (see screenshot below)
    • Click/tap on Cellular on the left side, click/tap on the Advanced options link on the the right side, and go to step 8 below.
      Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-metered_network_settings-1.png

    B) Click/tap on the wireless network name (ex: Brink-Router2) you want to manage, click/tap on Properties, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)

    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-metered_network_settings-2.png


    8 Turn on or off to Set as metered connection for this Wi-Fi network. (see screenshot below)

    If you set a data usage limit for this network, this setting will be grayed out and managed by Windows instead.

    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-metered_network_settings-3.png

    9 You can now can close Settings if you like.






    OPTION TWO

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


    1 Open an elevated command prompt.

    2 Copy and paste the command below you want into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. This will show you a list of all wireless network profiles on your PC. If you already know this, then you can skip this step, and go to step 3 below. (see screenshot below)

    (Wi-Fi)
    netsh wlan show profiles

    OR

    (Cellular Mobile Broadband)
    netsh mbn show profiles

    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-wlan_metered_command-1.png

    3 Type the command below you want into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. This will let you see if a wireless network profile is currently set as a metered or non-metered connection. If you already know this, then you can skip this step, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below step 4)

    (Wi-Fi)
    netsh wlan show profile name="name"

    OR

    (Cellular Mobile Broadband)
    netsh mbn show profile name="name"

    Substitute name in the command above with the actual wireless profile name you want from step 2 above.

    Wi-Fi example:
    netsh wlan show profile name="Brink-Router2 2"

    Cellular Mobile Broadband example:
    netsh mbn show profile name="Viva"



    4 Under the Cost settings section, look to see what is set for Cost to see if this wireless network is set as metered or non-metered. (see screenshot below)


    Unrestricted (non-metered) = To set that this wireless connection is unlimited and not restricted by usage charges and data capacity constraints.

    Fixed (metered) = To set this wireless connection is not restricted by usage charges and capacity constraints until you reach a certain data limit.

    Variable (metered) = To set this wireless connection is charged on a per byte basis.

    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-wlan_metered_command-2.jpg

    5 Type the command below into the elevated command prompt to set the wireless network as a metered or non-metered connection, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)

    (Wi-Fi)
    netsh wlan set profileparameter name="name" cost=cost

    OR

    (Mobile broadband)
    netsh mbn set profileparameter name="name" cost=cost

    Substitute name in the command above with the actual wireless profile name you want from step 2 above.

    Substitute cost in the command above with either Unrestricted (non-metered), Fixed (metered), or Variable (metered) for what you want to set instead of what is currently set in step 4 above.

    For Wi-Fi example:

    (non-metered)
    netsh wlan set profileparameter name="Brink-Router2 2" cost=Unrestricted

    (metered)
    netsh wlan set profileparameter name="Brink-Router2 2" cost=Fixed

    (metered)
    netsh wlan set profileparameter name="Brink-Router2 2" cost=Variable

    For Mobile broadband example:

    (non-metered)
    netsh mbn set profileparameter name="Viva" cost=Unrestricted

    (metered)
    netsh mbn set profileparameter name="Viva" cost=Fixed

    (metered)
    netsh mbn set profileparameter name="Viva" cost=Variable

    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-wlan_metered_command-unrestricted.jpg
    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-wlan_metered_command-fixed.jpg
    Set Wireless Network as Metered or Non-Metered in Windows 10-wlan_metered_command-variable.jpg

    6 When successfully finished, you can close the elevated command prompt if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 109
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Hi Brink is this tutorial applicable to Build 9926?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello werty,

    OPTION TWO is, but I still need to update OPTION ONE. :)
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 109
    Windows 10 Pro
       #3

    Thanks Brink! :)
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    You're most welcome. :)
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #5

    @werty,

    Option One has been updated now for build 9926. :)
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 109
    Windows 10 Pro
       #6

    Thanks Brink!
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Anytime. :)
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 9,652
    W10 Pro, W10 Home
       #8

    Thank you for the heads up about there being a "metered connection" setting Shawn. I didn't even realize it was there and since I have Verizon wireless internet with a monthly data plan, it might help to have my wireless connection set to metered.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #9

    You're welcome Jay. :)
      My Computers


 

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