How to Turn On or Off Network Discovery in Windows 10
By default, the first time you connect to a new network (wired or wireless), you will be prompted "Do you want to allow your PC to be discoverable by other PCs and devices on this network?" by the Network Location wizard for a network location. For example: Private, Public, and Domain. Based on the network location you choose, Windows will automatically assign a network discovery state to the network and opens the appropriate Windows Firewall ports for that state.
Network discovery is a network setting that affects whether your computer can find other computers and devices on the network and whether other computers on the network can find your computer.
There are three network discovery states:
Discovery State Description On This state allows your computer to see other network computers and devices and allows people on other network computers to see your computer. This makes it easier to share files and printers. Off This state prevents your computer from seeing other network computers and devices and prevents people on other network computers from seeing your computer. Custom This is a mixed state in which some settings related to network discovery are enabled, but not all of them. For example, network discovery could be turned on, but you or your system administrator might have changed firewall settings that affect network discovery.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off network discovery for private and guest or public networks on your Windows 10 PC.
You must be signed in as an administrator to turn on or off network discovery.
See also: You can't turn on Network Discovery in Network and Sharing Center
Network discovery requires that the services below are enabled, set to automatic (startup type), and running (status).
How to Start, Stop, Restart, and Disable Services in Windows 10
DNS Client
Function Discovery Provider Host
Function Discovery Resource Publication
SSDP Discovery
UPnP Device Host
Windows Defender Firewall
Contents
- Option One: To Turn On or Off Network Discovery by Changing Network Location
- Option Two: To Turn On or Off Network Discovery in Control Panel
- Option Three: To Turn On or Off Network Discovery for All Network Profiles in Command Prompt
1 Change the network location (click on link) to Private (network discovery on) or Public (network discovery off). (see screenshot below)
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Network and Sharing Center icon.
2 Click/tap on the Change advanced sharing settings link on the left side. (see screenshot below)
3 Expand open the Private or Guest or Public network profile for the one you want to turn on or off network discovery. (see screenshots below step 4)
4 Select (dot) Turn on network discovery or Turn off network discovery for what you want to do, and click/tap on Save changes. (see screenshots below)
Under the Private network profile, you can also check (on) of uncheck (off) Turn on automatic setup of network connected devices if turning on network discovery.
5 When finished, you can close Network and Sharing Center if you like.
1 Open an elevated command prompt.
2 Do step 3 (on) or step 4 (off) below for what you want to do.
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Network Discovery" new enable=Yes
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Network Discovery" new enable=No
5 You can now close the elevated command prompt if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- How to Set Network Location to be Public, Private, or Domain in Windows 10
- How to Enable or Disable Network Location Wizard in Windows 10
- How to Add or Remove Change Network Location Context Menu in Windows 10
- How to Connect To a Wireless Network in Windows 10
- How to Turn On or Off File and Printer Sharing in Windows 10
- How to Turn On or Off Password Protected Sharing in Windows 10
- How to Turn On or Off Public Folder Sharing in Windows 10
- How to Share Files and Folders Over a Network in Windows 10
- How to View All Network Shares on a Windows PC