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How to Set Network Location to be Public or Private in Windows 10
Information
A network location identifies the type of network that a PC is connected to with a network adapter.
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. Turning on this setting prepares your PC for sharing files and devices on a network. Based on the network location you choose, Windows will automatically assign a
network discovery state to the network and automatically sets the appropriate Windows Firewall and security settings for the type of network that you connected to. You can change the network location anytime.
This tutorial will show you how to set the network on your PC to be connected to a
domain,
public, or
private type of location for all users in
Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an
administrator to be able to change the network location of a network adapter.
Note
Public network = By default, the public network location type is assigned to any new networks when they are first connected. A public network is considered to be shared with the world, with no protection between the local computer and any other computer. Therefore, the Windows Firewall rules associated with the public profile are the most restrictive. This blocks the following apps and services from working: PlayTo, file sharing, network discovery, and automatic setup of network printers, TVs, and other devices.
Private network = A private network location type can be for home or small office networks, or when you know and trust the people and devices on the network. This setting allows your PC to connect to a homegroup and devices on the network, such as printers.
Domain network = The domain network location type is detected when the local computer is a
member of an Active Directory domain, and the local computer can authenticate to a domain controller for that domain through one of its network connections.
CONTENTS:
- Option One: To Change a Network Location in Settings app
- Option Two: To Change a Network Location in Registry Editor
- Option Three: To Change a Network Location Local Security Policy
- Option Four: To Change a Network Location in PowerShell
- Option Five: To Change Network Location of Current Network Connection in PowerShell
- Option Six: To Change Network Location of Current Network Connection using a VBS file
EXAMPLE: Network Location of adapter in "Network and Sharing Center"
OPTION ONE
To Change a Network Location in Settings app
1. Do
step 2 or
step 3 below for how you would like to open
Network settings.
2. Click/tap on your
network system icon in the taskbar notification area, click/tap on the
Network settings link, and go to
step 4 below. (see screenshot below)
3. Open
Settings, click/tap on the
Network & Internet icon, and go to
step 4 below.
4. Do
step 5 (Ethernet) or
step 6 (Wi-Fi) below for you currently connected network.
5. To Change Network Location of Ethernet Network
A) Click/tap on
Ethernet on the left side, click/tap on the Ethernet connection (ex: Brink-Router2) on the right side you are
currently connected to, and go to
step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
6. To Change Network Location of Wi-Fi Network
A) Click/tap on
Wi-Fi on the left side, click/tap on the
Manage known networks link. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on the wireless network name (ex: Brink-Router2) you are
currently connected to, click/tap on
Properties, and go to
step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Do
step 8 (Private) or
step 9 (Public) below for the network location you want.
Note
Make this PC discoverable settings will not be available if you have
UAC set to
Always notify. Setting UAC to a different level will allow
Make this PC discoverable settings to be available.
Make this PC discoverable settings will not be available if you have a
Hyper-V virtual switch with this Ethernet connection.
Starting with
Windows 10 build 16199, Microsoft updated the Network connection properties page to make it easier and prominent. Instead of the previous toggle under
Make this PC discoverable, you’ll now find two radio buttons to select whether the profile should be public or private.
8. To Change to a Private Network Location
9. To Change to a Public Network Location
10. When finished, you can close Settings if you like.
OPTION TWO
To Change a Network Location in Registry Editor
1. Type
regedit in the search box (Windows+Q) on Start or taskbar, and press Enter to open Registry Editor.
2. If prompted by
UAC, click/tap on
Yes.
3. In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles
4. Double click/tap on the
Profiles key in the left pane to expand it. Click/tap on each long GUID number subkey, and look at it's
ProfileName string value in the right pane to see if it has the current network name (ex: Network) until found. (see screenshot below)
5. When you find the correct
ProfileName for your network name, double click/tap on the
Category DWORD value in the same right pane to modify it. (see screenshot below)
6. Type in a new data value number for the network location you want, and click/tap on
OK. (see screenshot below)
| Network Location |
Data Value |
| Public |
0 (zero) |
| Private |
1 |
| Domain |
2 |
7. When finished, you can now close Registry Editor if you like.
8. Sometimes you may need to
sign out and in of your user account to apply the new network location.
OPTION THREE
To Change a Network Location Local Security Policy
Note
1. Open the
Local Security Policy (secpol.msc).
2. In the left pane, click/tap on
Network List Manager Policies. (see screenshot below)
3. In the right pane of
Network List Manager Policies, double click/tap on your network name (ex: Network). (see screenshot above)
Note
You can click/tap on All Networks if you wanted to apply this to all networks on your PC instead of a single network.
4. Do
step 5 (Not configured),
step 6 (Private), or
step 7 (Public) below for what you would like to do.
5. To Allow Network Location to be changed by OPTION ONE and OPTION TWO
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the
Network Location tab. (see screenshot below)
B) Under
Location type, select (dot)
Not configured.
C) Under
User permissions, select (dot)
Not configured.
D) Click/tap on
OK, and go to
step 8 below.
6. To Change to a Private Network Location
A) Click/tap on the
Network Location tab. (see screenshot below)
B) Under
Location type, select (dot)
Private.
C) Under
User permissions, select (dot)
User cannot change location.
D) Click/tap on
OK, and go to
step 8 below.
7. To Change to a Public Network Location
A) Click/tap on the
Network Location tab. (see screenshot below)
B) Under
Location type, select (dot)
Public.
C) Under
User permissions, select (dot)
User cannot change location.
D) Click/tap on
OK, and go to
step 8 below.
You can now close Local Security Policy if you like.
OPTION FOUR
To Change a Network Location in PowerShell
Note
Thank you to our member
sm156 for pointing out this option.
1. Open an
elevated Windows PowerShell.
2. Do
step 3 (see current location),
step 4 (Private), or
step 5 (Public) below for what you would like to do.
3. To See your Current Network Location
A) Copy and paste the command below into the elevated PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
Get-NetConnectionProfile
B) Make note of the
name of your network. For example:
Brink-Router3
C) Go to
step 4 (Private) or
step 5 (Public) below for what you would like to set your network location as.
4. To Set Network Location to Private
A) Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to
step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name "Brink-Router3" -NetworkCategory Private
Note
Substitute
Brink-Router3 in the command above with your network name from
step 3 above instead.
5. To Set Network Location to Public
A) Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to
step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name "Brink-Router3" -NetworkCategory Public
Note
Substitute
Brink-Router3 in the command above with your network name from
step 3 above instead.
When finished, you can now close PowerShell if you like.
OPTION FIVE
To Change Network Location of Current Network Connection in PowerShell
1. Open an
elevated Windows PowerShell.
2. Do
step 3 (Private) or
step 4 (Public) below for what you would like to set the network location of your current network connection.
3. To Set Network Location of Current Network Connection to Private
A) Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to
step 5 below. (see screenshot below)
$net = get-netconnectionprofile;Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name $net.Name -NetworkCategory Private
4. To Set Network Location of Current Network Connection to Public
A) Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to
step 5 below. (see screenshot below)
$net = get-netconnectionprofile;Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name $net.Name -NetworkCategory Public
When finished, you can now close PowerShell if you like.
OPTION SIX
To Change Network Location of Current Network Connection using a VBS file
1. Do
step 2 (Private) or
step 3 (Public) below for what you would like to set the network location of your current network connection.
2. To Set Network Location of Current Network Connection to Private
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to
step 4 below.
Set_Current_Network_Location_to_Private.vbs
3. To Set Network Location of Current Network Connection to Public
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to
step 4 below.
Set_Current_Network_Location_to_Public.vbs
Save the .vbs file to your desktop.
5. Run the .vbs file.
6. Unblock the .vbs file. (see screenshot below)
7. Click/tap on
Yes or
OK when prompted by
UAC.
8. The network location of your current network connect will now be changed.
That's it,
Shawn
Quote
Hi Brink,
