In Windows, when you connect to a wireless network, it volition either register information technology as a Public network or a Private network. Private networks are basically home and work whereas public networks are anywhere else, which you lot don't trust.

Sometimes Windows detects a individual network as a public ane and vice versa. You tin manually make some changes to ensure that you are not accidentally sharing either too much on a public network or blocking all sharing on a private network.

In this commodity, I walk y'all through the steps for Windows 10, Windows viii.ane, Windows 8 and Windows vii.

Windows x

In Windows 10, go alee and click on the Ethernet or wireless icon in the organisation tray of your taskbar. The Ethernet icon is like a piddling computer and the wireless icon is, well, pretty well-known. One time you do that, click on theNetwork & Internet Settings link.

This will bring you lot to the PC settings dialog with the Condition tab selected. If y'all are connected to a WiFi network, click on WiFi in the left-mitt pane, otherwise click on Ethernet.

Get ahead and click on the name of the WiFi network or Ethernet network that has the Connected status. When you click on the network, you volition now be able to select Public or Private.

For WiFi networks, you lot'll as well have the option to connect automatically when in range of the WiFi network.

Windows 8.1

In Windows 8.i, to alter the network profile, we have to go into the PC Settings screen. To do that, open the Charms bar and click on Change PC Settings at the bottom.

change pc settngs

Now click on Network and you lot'll see the list of connections, i.e Ethernet, Wireless, etc.

network connections

Now all you have to exercise is plow on the Notice devices and content option. It'southward automatically turned off for public networks, so when you turn information technology on, it changes the network to a individual network.

find devices and content

Windows 8

For Windows 8, follow the following procedure. First, right-click on the network icon in the Windows 8 system tray and click on Open Network and Sharing Center.

network sharing

Here you lot will see the network you lot are connected to and what type of network Windows 8 has identified it equally.

private network

As you lot can run into above, my network is considered a Private network, which is right since I'm at home and connected via Ethernet. If this is wrong, there are a couple of things you tin can practice. Get-go, you tin can click on Change avant-garde sharing settings in the left-hand pane.

change sharing settings

Click on Individual and and then make sure you lot have these options enabled:

– Plough on network discovery

– Turn on file and printer sharing

– Allow Windows to manage homegroup connections

network sharing

Then collapse Individual and expand Guest or Public and make sure you have these options set:

– Turn off network discovery

– Turn off file and printer sharing

public network

Once you have washed this, you lot then need to go to the Windows 8 desktop and open up the Charms bar. Click on Settings and and so click on the Network icon.

network settings

You'll see Network and then Connected. Get ahead and right-click on that and choose Plough sharing on or off.

turn sharing on

At present choose Yes if you want your network to be treated like a private network and No if you want it to be treated similar a public network. Notation that the label Individual or Public may remain the same in Network and Sharing Centre, but once you choose the sharing settings manually, the network will accept the advisable settings practical.

turn sharing off

Windows vii

In Windows vii, the procedure is a chip dissimilar. Yous however have to click on the network icon in your taskbar, but this fourth dimension click on the Open up Network & Sharing Center link.

Here, y'all will see an overview of your network connection. Under View your active networks, you'll encounter the name of the Ethernet or WiFi network and it should take a link underneath called Dwelling house network, Work network or Public network.

Click on that link and y'all'll exist able to change between the 3 different network types.

In that location is also an choice in Windows seven to treat all futurity networks as public networks automatically, though I don't think most people would find that useful.

Manually Force a Network Location

As a last resort, if you tin can't change the network location using the methods above, you can manually alter the network location using a tool called secpol.msc. This volition non piece of work on the Domicile, Pupil or Starter editions of Windows. In Windows, press the Windows Key + R, which will bring up the Run dialog box. Blazon in secpol.msc into the run dialog box.

run dialog

And then click on Network List Manager Policies at the left and on the right-manus side you should see a couple of items with descriptions and so something chosen Network, which is the electric current network you lot are connected to. Information technology may also be called something else, but it doesn't have a description. If you lot are connected to a WiFi network, it will be the name of your WiFi network.

network list manager policies

Double-click on it and click on the Network Location tab. Hither you can manually change the network location from Individual to Public and vice versa.

network location

That's nigh it! Not the easiest affair in the world, but information technology's Microsoft! If you are having problems with irresolute network locations in Windows, postal service a annotate hither and we'll help. Bask!