In Windows, when yous connect to a wireless network, it will either annals it as a Public network or a Individual network. Private networks are basically abode and work whereas public networks are anywhere else, which you don't trust.

Sometimes Windows detects a individual network equally a public one and vice versa. Yous can 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 individual network.

In this article, I walk you through the steps for Windows 10, Windows eight.ane, Windows 8 and Windows seven.

Windows ten

In Windows 10, go ahead and click on the Ethernet or wireless icon in the system tray of your taskbar. The Ethernet icon is similar a footling computer and the wireless icon is, well, pretty well-known. In one case you practice that, click on theNetwork & Internet Settings link.

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

Go alee and click on the name of the WiFi network or Ethernet network that has the Connected condition. When you lot click on the network, you lot will now be able to select Public or Private.

For WiFi networks, you'll also accept the option to connect automatically when in range of the WiFi network.

Windows 8.1

In Windows viii.1, to change the network profile, nosotros have to go into the PC Settings screen. To do that, open the Charms bar and click on Change PC Settings at the lesser.

change pc settngs

At present click on Network and you'll come across the listing of connections, i.east Ethernet, Wireless, etc.

network connections

Now all you have to exercise is plough on the Find devices and content selection. It's automatically turned off for public networks, and then when yous turn it on, it changes the network to a individual network.

find devices and content

Windows 8

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

network sharing

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

private network

As yous tin can see above, my network is considered a Private network, which is correct since I'grand at home and connected via Ethernet. If this is incorrect, there are a couple of things yous can do. First, you can click on Change advanced sharing settings in the left-hand pane.

change sharing settings

Click on Private and then make sure yous take these options enabled:

– Turn on network discovery

– Turn on file and printer sharing

– Permit Windows to manage homegroup connections

network sharing

Then collapse Private and expand Invitee or Public and brand sure yous have these options set:

– Turn off network discovery

– Turn off file and printer sharing

public network

One time yous accept done this, y'all then need to go to the Windows eight desktop and open up the Charms bar. Click on Settings and so click on the Network icon.

network settings

You'll meet Network and so Continued. Go ahead and right-click on that and choose Turn sharing on or off.

turn sharing on

Now choose Yes if yous want your network to be treated like a private network and No if yous want it to be treated like a public network. Annotation that the label Private or Public may remain the same in Network and Sharing Middle, but once you choose the sharing settings manually, the network will have the appropriate settings practical.

turn sharing off

Windows 7

In Windows 7, the procedure is a bit different. You all the same have to click on the network icon in your taskbar, but this time click on the Open Network & Sharing Middle link.

Here, you volition run across an overview of your network connection. Under View your active networks, y'all'll see the name of the Ethernet or WiFi network and it should have a link underneath chosen Dwelling network, Work network or Public network.

Click on that link and you'll exist able to alter between the three unlike network types.

At that place is too an option in Windows seven to treat all future networks as public networks automatically, though I don't retrieve most people would find that useful.

Manually Force a Network Location

Every bit a last resort, if you can't change the network location using the methods to a higher place, yous can manually change the network location using a tool called secpol.msc. This volition non work on the Home, Educatee or Starter editions of Windows. In Windows, press the Windows Key + R, which will bring upwards the Run dialog box. Type in secpol.msc into the run dialog box.

run dialog

Then click on Network List Manager Policies at the left and on the right-manus side you should meet a couple of items with descriptions and then something called Network, which is the current network yous are connected to. It may also be called something else, just it doesn't have a description. If you are connected to a WiFi network, it will be the name of your WiFi network.

network list manager policies

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

network location

That'south about information technology! Non the easiest thing in the earth, simply information technology's Microsoft! If you are having problems with changing network locations in Windows, post a annotate here and we'll assist. Enjoy!