In version 10 of Windows, the home network began to be called private, and the public network became public. At the same time, they differ in the same way as before, i.e., access parameters to shared files and folders, and the ability to use a shared printer.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to change one type of network to another in order to perform some action. We will tell you how to do this in this article. To find out what type of connection is currently being used, go to network control center and shared access and find out the parameters of the required connection.
Changing your network connection
Some OS versions offer a fairly simple and quick way to change the connection type. All you have to do to do this is go to " Options", then go to the section " Network and Internet", and here you can change the properties of the active connection. 
After selection, the required property will be installed and nothing else needs to be done. If the OS version does not support this method, then you will have to use one of the other recommendations.
Changing network settings
There is another option available for those whose device is connected using twisted pair cable. To use this method, you should right-click on the current connection, and then go to network parameters.
In the next menu you need to go to tabEthernet, then click on the name of the active connection. A window will then open with the option to make the device discoverable. To do this, you need to enable this option by moving the corresponding slider. 
Change when connected wirelessly
The algorithm of actions in this case does not differ much from the previous paragraph. First of all, you need to get into connection parameters. This can be done by right-clicking on the Wi-Fi icon and selecting the desired item.
In the menu that opens, you should also select Wi-Fi, and then click on the active connection. 
In the window that appears, you can make the connection private, or, conversely, make it available to all users. 
Using Home Groups
This method will only help those users who need to change the type of their network from public to private; the reverse conversion will not be possible in this way.
To configure, you need to open the item Home group, which can be found in the Control Panel. This will open the HomeGroups panel, which will tell you that it can only include computers with a private connection. To convert, click "". 
After which, the system will request confirmation of this action, and then carry out the conversion process itself.
Resetting network settings
As a rule, the connection type is selected the first time the computer connects to the local network, after which it can only be changed using the above methods. But you can also pretend that the computer is connecting for the first time. For this you will have to reset settings.
To do this, you will need to go back to Settings - Network and Internet. Then you need to go to the status tab, which is located on the left. Will be available here reset parameters.
After selecting the appropriate item, the operating system will request confirmation of the action. Usually, immediately after the process is completed, a reboot occurs, but if it did not happen, then you should do it yourself.
After restarting, the device will make a new connection and you can select the desired settings.
It is worth saying that it makes sense to use a private network only if you have a router through which the main data exchange with the Internet occurs. In this case, all computers in the room can be combined. If the PC is connected directly, via a provider cable, then you need to choose a publicly accessible one, since it uses more secure exchange protocols.
Just 5 years ago, organizing a local connection between several computers meant purchasing special equipment (switches or hubs), which had to be configured and prepared for the successful functioning of the network. Today, when almost every apartment has a router, or router, with the help of which wired or wireless communication is organized between a number of systems, the need to buy third-party equipment has disappeared by itself, since if you set up communication between computers, it becomes possible to organize file exchange, including with using a local connection.
Why is a local network needed at all? In such a network it is possible share movies, music, pictures, play 3D games with live opponents. All these features together make up an excellent help for organizing and setting up a connection, and the very possibility of playing with real people in multiplayer immediately reduces all the time and moral costs of customizing the connection, as well as the dissatisfaction from the appearance of possible pop-up pitfalls during setup, to nothing.
In this material I will tell you how to generate and tune a wired/wireless connection between several nodes on a local network, and what is needed for this.
A prerequisite for organizing a local connection in Windows 10 via a router is already. This article does not cover setting up the router, since we have already described the setup process in a separate article (link above). We will assume that your router is working properly and stably, and there are no problems (such as periodic loss of connection or communication interruption). Also, using the instructions provided, you can organize a wired connection bypassing Wi-Fi.
Setting up a local network connection - detailed instructions
The first thing we need to do is join all the computers on the network to one workgroup. To see which workgroup your selected PC belongs to, right-click on the “Start” button and select “System” in the pop-up menu.
In the system properties form that opens, click the “Change settings” button in the section where the name of the computer and the domain to which this node belongs are indicated. The “Computer Name” tab opens, where, among other information, there is information about the workgroup.
As you can see, my PC belongs to the “WORKGROUP” group. An alternative way to get to the same form is to use the “Win + R” key sequence and enter the command sysdm.cpl. As a result, you will also be taken to the same form.
What if the workgroup names are different on different computers, and you need to change the group on one or more of the selected machines? On the same form, click the “Change” button and in the new form that opens, enter the group name we need.
When entering the name of a working group, do not use the Cyrillic alphabet; use only Latin characters.
Here we check the option “View task and network status” in the “Internet and network connection” category.
In the form that opens, open the “Change additional sharing settings” subsection.
Enable the OS to manage workgroup connections, printer and file sharing, automatic configuration, and PC discovery on the network.
Select the “All network connections” section and there check the “Disable password protected sharing” option. After that, save all changes by clicking on the save button.
Do the same operations on all systems that you want to connect to the local network, after which we can move on.
How to set up access to file objects and directories on a PC
To organize general access to a folder on the network, you need to right-click on the corresponding directory and select “Properties”, then click on the “Access” tab and then “Advanced settings”.
To open general type access to the directory, check the box to open access to the general type directory and click the “Permissions” button. Here, select those users for whom you want to provide access, and indicate what kind of access you want to give. The most preferable option is “Read Only”, since if you open access to other users for changes, in the near future you may be missing several dozen files in your directory.
Now go to the “Security” tab in the directory properties and for the “Everyone” user set access only to read the contents of the directory and to run files in the specified folder, so that you can watch movies on any computer with a local connection, without first copying them to your PC . To change permissions, click the "Edit" button for the corresponding user.
Now, if you did everything correctly, the folders you shared will be visible on other computers connected to a single local network.
This way, you can freely use shared resources stored on other PCs, thereby saving valuable disk space without duplicating the same files on multiple nodes. Using a local connection is incredibly convenient, and I hope you will also appreciate all the advantages and benefits of this approach to storing and using data.
If you are using a wired connection, select the tab Ethernet and left-click on the Ethernet connection. If the Ethernet adapter is disabled, then the Ethernet will be unavailable.
Network profile Public or Private
If you are using a wireless connection, select the tab WiFi and in the right part of the window, left-click on your Wi-Fi connection. If the Wi-Fi adapter is disabled, then the tab WiFi will be unavailable.
In the next window, in the category Network profile select the network profile you need: Public or Private. Changes take effect immediately.
How to change network type (network location) using Windows PowerShell
You can also change the network type using Windows PowerShell. To do this, you first need to find out the number of the network interface for which you need to change the network type. with administrator rights and run the command:
"Public"
Interface_number-NetworkCategory Public
where instead of Interface_number
Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceIndex 2 -NetworkCategory Public
To change the network type (network location) to "Private", run a command like this:
Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceIndexInterface_number-NetworkCategory Private
Where instead Interface_number indicate your interface number.
In this case, the command will look like this:
Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceIndex 2 -NetworkCategory PrivateAfter executing the command, the changes take effect immediately.
There are several types of network locations.
■ Private networking is used for home networks or networks whose users and devices are known and trusted. Computers on a private network can belong to a homegroup. For private networks, network discovery is enabled, allowing other computers and devices connected to the network to be used and allowing other users to access the computer from the network.■ Public network used in public places (such as cafes and airports). This location is configured to make the computer "invisible" for other users and increase its protection against malicious software on the Internet. Homegroup is not available on public networks, and network discovery is disabled. This option should also be selected if you are using a direct Internet connection without a router or a mobile broadband connection.
■ Network location option Domain is used for domain-based networks, such as those that exist at workplaces in organizations. This type of location is controlled by the network administrator and cannot be selected or changed.
If you don't need to share files or printers, the safest option is Public network
09.21.2017 windows | for beginners | Internet
In Windows 10, there are two profiles (also known as network location or network type) for Ethernet and Wi-Fi networks - private network and public network, which differ in default settings for settings such as network discovery, file and printer sharing.
In some cases, you may need to change a public network to a private one or a private one to a public one - ways to do this in Windows 10 will be discussed in this manual. Also at the end of the article you will find some additional information about the difference between the two types of network and which is better to choose in different situations.
Note: Some users also ask about how to change a private network to a home network. In fact, the private network in Windows 10 is the same as the home network in previous versions of the OS, the name has just changed. In turn, the public network is now called public.
You can see what type of network is currently selected in Windows 10 by right-clicking on the network connection icon in the notification area and selecting the “Network and Sharing Center” context menu item. In the "view active networks" section, you will see a list of connections and what network location they are using. (You may also be interested in: How to change the network name in Windows 10).
Changing a private network to a public network and back for a local Ethernet connection
If your computer or laptop is connected to the network by cable, to change the network location from “Private Network” to “Public Network” or vice versa, follow these steps:
The parameters should be applied immediately and, accordingly, the network type will change after they are applied.
Add to notes to watch later?
Changing the network type for Wi-Fi connection
Essentially, in order to change the network type from public to private or vice versa for a wireless Wi-Fi connection in Windows 10, you should follow the same steps as for an Ethernet connection, differing only in the action in step 2:
The network connection settings will be changed and when you go back to the Network and Sharing Center, you will see that the active network is of the desired type.
How to Change a Public Network to a Private Network Using Windows 10 HomeGroups Setup
There is another way to change the network type in Windows 10, but it only works in cases where you need to change the network location from “Public Network” to “Private Network” (i.e. in one direction only).
The steps will be as follows:
After applying the settings, the network will be changed to "Private".
Resetting network parameters and then selecting its type
At the same time, if your computer is connected to the network directly with a provider cable (i.e. not through a Wi-Fi router or another router of your own), I would recommend turning on “Public network”, since despite the fact that the network “located at home”, it is not home (you are connected to the provider’s equipment to which, at a minimum, your other neighbors are also connected and, depending on the provider’s router settings, they can theoretically gain access to your devices).
If necessary, you can disable network discovery and file and printer sharing for a private network: to do this, in the Network and Sharing Center, click “Change advanced sharing settings” on the left, and then set the necessary settings for the “Private” profile.
Did you like it? Vote! Support the project:Windows operating systems, starting with Vista, use different network profiles to provide greater network security. Windows 7 had Public Network and Home Network profiles. Starting with Windows 8, the Home Network profile was renamed to Private Network.
The "Public Network" profile imposes more restrictions on data transfer over the network. For example, you cannot create a homegroup on a public network. The Private Network profile has fewer of these restrictions.
Technically, each of these profiles is a set of firewall settings and local security policies.
Open "Network Center" (right button on the network tray icon) and you will see there:
In this illustration, the network name is highlighted ( Network 2) and its type is public. In Microsoft terminology, the network type is called "network location". That is, everywhere in the Windows interface there are signatures like “network location Public” or “network location Private”.
By default, when you create a new network, Windows assigns it the "Public Network" profile. When you connect to any network, Windows 10 issues this request:
If you click the "Yes" button, the network will be assigned the "Private" type. But if you click "No" or ignore this request, then Windows 10 will assign this network type to "Public".
If only the Internet passes through the network, then it makes no difference what type of network. And it is even preferable to use the “Public Network” profile because it is more secure.
However, when connecting computers to a local network, its type already matters. It may be necessary to change the network profile from “Public” to “Private” to reduce data transfer restrictions on this network. Data transfer refers to the transfer of files between computers, sharing of shared resources, such as a printer.
On Windows 7, you could change the network type directly in the Network Center, but in Windows 10 this option is not available. If you need to change the network type under Windows 10, you need to do it differently.
There are several options.
Change network to private through Windows 10 settings
The first way is to use the standard options in the Windows 10 settings. You need to click on the network icon in the tray and click the “Network Settings” command in the menu:
Then click on “Ethernet” (or on WiFi) and in the right panel click on the adapter name:
Some difficulty to understand here is that the adapter name does not match the network name in the Network Sharing Center. This is such a hassle.
At the very top of the new screen (adapter properties), you need to turn the switch on or off:
Position " On"changes the network type to " Private". Position " Off"changes the network type to " Public".
Change the network to private through local policies
Second way. Open local security policies:
- Or through the Control Panel - Administration.
- Or Windows + R on your keyboard, then secpol.msc and Enter.
There you need to open a policy that has the same name as the network you need (the very first screenshot of this article). It is located in the Network Manager Policies branch:
Then, in the properties of this policy, open the “Network Location” tab and specify the location type and user permission there:
Note! The user permission must be set exactly as indicated in the screenshot - “The user cannot change the location.” With other options, the setting will not work.
Change Windows 10 network type through the registry
The easiest and fastest way is to edit the Windows registry. But at the same time this is the most unsafe way. If you do not know how to handle the registry, then read the article to the end and use safer methods.
You need to find the key in the registry HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles.
This key must contain at least one key with a type name (84464.....E00). Each such key corresponds to one network, which is displayed in the Network Control Center. You can match the key with the desired network using the parameter " ProfileName". This setting contains the name of the network that appears in the Network and Sharing Center.
If you have several profiles in the Network and Control Center, then according to the parameter "ProfileName"find the required key and, in this key, change the value of the parameter" Category".
Parameter values " Category" may be the following:
- 0 - "Public network".
- 1 - "Private network".
- 2 - Domain network.
Change the "Category" parameter to one of these values and close the editor. If immediately after this the network type does not change in the Network and Sharing Center, then restart Windows.
Change Windows 10 network type via PowerShell
You can also do the same thing through PowerShell, but this method seems to me the most inconvenient. The fact is that you will have to write a very long command:
Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name "Ethernet 2" -NetworkCategory Private(or Public)
