Is there a difference between Private and Public networks in Windows?
Modern desktop and laptop computers can connect to the Internet either via Ethernet cable or wirelessly via Wi-Fi. Whichever method you choose, when you connect to a new network for the first time, Windows will prompt you to decide whether you want your device to be discoverable by other computers on the same network you’re currently connected to.
In other words, you must choose whether to treat the current network as a “Private” or “Public” network, and the decision that is taken at this moment entails some changes, as determining the type of network helps Windows to set the correct and appropriate settings.
For example, Windows becomes more conservative when connecting to a public network such as those found in coffee shops, airports, and libraries in order to enhance protection.
But the question is: How does Windows treat public and private networks differently, and how can you switch from one to the other? That's exactly what we cover in this article.
When Windows asks you what type of network you are currently connected to, you can answer No to treat the network as a private network or Yes to treat it as a private network. If you do not remember the answer you used when you first connected to the Internet,
You can modify this option from the settings as we will explain in this article. But first of all, let's first learn the difference between a public and private network for Windows.
On private networks Windows assumes that you are on a trusted network, perhaps your own at home,
It then enables features that make your device discoverable on the network (i.e. others can see it).
For example, Windows uses the HomeGroup feature that allows files, media, and printers to be easily shared between home computers connected to the same Internet network.
But if you are using a recent version of Windows 10, you will not be able to use the HomeGroup feature as it has been removed by Microsoft, while you will still be able to share content with devices on the network with the help of other tools.
On public networks, such as those in coffee shops, Windows adjusts settings that make your device undetectable by other devices on the network.
Therefore, you will not be able to share your files with them in order to keep the device as secure as possible. Even if you set up the HomeGroup feature on other computers you know on this network, it will be automatically disabled once the network is considered public.
So it's pretty simple — Windows assumes that your private network, like the one at your home or work, is a trusted network and full of other devices that you might want to connect to and share files with.
While Windows assumes that public networks are full of other people's computers that you don't want to share files with, it uses different settings.
How to switch between private and public network on Windows?
If you don't remember whether you chose to make the network private or public when Windows asked you when you first connected to the Internet via that network,
All you have to do is open the Control Panel window and then click on the section called "Network and Sharing Center" which displays a set of information and options for controlling the Internet network.
From there you will see the network type under the View your active networks section. It will either be Private network, meaning the network is private, or Public network, meaning the network is public. This is for modern versions of Windows.
On Windows 7, things are a little different, as there are 3 types of networks: Home Network, Work Network, and Public Network. The first means that the network is private, while the second is like a private network but features are enabled that make the computer discoverable on the network. It can be considered an intermediate option between a private network and a public network – the third type.
Now that you know what type of network your computer currently has, you can easily modify Windows settings to switch between private and public networks. All you have to do is open the Settings app on Windows 10 from the Start menu or by pressing the Win + i keys together on your keyboard.
Next, click on Network & Internet and then click on Change connection properties from the Status page. Alternatively, go to the Wi-Fi or Ethernet page from the side menu (depending on your internet connection type) and then click on the network name to display the window containing the internet control options.
You'll see some options for the Wi-Fi or Ethernet network you're currently connected to. The "Network profile" option controls whether the network is public or private.
Set it to "Public" and Windows will treat the entire network as a public network. Set it to "Private" and Windows will treat the network as a private network. Any changes you make now will change the discovery features of your device.
Windows 10 is clearly trying to simplify things by removing any other options from the Settings app and showing only two options: Public and Private to control whether your computer is discoverable on the network by other devices.
However, there are still a variety of options in the control panel that apply differently to public and private networks.
If you want to adjust discovery settings, regardless of the chosen network type, open Control Panel, select View network status and tasks under Network and Internet, and click Change advanced sharing settings. From here, you can control network discovery, file sharing, and Homegroup settings for public and private networks.
You can even enable discovery features on public networks, if you want to do so for some reason. Or you can disable discovery on private networks. By default, file and printer sharing is disabled on both types of networks in older versions of Windows, but you can enable it on either or both in newer versions.
It is worth noting that the Windows Firewall tool built into Windows contains different settings for private and public networks.
You can access it after opening Control Panel, then clicking on System and Security and from there click on Windows Firewall to configure the built-in firewall options.
For example, Windows can disable the firewall on private networks while enabling it on public networks, if you want to - but we definitely don't recommend this.
You can also click “Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall” and you'll be able to set firewall rules to work differently on public or private networks.
Conclusion: You can set the network type as Public network at your home or workplace if you don’t plan to use network discovery features and file sharing between connected devices. While if you always need to use features like Homegroup in Windows then set the network as Private network so that all discovery features are enabled on Windows.