Network and Internet Change Wi-Fi Network Connection Priority Order in Windows 11


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Wi-Fi_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to change the connection priority order of Wi-Fi network profiles in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Wi-Fi is a wireless local area network (WLAN) technology and standard that uses high-frequency radio waves to provide wireless Internet and network connections to your Windows device.

Windows connects to network adapter interfaces in this order of preference by default:
  • Ethernet
  • Wi‑Fi (wireless)
  • Mobile broadband (cellular)
When you connect to a Wi-Fi network for the first time, Windows will automatically add a profile for the Wi-Fi network in "Manage known networks". The saved profile contains the SSID (network name), security key (password), and connection and security properties used to connect to this specific Wi-Fi network.

Windows will automatically connect to your Wi-Fi network profiles based on a priority order when the Wi-Fi network is in range, and an Ethernet connection is not available.

If you check Connect automatically while connecting to a Wi-Fi network, that Wi-Fi profile will be placed at the top of the priority order list. If you have multiple Wi-Fi network connection profiles, you can change the priority order so the network profile you prefer will be the first one to use instead when in range.

If you have multiple Wi-Fi network connections, you can change the priority order so the profile you prefer will be the first one used by default when it's in range.


Contents

  • Option One: Change Wi-Fi Network Connection Priority Order while Connecting
  • Option Two: Change Wi-Fi Network Connection Priority Order using Command


EXAMPLE: Available network connections

Available_Wi-Fi_networks-1.png
Available_Wi-Fi_networks-2.png





Option One

Change Wi-Fi Network Connection Priority Order while Connecting


1 While manually connecting to a Wi-Fi network, check the Connect automatically box, and click/tap on Connect to place this Wi-Fi network profile at the top of the priority order list. (see screenshot below)

Connect_automatically_to_Wi-Fi_network.png





Option Two

Change Wi-Fi Network Connection Priority Order using Command


1 Open Windows Terminal, and select either Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt.

2 Copy and paste the command below into Windows Terminal, and press Enter to see a list of all Wi-Fi network profiles on each interface on your PC. (see screenshot below)

netsh wlan show profiles

The Wi-Fi network profiles will be listed in priority order to connect to when in range.

Make note of the Wi-Fi network profile name (ex: "Brink-Router2") you want to change the priority order of.

Make note of the interface name (ex: "Wi-Fi") this Wi-Fi network profile (ex: "Brink-Router2") is on.


Wi-Fi_network_profile_connection_priority_order_command-1.png

3 Type the command below into Windows Terminal, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

netsh wlan set profileorder name="Wi-Fi profile name" interface="InterfaceName" priority=#

Substitute Wi-Fi profile name in the command above with the actual wireless network profile name (ex: "Brink-Router2") from step 2.

Substitute InterfaceName in the command above with the actual interface name (ex: "Wi-Fi") from step 2.

Substitute # in the command above with a number (ex: "1") you want the wireless network profile to be listed as in the priority order list. For example, I have 2 wireless network profiles listed in step 2, so I can set to have the profiles listed in priority order between 1-2.

For example:

To set the "Brink-Router2" profile on the "Wi-Fi" interface first (top) in the connection priority order list.

netsh wlan set profileorder name="Brink-Router2" interface="Wi-Fi" priority=1

OR

To set the "Brink-Router" profile on the "Wi-Fi" interface second (bottom) in the connection priority order.

netsh wlan set profileorder name="Brink-Router" interface="Wi-Fi" priority=2


Wi-Fi_network_profile_connection_priority_order_command-2.png

4 Repeat step 3 until you have all the Wi-Fi profiles listed in the priority order you want.

5 Repeat step 2 to confirm the priority order is set how you want.

6 When finished, you can close Windows Terminal if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

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This tutorial shows how to prioritize WiFi connections and notes that an Ethernet connection will take priority over those WiFi connections if an Ethernet connection is available.

Is there any way to prioritize WiFi over Ethernet?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-11700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Prime Z590-A
    Memory
    128GB Crucial Ballistix 3200MHz DRAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - CPU graphics only (for now)
    Sound Card
    Realtek (on motherboard)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB NVMe Gen 4 x 4 SSD
    1 x 2TB NVMe Gen 3 x 4 SSD
    2 x 512GB 2.5" SSDs
    2 x 8TB HD
    PSU
    Corsair HX850i
    Case
    Corsair iCue 5000X RGB
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black cooler + 10 case fans
    Keyboard
    CODE backlit mechanical keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Additional options installed:
    WiFi 6E PCIe adapter
    ASUS ThunderboltEX 4 PCIe adapter
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
So, that tutorial shows how to prioritize network adapters, but it seems to have limitations. No matter what the interface metric is, Ethernet always seems to get priority over WiFi, even if the metrics assign priority to the WiFi adapter.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-11700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Prime Z590-A
    Memory
    128GB Crucial Ballistix 3200MHz DRAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - CPU graphics only (for now)
    Sound Card
    Realtek (on motherboard)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB NVMe Gen 4 x 4 SSD
    1 x 2TB NVMe Gen 3 x 4 SSD
    2 x 512GB 2.5" SSDs
    2 x 8TB HD
    PSU
    Corsair HX850i
    Case
    Corsair iCue 5000X RGB
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black cooler + 10 case fans
    Keyboard
    CODE backlit mechanical keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Additional options installed:
    WiFi 6E PCIe adapter
    ASUS ThunderboltEX 4 PCIe adapter
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
Success! I figured out what I wanted to do. This was all a part of trying to do Wake On LAN over <<WiFi>> and I now have it working. I'm going to do a write-up and post it later.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Intel i7-11700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Prime Z590-A
    Memory
    128GB Crucial Ballistix 3200MHz DRAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - CPU graphics only (for now)
    Sound Card
    Realtek (on motherboard)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB NVMe Gen 4 x 4 SSD
    1 x 2TB NVMe Gen 3 x 4 SSD
    2 x 512GB 2.5" SSDs
    2 x 8TB HD
    PSU
    Corsair HX850i
    Case
    Corsair iCue 5000X RGB
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black cooler + 10 case fans
    Keyboard
    CODE backlit mechanical keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Additional options installed:
    WiFi 6E PCIe adapter
    ASUS ThunderboltEX 4 PCIe adapter
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
Success! I figured out what I wanted to do. This was all a part of trying to do Wake On LAN over <<WiFi>> and I now have it working. I'm going to do a write-up and post it later.
just got here, you ever do that write up by chance?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo
There's also a third party utility called ManageWirelessNetworks that allows changing the position number easily.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    Intel Celeron N5105
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel UHD Graphics (integrated)

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