Private or public network? Random?


Lamberto Vitali

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Windows 11 Professional (not the cut down rubbish)
I've googled this and find every opinion under the sun. How does windows determine if it's connected to a public or private network, and why does it always get it wrong? It even changes it's mind from one day to the next! Very annoying since Windows Firewall wants me to allow a program access through a supposably different network when I've changed nothing. It's just a desktop connected to a router by an ethernet cable. Nothing weird, fixed IP, always the same, yet Windows can't make up it's mind!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Professional (not the cut down rubbish)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built, of course
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 3900XT (on this one anyway, I have 8)
    Motherboard
    MSI X470 Gaming Plus Max
    Memory
    72G and 72GB and 64GB and 32GB and 32GB and 8GB and 8GB and 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Fury and 12 Tahitis
    Sound Card
    People still use cards for those?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    7 of them.
    Screen Resolution
    All sorts.
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVME, 4TB rust spinner
    PSU
    Several kW
    Case
    Unimportant
    Cooling
    Big Zalman 6 inch thing
    Keyboard
    Really?
    Mouse
    Yes
    Internet Speed
    32Mbit/7Mbit
    Browser
    Opera
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    [Crosses legs] Exactly what info are you looking for?
Hello, :alien:

If you like, you can add a "Change Network Location" context menu from the tutorial below to make it easy to toggle the current network connection as needed.

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Spectre x360 2in1 14-eu0098nr (2024)
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 7 155H 4.8 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Intel Arc
    Sound Card
    Poly Studio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    14" 2.8K OLED multitouch
    Screen Resolution
    2880 x 1800
    Hard Drives
    2 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
    Internet Speed
    Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
I've read from a google search if you change it, it gets changed back. Any way to make it permanent?

Also I'd really like to know HOW it works out what the type of network is.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Professional (not the cut down rubbish)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built, of course
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 3900XT (on this one anyway, I have 8)
    Motherboard
    MSI X470 Gaming Plus Max
    Memory
    72G and 72GB and 64GB and 32GB and 32GB and 8GB and 8GB and 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Fury and 12 Tahitis
    Sound Card
    People still use cards for those?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    7 of them.
    Screen Resolution
    All sorts.
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVME, 4TB rust spinner
    PSU
    Several kW
    Case
    Unimportant
    Cooling
    Big Zalman 6 inch thing
    Keyboard
    Really?
    Mouse
    Yes
    Internet Speed
    32Mbit/7Mbit
    Browser
    Opera
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    [Crosses legs] Exactly what info are you looking for?
I've read from a google search if you change it, it gets changed back. Any way to make it permanent?

Also I'd really like to know HOW it works out what the type of network is.


I always run my comp on "Public". IMO, it's just more secure.

This explains it, pretty much...
Settings > Network & Internet > ...and in my case: Ethernet

Image1.png







Gibson Research Corporation - Shields Up!

Image1.png

Image1.jpg


Image1.jpg


I don't play any online games that need ports opened.
I don't do Skype, Discord, Teams... or anything like that.
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦22631.3374 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® [May 2020]
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    Asus Pro WS X570-ACE (BIOS 4702)
    Memory
    G.Skill (F4-3200C14D-16GTZKW)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 2070 (08G-P4-2171-KR)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220P / ALC S1220A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U3011 30"
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2x Samsung 860 EVO 500GB,
    WD 4TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    WD 8TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    DRW-24B1ST CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling 750W Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Cooler Master ATCS 840 Tower
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 EVO (push/pull)
    Keyboard
    Ducky DK9008 Shine II Blue LED
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-100
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox (latest)
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Internet Security
    Other Info
    Speakers: Klipsch Pro Media 2.1
  • Operating System
    Windows XP Pro 32bit w/SP3
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® (not in use)
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd @ 3.2Ghz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
    Memory
    TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX (2 x 1GB, DDR2 800)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT SSC
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" Professional (CRT)
    Screen Resolution
    up to 2048 x 1536
    Hard Drives
    WD 36GB 10,000rpm Raptor SATA
    Seagate 80GB 7200rpm SATA
    Lite-On LTR-52246S CD/RW
    Lite-On LH-18A1P CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Generic Beige case, 80mm fans
    Cooling
    ZALMAN 9500A 92mm CPU Cooler
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-BT96a
    Keyboard
    Logitech Classic Keybooard 200
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox 3.x ??
    Antivirus
    Symantec (Norton)
    Other Info
    Still assembled, still runs. Haven't turned it on for 13 years?
Mine is currently private. The problem is it's changing it by itself. Tomorrow it might be public, then the next day private again. It makes the firewall have a hissy fit.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Professional (not the cut down rubbish)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built, of course
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 3900XT (on this one anyway, I have 8)
    Motherboard
    MSI X470 Gaming Plus Max
    Memory
    72G and 72GB and 64GB and 32GB and 32GB and 8GB and 8GB and 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Fury and 12 Tahitis
    Sound Card
    People still use cards for those?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    7 of them.
    Screen Resolution
    All sorts.
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVME, 4TB rust spinner
    PSU
    Several kW
    Case
    Unimportant
    Cooling
    Big Zalman 6 inch thing
    Keyboard
    Really?
    Mouse
    Yes
    Internet Speed
    32Mbit/7Mbit
    Browser
    Opera
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    [Crosses legs] Exactly what info are you looking for?
Mine is currently private. The problem is it's changing it by itself. Tomorrow it might be public, then the next day private again. It makes the firewall have a hissy fit.


I don't know why yours does that. Mine stays the same. BUT, I use Bitdefender Internet Security, so that may have something to do with it.

I have Bitdefender set like this, but as far as I know... the Windows setting over-rules this setting??

Image1.png


Maybe it stays on Public, unless something I do requires it to be Home/Office (Private).


All I know for sure is that if Shields Up! gives me a.. "Passed", then I'm a happy camper.
This message from Shields Up!, just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. :-)

Your system has achieved a perfect "TruStealth" rating. Not a single packet — solicited or otherwise — was received from your system as a result of our security probing tests. Your system ignored and refused to reply to repeated Pings (ICMP Echo Requests). From the standpoint of the passing probes of any hacker, this machine does not exist on the Internet. Some questionable personal security systems expose their users by attempting to "counter-probe the prober", thus revealing themselves. But your system wisely remained silent in every way. Very nice.


My system is... Ninja.png
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦22631.3374 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦23H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® [May 2020]
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    Asus Pro WS X570-ACE (BIOS 4702)
    Memory
    G.Skill (F4-3200C14D-16GTZKW)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 2070 (08G-P4-2171-KR)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220P / ALC S1220A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U3011 30"
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2x Samsung 860 EVO 500GB,
    WD 4TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    WD 8TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    DRW-24B1ST CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling 750W Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Cooler Master ATCS 840 Tower
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 EVO (push/pull)
    Keyboard
    Ducky DK9008 Shine II Blue LED
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-100
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox (latest)
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Internet Security
    Other Info
    Speakers: Klipsch Pro Media 2.1
  • Operating System
    Windows XP Pro 32bit w/SP3
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® (not in use)
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd @ 3.2Ghz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
    Memory
    TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX (2 x 1GB, DDR2 800)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT SSC
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" Professional (CRT)
    Screen Resolution
    up to 2048 x 1536
    Hard Drives
    WD 36GB 10,000rpm Raptor SATA
    Seagate 80GB 7200rpm SATA
    Lite-On LTR-52246S CD/RW
    Lite-On LH-18A1P CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Generic Beige case, 80mm fans
    Cooling
    ZALMAN 9500A 92mm CPU Cooler
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-BT96a
    Keyboard
    Logitech Classic Keybooard 200
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox 3.x ??
    Antivirus
    Symantec (Norton)
    Other Info
    Still assembled, still runs. Haven't turned it on for 13 years?
Since it's obviously badly broken, I don't think it's protecting me at all, so I'll just stop caring if it's public or private. In fact counterintuitively, public is safer.... I'll just have to tick both boxes whenever that pesky firewall complains. I only use the firewall to stop specific programs phoning home. I'm not a security conscious person. My router and AV software should block anything nasty.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Professional (not the cut down rubbish)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built, of course
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 3900XT (on this one anyway, I have 8)
    Motherboard
    MSI X470 Gaming Plus Max
    Memory
    72G and 72GB and 64GB and 32GB and 32GB and 8GB and 8GB and 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Fury and 12 Tahitis
    Sound Card
    People still use cards for those?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    7 of them.
    Screen Resolution
    All sorts.
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVME, 4TB rust spinner
    PSU
    Several kW
    Case
    Unimportant
    Cooling
    Big Zalman 6 inch thing
    Keyboard
    Really?
    Mouse
    Yes
    Internet Speed
    32Mbit/7Mbit
    Browser
    Opera
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    [Crosses legs] Exactly what info are you looking for?
Public is a PITA if you want to RDP to other PCs over a LAN.

I only ever use public on my travel laptop when outside home network.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro + others in VHDs
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Vivobook 14
    CPU
    I7
    Motherboard
    Yep, Laptop has one.
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel Iris XE
    Sound Card
    Realtek built in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    N/A
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Optane NVME SSD, 1 TB NVME SSD
    PSU
    Yep, got one
    Case
    Yep, got one
    Cooling
    Stella Artois
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Bluetooth , wired
    Internet Speed
    72 Mb/s :-(
    Browser
    Edge mostly
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    TPM 2.0
I use Remote Desktop (3rd party software) to connect to other machines on my network. I've never known that to fail on public. The firewall might have asked me first.

I don't use the built in one because for some crazy reason it actually disables the remote machine's graphics card! And I run calculations on the graphics card. The very calculations I'm trying to monitor remotely! It's weird they haven't fixed that bug by now.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Professional (not the cut down rubbish)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built, of course
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 3900XT (on this one anyway, I have 8)
    Motherboard
    MSI X470 Gaming Plus Max
    Memory
    72G and 72GB and 64GB and 32GB and 32GB and 8GB and 8GB and 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Fury and 12 Tahitis
    Sound Card
    People still use cards for those?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    7 of them.
    Screen Resolution
    All sorts.
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVME, 4TB rust spinner
    PSU
    Several kW
    Case
    Unimportant
    Cooling
    Big Zalman 6 inch thing
    Keyboard
    Really?
    Mouse
    Yes
    Internet Speed
    32Mbit/7Mbit
    Browser
    Opera
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    [Crosses legs] Exactly what info are you looking for?
I use Remote Desktop (3rd party software) to connect to other machines on my network. I've never known that to fail on public. The firewall might have asked me first.

I don't use the built in one because for some crazy reason it actually disables the remote machine's graphics card! And I run calculations on the graphics card. The very calculations I'm trying to monitor remotely! It's weird they haven't fixed that bug by now.
I did not say it fails but is PITA setting up network connections.

I do not use 3rd party software over LAN as RDP is superior imo.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro + others in VHDs
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Vivobook 14
    CPU
    I7
    Motherboard
    Yep, Laptop has one.
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel Iris XE
    Sound Card
    Realtek built in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    N/A
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Optane NVME SSD, 1 TB NVME SSD
    PSU
    Yep, got one
    Case
    Yep, got one
    Cooling
    Stella Artois
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Bluetooth , wired
    Internet Speed
    72 Mb/s :-(
    Browser
    Edge mostly
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    TPM 2.0
It doesn't cause me a problem. I just enter the windows network name and it connects to it.

I assume when you say "RDP" you mean the built in windows remote desktop? RDP just means remote desktop protocol, and is used by all sorts of programs. The windows one simply does not work. It disables the remote graphics card! It also creates a new login, so you don't actually see what's really on the screen, it behaves as though two people were logged into the machine. It's a mess. And it's why the 3rd party ones exist. And as I said, they don't care about that silly public setting.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Professional (not the cut down rubbish)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built, of course
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 3900XT (on this one anyway, I have 8)
    Motherboard
    MSI X470 Gaming Plus Max
    Memory
    72G and 72GB and 64GB and 32GB and 32GB and 8GB and 8GB and 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Fury and 12 Tahitis
    Sound Card
    People still use cards for those?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    7 of them.
    Screen Resolution
    All sorts.
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVME, 4TB rust spinner
    PSU
    Several kW
    Case
    Unimportant
    Cooling
    Big Zalman 6 inch thing
    Keyboard
    Really?
    Mouse
    Yes
    Internet Speed
    32Mbit/7Mbit
    Browser
    Opera
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    [Crosses legs] Exactly what info are you looking for?
It doesn't cause me a problem. I just enter the windows network name and it connects to it.

I assume when you say "RDP" you mean the built in windows remote desktop? RDP just means remote desktop protocol, and is used by all sorts of programs. The windows one simply does not work. It disables the remote graphics card! It also creates a new login, so you don't actually see what's really on the screen, it behaves as though two people were logged into the machine. It's a mess. And it's why the 3rd party ones exist. And as I said, they don't care about that silly public setting.

Windows RDP is far more efficient in response/latency etc..

It is not really designed to be like Teamviewer which is more for remote assistance. These are more for connecting over internet.

It is really designed to run remote systems as headless devices on a LAN. I have a remote file server with no monitor. MS RDP is perfect for this.

I see no reason to use 3rd party apps when MS RDP totally fulfills my needs.

I also use it to connect to virtual machines on my pcs from a mobile phone.

Horses for Courses.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro + others in VHDs
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Vivobook 14
    CPU
    I7
    Motherboard
    Yep, Laptop has one.
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel Iris XE
    Sound Card
    Realtek built in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    N/A
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Optane NVME SSD, 1 TB NVME SSD
    PSU
    Yep, got one
    Case
    Yep, got one
    Cooling
    Stella Artois
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Bluetooth , wired
    Internet Speed
    72 Mb/s :-(
    Browser
    Edge mostly
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    TPM 2.0
But it doesn't work for the two reasons I gave. You don't see the screen that's actually there for the person already logged on, so useless for troubleshooting. And it turns off the GPU, which may be in use! Two fatal bugs they should have fixed eons ago.

And "remote systems as headless devices on a LAN" is exactly what I'm doing, and it doesn't work.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Professional (not the cut down rubbish)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built, of course
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 3900XT (on this one anyway, I have 8)
    Motherboard
    MSI X470 Gaming Plus Max
    Memory
    72G and 72GB and 64GB and 32GB and 32GB and 8GB and 8GB and 8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Fury and 12 Tahitis
    Sound Card
    People still use cards for those?
    Monitor(s) Displays
    7 of them.
    Screen Resolution
    All sorts.
    Hard Drives
    1TB NVME, 4TB rust spinner
    PSU
    Several kW
    Case
    Unimportant
    Cooling
    Big Zalman 6 inch thing
    Keyboard
    Really?
    Mouse
    Yes
    Internet Speed
    32Mbit/7Mbit
    Browser
    Opera
    Antivirus
    AVG
    Other Info
    [Crosses legs] Exactly what info are you looking for?

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