Wireless Network - Connect To or Disconnect in Windows 8

How to Connect To or Disconnect from a Wireless Network in Windows 8 and 8.1

information   Information
If you have a laptop or a PC with a wireless network adapter, you can see a list of available wireless networks in your area, and then connect to one of those networks. The wireless networks will only appear if your PC has a wireless network adapter installed, the adapter is turned on, and the wireless access point is in range.

This tutorial will show you how to either set up, connect to, or disconnect from a wireless network on your PC in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

Note   Note
Windows usually connects to networks in this priority order:
  1. Ethernet
  2. Wi‑Fi (wireless)
  3. Mobile broadband
When you connect to a new Wi‑Fi network, it’s added to the list, and Windows will connect to that network while it’s in range. If you connect to another Wi‑Fi network while in range of the first network, Windows will prefer the second network over the first one.

Mobile broadband networks are treated differently. If you manually connect to a mobile broadband network when there is a Wi‑Fi network in range, the mobile broadband network is preferred just for that session. The next time you’re in range of both networks, the Wi‑Fi network is preferred. This is because mobile broadband networks typically are metered.

If you want to force your PC to prefer a mobile broadband network over Wi‑Fi, tap or click the Wi‑Fi network in the list of networks, and then click Disconnect. Windows won’t automatically connect to that Wi‑Fi network.

Tip   Tip
To be able to set up and add a wireless network connection on your PC, you will need to know the information listed below from your wireless router or access point.
  1. SSID (network name)
  2. Security type (ex: Open (none), WEP, WPA (TKIP), WPA-2 (AES))
  3. Security Key (aka: password, passphrase)
Router_Wireless_Settings.jpg


If you're having trouble connecting to a wireless network, then see:




OPTION ONE

Connect To a Wireless Network in Networks (Connect To)


1. Do step 2 or 3 below for how you would like to open Networks (Connect To).​
2. Click/tap on the wireless network icon
33772d1387654567-wireless-networks-priority-change-windows-8-network_icon.jpg
in your desktop taskbar notification area, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​
Taskbar.jpg

3. Open Charms, click/tap on the Settings charm, and click on the wireless network icon Wireless_Network_icon.jpg, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​
Settings.jpg
4. Click/tap on the listed wireless network (ex: Brink-Router) in range that you want to connect to. (see screenshot below step 5)​
5. If you like, check Connect automatically, then click/tap on Connect or press the Alt+C keys. (see screenshot below)​
Note   Note
You would check the Connect automatically box if you want Windows to place this wireless connection at the top of the connection priority order to automatically connect to this wireless network when it's in range.

Note   Note

Reconnect_Wireless_Network-1.jpg
6. Do step 7 or 8 below depending on if you have already set up and added this wireless network as a profile or not.​
7. If you had already set up and added this wireless network as a profile and are just reconnecting to it, then you will see this below, and go to step 10 below.​
Reconnect_Wireless_Network-2.jpg
8. If this is the first time you have connected to this wireless network, then if this is a secured wireless connection, enter the security key (password) of the wireless router or access point, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)​
Connect_To_Wireless_Network-2.jpg
9. Click/tap on Yes (private) or No (public) for this wireless network connection to be set as a private or public location. (see screenshot below)​
Connect_To_Wireless_Network-3.jpg
10. You are now connected to the wireless network (ex: Brink-Router), and have added it as a wireless network profile on your PC if it's not already.​





OPTION TWO

Connect To a Hidden Wireless Network in Networks (Connect To)



Note   Note
This option is for when you want to set up or connect to a wireless network connection on your PC when your router or access point is set to not broadcast it's SSID (network name) for it to show up in your list of available wireless networks like in OPTION ONE above.


1. Do step 2 or 3 below for how you would like to open Networks (Connect To).​
2. Click/tap on the wireless network icon
33772d1387654567-wireless-networks-priority-change-windows-8-network_icon.jpg
in your desktop taskbar notification area, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​
Taskbar.jpg

3. Open Charms, click/tap on the Settings charm, and click on the wireless network icon Wireless_Network_icon.jpg, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​
Settings.jpg
4. Click/tap on Hidden network at the bottom. (see screenshot below)​
Connect_To_Hidden_Wireless_Network-1.jpg
5. If you like, check Connect automatically, then click/tap on Connect or press the Alt+C keys. (see screenshot below)​
Note   Note
You would check the Connect automatically box if you want Windows to place this wireless connection at the top of the connection priority order to automatically connect to this wireless network when it's in range.

Note   Note

Connect_To_Hidden_Wireless_Network-2.jpg
6. Enter the SSID (ex: Brink-Router) name of the wireless router or access point, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)​
Connect_To_Hidden_Wireless_Network-3.jpg
7. If this is a secured wireless connection, then enter the security key (password) of the wireless router or access point, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)​
Connect_To_Hidden_Wireless_Network-4.jpg
8. Click/tap on Yes (private) or No (public) for this wireless network connection to be set as a private or public location. (see screenshot below)​
Connect_To_Hidden_Wireless_Network-5.jpg
9. You are now connected to the hidden wireless network (ex: Brink-Router), and have added it as a wireless network profile on your PC if it's not already.​





OPTION THREE

Manually Connect to Wireless Network in Network and Sharing Center


1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Network and Sharing Center icon.​
2. Click/tap on Set up a new connection or network. (see screenshot below)​
Manually_Set_Up_Wireless_Network-1.jpg
3. Click/tap on Manually connect to a wireless network, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)​
Manually_Set_Up_Wireless_Network-2.jpg
4. Enter the information for the wireless network you want to add and connect to, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)​
Note   Note
This would be the information from the yellow Tip box at the top of the tutorial from your router or access point.

Note   Note

Start this connection automatically = You would check this box if you want Windows to place this wireless connection at the top of the connection priority order to automatically connect to this wireless network when it's in range.​
Connect even if the network is not broadcasting = This is to be able to automatically connect to the wireless network when it's not broadcasting it's SSID (network name).​

Manually_Set_Up_Wireless_Network-3.jpg
5. Click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)​
Manually_Set_Up_Wireless_Network-4.jpg
6. You are now connected to the wireless network (ex: Brink-Router), and have added it as a wireless network profile on your PC if it's not already. (see screenshot below)​
Manually_Set_Up_Wireless_Network-5.jpg
7. You may also wish to set this wireless network connection to be a private or public location.​





OPTION FOUR

Disconnect from a Wireless Network in Networks (Connect To)



Note   Note
When you disconnect from a wireless network, Windows will no longer automatically connect to that wireless network.

Disconnecting from a wireless network will not delete it's profile on your PC.

You could use OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO above if you would like to connect to this wireless network again.


1. Do step 2 or 3 below for how you would like to open Networks (Connect To).​
2. Click/tap on the wireless network icon
33772d1387654567-wireless-networks-priority-change-windows-8-network_icon.jpg
in your desktop taskbar notification area, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​
Taskbar.jpg

3. Open Charms, click/tap on the Settings charm, and click on the wireless network icon Wireless_Network_icon.jpg, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​
Settings.jpg
4. Click/tap on the connected wireless network (ex: Brink-Router), and click/tap on Disconnect or press the Alt+D keys. (see screenshot below)​
Disconnect_Wireless_Network_Windows-8.jpg


That's it,
Shawn


 

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