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

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.
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.

Windows usually connects to networks in this priority order:
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.
- Ethernet
- Wi‑Fi (wireless)
- Mobile broadband
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.

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.

If you're having trouble connecting to a wireless network, then see:
- SSID (network name)
- Security type (ex: Open (none), WEP, WPA (TKIP), WPA-2 (AES))
- Security Key (aka: password, passphrase)

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
in your desktop taskbar notification area, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)

3. Open Charms, click/tap on the Settings charm, and click on the wireless network icon
, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)

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)

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.

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.
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)
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)
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)

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
in your desktop taskbar notification area, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)

3. Open Charms, click/tap on the Settings charm, and click on the wireless network icon
, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)

4. Click/tap on Hidden network at the bottom. (see screenshot below)
5. If you like, check Connect automatically, then click/tap on Connect or press the Alt+C keys. (see screenshot below)

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.

6. Enter the SSID (ex: Brink-Router) name of the wireless router or access point, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
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)
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)
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)
3. Click/tap on Manually connect to a wireless network, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
4. Enter the information for the wireless network you want to add and connect to, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

This would be the information from the yellow Tip box at the top of the tutorial from your router or access point.

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).
5. Click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)
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)
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)

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.
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
in your desktop taskbar notification area, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)

3. Open Charms, click/tap on the Settings charm, and click on the wireless network icon
, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)

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)
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Start or Stop Connect Automatically to Wireless Network in Windows 8
- How to Connect to a Wi-Fi Network in Windows Phone 8
- Set Up Internet Sharing (tethering) of Cellular Data Connection in Windows Phone 8
- How to Turn On or Off Wi-Fi in Windows 8 and 8.1
- Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Turn Airplane Mode On or Off in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Change Connection Priority of Wireless Networks in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Find Your Wireless Network Security Key in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Find Your Default Gateway IP Address in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Enable or Disable a Network Adapter (NIC) in Windows
- How to Delete a Wireless Network Profile in Windows 8 and 8.1
- Wireless Network - Set or Unset as Metered Connection in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Hide or Show Data Usage for Wireless Networks in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Turn Network Discovery On or Off in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Enable or Disable Networks UI on Sign in Screen in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Add or Remove Wireless Networks from Allowed or Blocked Filter List in Windows
- How to Add a Virtual Private Network Connection in Windows 8.1
- How to Create a Network Connection Settings Shortcut in Windows 8.1
Attachments
Last edited: