Wireless Networks Priority - Change in Windows 8

How to Change Connection Priority of Wireless Networks in Windows 8 and 8.1

information   Information
A network connection is a set of information that enables your computer to connect to the Internet, a network, or another computer. When you install a network adapter in your computer, Windows creates a connection for it in the Network Connections folder. A local area connection is created for an Ethernet network adapter. A wireless network connection is created for a wireless network adapter.

This tutorial will show you how to change the connection priority order of your wireless network profiles to how you like for all users 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.


EXAMPLE: Networks
NOTE: This is the Networks (Connect To) list of network connections before and after changing the priority order of the Wi-Fi Networks.
Order-1.jpg





OPTION ONE

Change Connection Priority Order of Wireless Networks in Networks (Connect To)


1. Click/tap on the wireless network icon Network_icon.jpg in your desktop taskbar notification area to open Networks (Connect To).​
2. Click/tap on one of your wireless networks that you want to be at the top of the connection priority order list, check the Connect automatically box, and click/tap on Connect. (see screenshot below)​
Connect_Automatically.jpg
3. Windows will now automatically connect to that wireless network by default when it's within range.​





OPTION TWO

Change Connection Priority Order of Wireless Networks in Command Prompt



Note   Note
While this method can also be used in Vista and Windows 7, you will find it much easier to use the Manage Wireless Networks UI for them in the tutorial link below instead.

Manage Wireless Networks was removed in Windows 8, so this is why the method here below is using the command prompt instead.


1. Open a command prompt.​
2. In the command prompt, copy and paste the command below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)​
NOTE: This command will show you the name of the interface (ex: Wi-Fi), and a list of all wireless network profiles (ex: "Brink-Router" and "Brink-Router2") on your PC. You will need this information in step 3 below.​
netsh wlan show profiles
CMD-1.jpg
3. In the command prompt, type the command below, and press Enter. If you like, you could repeat this step to change the priority order of any other listed wireless networks as well. (see screenshot below)​
NOTE: This command will change the connection priority of the wireless networks on your PC.​
Code:
[B]netsh wlan set profileorder name="[COLOR=#ff0000]WirelessProfileName[/COLOR]" interface="[COLOR=#ff0000]InterfaceName[/COLOR]" priority=[COLOR=#ff0000]1[/COLOR][/B]
Note   Note
Substitute WirelessProfileName in the command for the wireless network profile name (ex: "Brink-Router" and "Brink-Router2") displayed in step 2 above that you want to change the priority of.

Note   Note

Substitute InterfaceName in the command for the name of the interface (ex: Wi-Fi) displayed in step 2 above.​
Substitute 1 (one) in the command for what priority order number you wanted to have the wireless network profile name listed in. In my example I only have 2 wireless network profiles listed, so I can use 1=first or 2=last.​

For example, if I wanted to change my Brink-Router (name) wireless network profile to be listed first (1) in the connection priority order instead of Brink-Router2, I would type the command below exactly.​
Code:
[B]netsh wlan set profileorder name="[COLOR=#ff0000]Brink-Router[/COLOR]" interface="[COLOR=#ff0000]Wi-Fi[/COLOR]" priority=[COLOR=#ff0000]1[/COLOR][/B]
CMD-2.jpg
4. If you like, repeat step 2 above to verify the priority order of your wireless network connections has been changed to how you wanted them.​
CMD-3.jpg
5. When finished, you can close the command prompt if you like.​


That's it,
Shawn


 

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Last edited:
I did this, and it says "Priority order for profile "_____ (my network profile name)" is not changed for Wi-Fi"
Any ideas?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 64-bit

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 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
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
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    Internet Explorer 11
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    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware 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
No worries Rebpiz.

It didn't get changed since you only have one wireless network profile. With only one profile, it naturally has priority by default. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 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
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware 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
I know last reply from this post was 21 Feb 2013 but still I wanted to share a solution to a problem that i faced using this tut.
I am using windows 8.1 pro x64 Version 6.3 (Build 9600) November update 2016
When u type in
Code:
netsh wlan show profiles
it will return
Code:
Profiles on interface WiFi
not
Code:
Profiles on interface [SIZE=4][FONT=century gothic][COLOR=#0000FF]Wi-Fi[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]
the key term being WiFi instead of Wi-Fi ... That has definitely changed 6.2->6.3 update
As a result instead of
Code:
[SIZE=4][FONT=century gothic][COLOR=#000000][FONT=arial]netsh wlan set profileorder name="Brink-Router" interface="[SIZE=4][FONT=century gothic][COLOR=#0000FF]Wi-Fi[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]" priority=1[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]
you need
Code:
netsh wlan set profileorder name="Brink-Router" interface="WiFi" priority=1
other wise you would get error "There is no such wireless interface on the system"
Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 15 Notebook PC
    CPU
    core i5 4200U 1.6GHz
    Motherboard
    HP 2163
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD graphics 2GB
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500 GB HGST HTS545050A7E680
    Cooling
    HP cool sense
    Keyboard
    built in hp keyborad
    Mouse
    Stech
    Internet Speed
    500kbs
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
Hello qwerty, :)

The interface name of the wireless adapter will vary from system to system. "Wi-Fi" was just an example of what mine was.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 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
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware 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
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