Windows 10: Disable automatic connection of a wireless network

Hi Samuel,

Were you able to follow all of the steps that were provided on this thread? Have you noticed any differences?

I am running Win10. My computer keeps on connecting to a Wi-Fi network even though I have unchecked the box 'Connect Automatically'. I have followed all the solutions proposed above by Deepak Kodi and Anup Karkal but to no avail. This Wi-Fi network is available at all times, but I want to control my access to the Internet; I don't want to connect automatically. I often need to work off-line and cannot afford the security risks to work while on-line. I cannot trust my connection manager any more, because my laptop connects to any and all unsecured Wi-Fi networks in range as soon as I boot up.

I need the Wi-Fi connections to be active to connect to other devices in my network- it is not an option to turn it off.

This automatic connection to unsecured Wi-Fi networks constitutes a huge security risk for me. I need full command of my connection manager and connections to networks. This started to happen after the Win10 Update I received on Thursday 2017-07-20. Please return control of my laptop to me. Microsoft and Silicone Valley has no business taking control of my machine away from me.

The issue seems to be that the Microsoft responders are all working inside a domain with Group Policies set, while we are not. After considerable research, I seem to have found the answer by manually using netsh to set local Group Policies as shown here:

 To deny all SSID not ALLOWED:

> netsh wlan add filter permission=denyall networktype=infrastructure

To Add Available Wireless Network to Block List:

> netsh wlan add filter permission=block ssid="SSID" networktype=infrastructure

To Remove Wireless Network from Block List:

> netsh wlan delete filter permission=block ssid="SSID" networktype=infrastructure

To Add Available Wireless Network to Allow List:

> netsh wlan add filter permission=allow ssid="SSID" networktype=infrastructure

To Remove Wireless Network from Allow List:

> netsh wlan delete filter permission=allow ssid="SSID" networktype=infrastructure

To Show all allowed:

> netsh wlan show filters permission=allow

For several of these commands I have created shortcuts in a WIFI Mgmt folder, like this:

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /s /k "netsh wlan show filters"

I hope this solves some of the issues

Hello Fred,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

Sorry for the inconvenience caused with Windows 10.

You may follow the below steps to turn off the “connect automatically” option.

1. Press Windows key + A to open action center and click on All Settings.
2. Now select Network and Internet.
3. In the left panel, select Wi-Fi.
4. Now in the right panel, select the option Change Adapter Options.
5. The Change Adapter Options will open the Network Connections. You will find the network connection to which your computer or tablet is connected.
6. Double click on the wireless connection to open the Wi-Fi status. Go to Wireless Properties.
7. Under Connection tab, find out “Connect automatically when this network is in range“. By default it is enabled. To disable it, uncheck the option and tap ok.

Hope the information helps, do reply if you need further assistance.

Thank you.

Hi,

I have almost the same problem except that my laptop tryes to connect to unknown netowrks (I don't even know the password so connections attempts keep failing) repeatedly and automatically.

I tried to follow your instructions but at line (5.) I have to choose a connection to which my laptop is connected and there is not explanation how to access unknown networks, password protected.

How can I stop my laptop from trying to connect automatically to unknown netorks?

Tommaso