How to manage network adapter settings on Windows 11
Here are the different ways to manage Wi-Fi and Ethernet network adapters on Windows 11.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
AlthoughWindows 11can detect and configure network adapters automatically, you may still need to perform additional steps to connect to a wireless network, enable specific features, review configurations, and troubleshoot problems.
In previous versions, you needed to use Control Panel to manage most aspects of Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters. However, on Windows 11, you can now configure the majority of the networking settings and features from the “Network & internet” section. For example, you can now enable or disable network adapters and configure DNS over HTTPS to improve security. It’s a lot easier to set a static or dynamic IP address, configure data limits, reset the adapters to fix most problems, and more.
In thishow-to guide, you will learn the different ways to manage network adapter settings through the Settings app.
These instructions have been updated to reflect the changes in the latest version of Windows 11.
How to enable or disable network adapter on Windows 11
To enable or disable a network adapter, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the adapter will disable and no longer be available for the system. The adapter will again be available to provide networking functionalities if you enable the option.
How to change network profiles on Windows 11
On Windows 11, changing the network profile type allows you to increase the networking security and make it easier to share files and other services with another computer in the network.
Ethernet connection
To make a network connection public or private, use these steps:
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
Wi-Fi connection
To change the network profile type for a Wi-Fi connection, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, depending on the profile you selected, the device will not be discoverable or be visible to other devices to access files and other services.
How to make network connection metered on Windows 11
A metered connection reduces the background data usage of Windows 11 and apps to prevent going over a limited data plan, such as on mobile hotspot plans that only offer a few gigabytes of data.
Ethernet connection
To make an Ethernet connection metered on Windows 11, use these steps:
Wi-Fi connection
To make a Wi-Fi connection metered, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the system and apps will use less data. For example, the operating system won’t download cumulative or feature updates, and some features likeOneDrivewon’t sync files to the cloud, and apps won’t download updates.
The settings will only apply to the current connection. If you connect to a different network, you must reconfigure the feature as needed.
If you want to disable the feature, you can follow the same steps, but instep 5, turn off the"Metering connection"option.
How to manage known wireless networks on Windows 11
On Windows 11, you can also provision Wi-Fi configurations to make connections easier. You can also delete those connections you no longer use for better management.
Add new Wi-Fi network
To provision a new wireless connection, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the network configuration will be applied to the device, and when the access point is within range, the computer will connect automatically without additional steps:
Remove existing Wi-Fi network
To delete a Wi-Fi connection from Windows 11, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the network configuration will no longer be available on the device.
How to connect to wireless network on Windows 11
To connect a computer to a wireless access point, use these steps:
Alternatively, you can also connect to the wireless network through thenetwork icon in the Taskbar.
How to view wireless networks on Windows 11
To view the Wi-Fi networks in range, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, you will see a list of the access points within range.
How to share wireless network password on Windows 11
On Windows 11 version 24H2 and higher releases, you can only view the password for an active wireless connection, but you can also share the credentials with other devices using a QR Code.
To share an active wireless connection password, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the device will be able to connect without extra configuration.
How to enable or disable wireless connection on Windows 11
To disable or enable wireless connectivity on Windows 11, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the wireless radios will turn off and connections will not form, but the adapter will continue to be available in the adapter.
How to configure DNS over HTTPS on Windows 11
On Windows 11, DNS over HTTPS (DoH) is a network protocol to encrypt Domain Name System (DNS) queries using the standard Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) protocol to safeguard DNS queries, which results in improved security and privacy browsing the internet.
Ethernet connection with DOH
To enable DoH on Windows 11, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the DNS queries will be sent encrypted over the internet.
Confirm DNS encryption
To confirm if the connection is encrypted, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, if you see the"Encrypted"(or"Encrypted preferred") status, DNS over HTTPS will work as expected.
Wi-Fi connection with DOH
To configure DOH for a wireless connection, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the wireless connection will transmit Domain Name System queries using the HTTPS protocol.
Confirm DNS encryption
Once you complete the steps, if you see the"Encrypted"(or"Encrypted preferred") status, then it means DoH is working on Windows 11.
How to configure static IP address on Windows 11
If a computer serves files, media content, and printers over the work, it should use a static Transfer Control Protocol Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) configuration instead of a dynamic configuration.
The reason is that a dynamic network configuration assigned by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server can always change. When it does, other devices in the network won’t be able to access the network resources (if they use the IP address). On the other hand, a static IP configuration doesn’t change, allowing the service to always be reachable.
Ethernet static settings
To set a static IP address configuration to an Ethernet adapter, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the computer will start using the new static network configuration.
Wi-Fi static settings
To configure a static TCP/IP configuration for a wireless adapter, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the wireless adapter will start using the new static IP address configuration.
I’m focusing this guide on IP version 4, but you can also refer to these steps to set up an IP version 6 configuration if your network supports it. You only need to turn on theIPv6option instep 7and provide the IPv6 addresses according to your network configuration.
How to configure dynamic IP address on Windows 11
If you have a computer with a static IP address, you can also change its configuration to allow the device to receive the network settings through the local Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.
Ethernet dynamic settings
To change the IP address of an Ethernet adapter from static to dynamic, use these steps:
Wi-Fi static settings
To set a dynamic IP address for a wireless adapter, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter will configure its IP address automatically through its Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.
How to configure network data limits on Windows 11
Windows 11 also allows you to set data limits for a specific network adapter. As you approach the limit, the system will send you a warning to help you stay within it.
To configure the data limit on Windows 11, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, Windows 11 will notify you when the limit is getting closer to help you stay under the data limit.
How to reset network adapter on Windows 11
When your laptop or desktop computer has connectivity issues, the reset feature will remove and install all the network adapters and reset all the configurations to their defaults to fix the most common problems.
To reset all the network adapter configurations, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the feature will remove and reinstall all the network adapters and will reset all the configurations to their defaults to fix any problems. If you also had a wireless connection, you may need to re-enter the authentication to connect to the network.
How to view network data usage on Windows 11
To view data usage per network adapter and apps on Windows 11, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, you will better understand the network data usage on your device.
How to view network adapter properties on Windows 11
On Windows 11, you can find the network configuration information within the adapter’s properties or through the Advanced network settings page.
Ethernet properties
To find out the IP address and other network settings of the Ethernet adapter, use these steps:
Wi-Fi properties
To determine the properties of the wireless adapter, use these steps:
Ethernet and Wi-Fi properties
To view the network information for the adapters installed on Windows 11, use steps:
After you complete the steps, you will be able to determine many networking configurations, such as link speed, IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, DNS server, driver version and manufacturer, MAC address, and more.
How to access network advanced properties on Windows 11
Although the Settings app still doesn’t include elements to fully configure a network connection, it does have an option to access the advanced properties through Control Panel.
To access the advanced network properties through the Settings app, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, you will have access to the legacy “Networking” and “Sharing” settings. In this experience, you can, among other things, turn protocols like IPv4 and IPv6 on or off, configure QoS, and other protocols. You can also also configure the internet sharing feature from the “Sharing” tab.
The “Configure” button will give you access to the hardware settings to configure specific advanced settings for the adapter, power management settings, and you can even manage various aspects of the driver.
How to rename a network adapters on Windows 11
If you want to change the network adapter name, you can do this directly from the networks settings.
To rename a network adapter, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the network adapter will reflect the new name.
More resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
