I've connected a windows 8.1 to a windows 7 computer via ethernet (both in the same homegroup).

The ethernet connection shows up on both devices as 'unidentified network' and defaults to 'public network' type.

I've tried various proposed solutions for changing the connection type from public to private to no avail (e.g. in 8.1 when I go to the network connection via pc settings it only shows the properties - no switch to 'find devices and content').

I looked at a technet discussion that suggested changing the default security policy via MMC but I suspect my versions of windows won't let me do this (7 home premium, 8.2 ?).

Any advice or assistance much appreciated.

• Edited by You'reDreaming Saturday, March 21, 2015 11:32 PM typo corrected

Hi Fangzhou CHEN,

Thanks, but my connection to the internet is fine.  I was wanting to establish a direct ethernet connection between two PCs (separate to the internet connection each has via wifi).  Even though both PCs, one win 7 the other win 8.1, are in the same homegroup the direct ehternet network connection between them comes up as 'public' and I can't see how to change it to 'private'.  Thanks for your help.

I think the answer might be the following - when I've had a chance to try it out (the discussion is from win 10 preview but it doesn't appear as though the features are new) I'll come back and mark as answer if it solves the problem:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/f1c3040e-ec3d-40b2-9cc8-35f6e2a4e48e/changing-network-from-public-to-private-for-ethernet-connection?forum=WinPreview2014Setup

Kind regards

• Edited by You'reDreaming 4 hours 18 minutes ago add info

Yep, that is your problem. Windows8/10 automatically makes unidentified networks public. This is part of the security settings to minimise the chance of file sharing on unsafe networks. If you are happy that the network is secure, you can change it yourself (or change the security policy). 

Thanks Bill, I can change the network to private on the 8.1 PC with this method; with the win 7 PC, the powershell responds that ... 'get-connectionprofile' is not recognised ...'; is this feature missing from win 7, or have I not set something up correctly or something else?

Thank you

Hi Fangzhou CHEN,

Thanks, but my connection to the internet is fine.  I was wanting to establish a direct ethernet connection between two PCs (separate to the internet connection each has via wifi).  Even though both PCs, one win 7 the other win 8.1, are in the same homegroup the direct ehternet network connection between them comes up as 'public' and I can't see how to change it to 'private'.  Thanks for your help.

I think the answer might be the following - when I've had a chance to try it out (the discussion is from win 10 preview but it doesn't appear as though the features are new) I'll come back and mark as answer if it solves the problem:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/f1c3040e-ec3d-40b2-9cc8-35f6e2a4e48e/changing-network-from-public-to-private-for-ethernet-connection?forum=WinPreview2014Setup

Kind regards

• Edited by You'reDreaming Saturday, March 28, 2015 3:03 AM add info

  I thought that we had already established that this change came about in Windows 8! You said so yourself in the original post.

A belated thanks Bill.  I was wanting both machines (the win 7 and the win 8) to recognise the connection as home / private.  I've gone a different track and connected them via a spare router, solved.

For future reference you don't need a router, just use this PowerShell command:
Set-NetConnectionProfile -interfacealias Ethernet -NetworkCategory Private

Hope it will help.

• Edited by Dawid G. Kovacs 18 hours 33 minutes ago bold