Hiding Other Wi-Fi Networks When Connecting to Your Computer

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If there are multiple Wi-Fi networks in your area, you'll see them all when trying to connect your device to Wi-Fi. A list of unnecessary networks, especially the secured ones you never connect to, can become messy and annoying. Fortunately, you can hide these networks, except for the one you're connecting to, to avoid seeing a long and cluttered list. To learn how, follow the steps in the article below.

Hiding Other Wi-Fi Networks When Connecting to Your Computer

When you click on the Wi-Fi icon in the notification area on your computer, you'll see a list of wireless networks within your connection range. With modern routers available on the market, Wi-Fi signals are strong and cover a considerable range. Therefore, you'll have a list of Wi-Fi networks that you can see but cannot use. The good news is that you can hide them. However, hiding other Wi-Fi networks is only temporary. You may need to repeat these steps every time you use your computer.

Article Contents:
1. Why Hide Wi-Fi Networks?
2. How to Conceal Wi-Fi Networks.
3. Undoing Commands and Displaying Hidden Commands.
4. What About Hiding Your Own Wi-Fi Network?

1. Why Hide Wi-Fi Networks?

No need for further explanation; hiding other Wi-Fi networks means you won't see them when clicking on the Wi-Fi icon on your computer. When choosing a Wi-Fi network to connect to, any network name matching the blocked network won't appear in the current network list. Hiding Wi-Fi networks only works on your computer. In other words, what you do with the steps outlined below prevents them from being listed with your Wi-Fi network. Others can still see and connect to them.

Blocking a Wi-Fi network won't alert the owner, and it's not an illegal or unethical act. Hiding Wi-Fi networks doesn't actually prevent wireless signals from reaching your area. If you want to block nearby Wi-Fi networks because you're trying to improve a weak signal due to interference on your Wi-Fi network, it's better to switch to a different Wi-Fi channel.

2. Concealing Other Wi-Fi Networks Except the One You're Connected To.

It would be fantastic if you could simply right-click on a network you want to hide and click on the hide or block button, but Windows doesn't allow you to hide Wi-Fi networks through a convenient user interface. Instead, you have to run a few Command Prompt commands. Here's a relatively straightforward process if you follow the steps carefully:

- Open Command Prompt as an administrator by typing cmd in the search bar on the Start Menu. Right-click on Command Prompt in the search results and choose Run as administrator. If you're using Windows XP, you can open Command Prompt directly from the Start Menu without worrying about admin privileges.

- Enter the following command: netsh wlan show networks

- As you can see, all the wireless networks that your computer can connect to will be listed.
- Identify the Wi-Fi network you want to hide and make a note of its SSID. In the example below, the name of the Wi-Fi network that Mytour wants to hide is HTC_9EF2.

SSIDnetsh wlan add filter permission=block ssid='HTC_9EF2' networktype=infrastructureCommand PromptPasteThe system has successfully added the filter

- That's it, the specific Wi-Fi network will be hidden.

- Follow similar steps to hide each Wi-Fi network as desired.
If you have too many Wi-Fi networks to hide, you can run another command to add and block multiple networks at once. This saves more time, but note that if you proceed with these steps, you'll have to undo the commands if you want to display those networks again.
- Add the Wi-Fi network you want to see/allow with the command: Replace NETWORKNAME with the name of that Wi-Fi network.
netsh wlan add filter permission=allow ssid='NETWORKNAME' networktype=infrastructure

- Block all other networks:
netsh wlan add filter permission=denyall networktype=infrastructure

3. Undoing Commands and Displaying Hidden Commands.

Similar steps apply to the netsh command used to hide Wi-Fi networks.
- To identify which SSID has been blocked if you forget: netsh wlan show filters

- To unblock a specific Wi-Fi network: netsh wlan delete filter permission=block ssid='NETWORKNAME' networktype=infrastructure (replace NETWORKNAME with the name of that Wi-Fi network).
- To remove the block on all Wi-Fi networks: netsh wlan delete filter permission=denyall networktype=infrastructure

4. What about hiding your own Wi-Fi network?

If you're trying to hide your own Wi-Fi network, blocking the SSID from yourself isn't the answer. Disable SSID broadcast on your router and secure it with a strong password. These are just two of the best ways to secure your WiFi and prevent unwanted access. Additionally, you can enhance security by regularly changing your wifi password for your devices.

Unless WiFi thieves living next to you truly understand technology and security, and can spoof their MAC address, you can also enable MAC address filtering as an additional security layer for your Wi-Fi network.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of hiding Wi-Fi networks from the connection list?

Hiding Wi-Fi networks from your connection list helps to declutter your display by preventing unnecessary networks from appearing. This makes it easier to identify and connect to the desired network. However, it's important to note that hiding networks is a temporary solution, and the networks can still be accessed by others.

How can I temporarily hide multiple Wi-Fi networks at once?

To temporarily hide multiple Wi-Fi networks, you can use Command Prompt commands. By entering specific commands to block multiple networks at once, you can save time. Remember, this action is temporary, and you will need to repeat these steps for future connections.

Can I see hidden Wi-Fi networks again after hiding them?

Yes, you can view hidden Wi-Fi networks again by using the Command Prompt to delete the filter that was used to block them. By executing the command to remove the block, those networks will reappear in your connection list.

What should I do if I want to connect to a hidden Wi-Fi network?

If you want to connect to a hidden Wi-Fi network, you must first unblock it using Command Prompt. After unblocking, you can then search for the network in your Wi-Fi list and connect to it as usual.

Is it illegal to hide other Wi-Fi networks from my computer?

No, it is not illegal to hide other Wi-Fi networks from your computer. This action only affects your device's display and does not prevent others from accessing those networks.

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