14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has confirmed an issue on which Windows 7 network connections can remain stuck on Public mode, and is providing a fix for the users affected by this problem.
According to the Redmond company, at fault is a setting which customers running Windows 7 can opt for by mistake, and that can prove impossible to change in certain scenarios.
“This issue can occur if you have inadvertently selected the checkbox beside the option to Treat all future networks that I connect to as public, and don’t ask me again. Once this option is set, you may be unable to change this setting,” the software giant revealed.
Essentially, users can find that they’re no longer able to modify network connection location options on their Windows 7 machine.
“You may be unable to change or set your network connection location when attempting to connect to a network using a Windows 7-based computer. The location associated to the network connection may not be a clickable link,” Microsoft explained.
Fortunately enough, the software giant is providing an automated Fix It solution designed to resolve this issue.
This particular Fix It troubleshooter can be downloaded via KB 2578723, an article in which Microsoft published additional details about the problem.
Specifically, Microsoft is also offering information of a manual workaround set up to resolve Windows 7 network connections stuck in public mode.
Customers will first need to shut down all applications that generate network traffic. Then, using Device Manager, customers will have to disable all the network adapters listed by the utility.
“While still in Device Manager, re-enable only the adapter that’s associated with the public-network setting that you are trying to change,” the company added. “Click Start, and type Network and sharing Center in the Search programs and files box, and then click Network and Sharing Center, from the list.”
“In the lower left side of the dialog box, click Choose homegroup and sharing options. Click What is a network location?, and select your network location. The last step is to re-enable your remaining adapters, one by one in Device Manager. To do this simply Right-click each of the disabled adapters under Network Adapters and click Enable,” the software giant explained.