Once you connect to a wireless network, all of its security info, settings and password are automatically saved on your Windows device as a network profile. As a result, you will connect to that network automatically, the next time it is in range. In the older Windows versions you could possibly open the list all network profiles, in order to manage them. For instance, you could determine which connections are the most important for you by prioritizing them, change the information of the network profiles and delete profiles from networks, in which you do not want to connect to. However, none of those managing options are available in Windows 8. Let’s find out how you can manage your network profiles in Windows 8.
Change the Priority of Networks
In case you have many networks, gathered in one location, Windows 8 will decide the network that you will connect to, according to its priority. Therefore, you will not have to choose manually the most important network, because your operating system will find out which one is it by judging from your behaviour.
For example, if you connect to a specific network, you will put it at the top of the list. Then,if you decide to connect to another network, this particular one will replace the previous network at the top of the list. This happens, because Windows assumes that you want the second network at the top of the list permanently.
If you disconnect manually from a network, Windows 8 will remove the Connect Automatically tag from its profile. After this action, the network will go to the bottom of the list and you will have to reconnect manually, in case you want to have access to it again.
Edit the Profile Settings of a Network
The network management window in Windows 8 allows to adjust the settings of a network profile. You will notice that this process is simplier now than it was in previous Windows editions. Moreover, you will just have to go to the network list, instead of using the Network and Sharing Center.Â
-  If you want to access the network list,click or tap the Wireless Networking icon, found on the bottom right side of your Desktop screen.Â
- Alternatively, you could open up the Charms bar by pressing Win + C. Then select the Settings charm and click or tap on the Network icon.
- Find the name of the network (  Security Set Identifier – SSID ) in the corresponding list and right-click or press and hold on it. Next, click or tap View Connection Properties.Â
- Once you do this, a window will appear, where you will view information about the network profile. In this windows change the necessary info and then click or tap OK.
Remove Network Profiles in Windows 8
In case you no longer want to have access to a specific network, you will need to ensure that Windows will not attempt to automatically connect to it. Therefore, the best solution for that issue is the removal of the network’s profile from your operating system. This action may help you to troubleshoot a few additional issues, like profile corruption and incorrect security settings.
- In order to delete a network’s profile, you should first open the list of available networks. Find the network’s name in the list and right-click or press and hold on it.
- Finally, click or tap Forget this network to remove the selected profile from your Windows 8 device.
Although the Manage Wireless Networks window is not available in Windows 8, the operating system provides you with many features that you can use to manage your network connections and profiles. You may prefer the Manage Wireless Networks window at first, but once you get used to the features that Windows 8 offers you, you will probably like them better.
