Windows 10 Settings (Network and Internet)

The Network and Internet settings section in windows 10 mainly contains settings for checking the network status, connecting to available Wi-Fi, setting Ethernet and Dial up, adding Virtual Private Networks (VPN), setting proxy and mobile hotspot as well as switching on airplane mode.

(i) Status

In the status section, the first heading is the (Network Status). Under this heading, the connection status figure is displayed (or shown) when you are connected and when you are not connected to a network.

The next option after this is the Troubleshoot button. When you click on this button, a dialog box appears that starts troubleshooting your network status in your computer system.

The next option after this is to show available networks. When you click on this option it opens the network connection area in your taskbar menu at the right side of your desktop. This will display all available Wi-fi networks that is around you.

The second heading is the (Advanced network settings). Under this heading, the first option is to change adapter options. When you click on this option, it takes you to the control panel page for network connections where you can view the adapters and change connection settings. (Not to worry, settings in the control panel will be explained in details later in this computer tutorial section)

The second option here is the Network and Sharing Center. When you click on this option it also takes you to the control panel settings section where you can set up a new connection network or start troubleshooting your device.

The next three options are: View hardware and connection properties - When you click on this option it takes you to a page where you can view the hardware and connection properties such as name, description, physical address, status, maximum transmission unit, IPv4 address, IPv6 address, DNS server and connectivity

Windows firewall - This takes you to the windows security section on your windows 10 where you can explore settings on firewall and network protection. (This section will be explained in details when I will be explaining the windows security settings).
The last link here is the Network reset - On clicking this link, takes you to a page where you can reset your networks by clicking the Reset now button option.
Your computer device will restart after resetting your networks.

(ii) Wi-fi

The wifi section here contains every possible settings that has to do with Wi-Fi connections and networks.

The first option in this page is the ON/OFF button which is used to switch ON/OFF your computer Wi-Fi connection.
The second is a link Show available networks. When you click on this link, it opens the network connection box from the right side of your desktop. It displays networks that are available, both wireless and non-wireless networks.

The link is the Hardware properties. When you click on this link, it takes you to a page where you can view the hardware properties such as the Manufacturer, Description, Driver's version and Physical address. It also has a Copy button, which you can use to copy its properties.

The Manage known networks is another link option, which when clicked takes you to a page where you can view networks that are already added (or used before) in your computer system.

The first option there is used to manually add a network. When you click on Add a new network, a dialog box appears for you to enter the name of the network, choose security type, enable connect automatically or connect even if the network is not broadcasting. After doing this, you can click on save.

For known networks, when you click on them, two button comes out below it, which is used to view its properties and forget the network (remove network from your computer system).

On going back to the main page, under the heading (Hotspot 2.0 networks) which is used to make networks more secured when connected to public Wi-Fi hotspot, you can switch ON/OFF the button there to use online sign up to get connected.

Lastly in this page, at the right side, under the related settings you will find other links. These are link settings that I have already explained or will explain during the cause of this tutorial, so for now, don't worry about them, you can move on to the next settings section.

(iii) Ethernet

In the Ethernet settings section, you will see only one option Ethernet. When you click on this option, it takes you to another page which you will find the settings for the Ethernet.

The first heading in this section is the (Metered Connection). This is an internet connection that has a data limit associated with it. You can turn this ON/OFF using the switch button under the text Set as metered connection. You can also click on the link set a data limit to help control data usage on this network. This link will take you back to the Status setting page where you can perform that operation.

The next heading is the (IP Settings) which has an Edit button beneath it. When you click on this button, it opens a dialog box where you can change the IP Settings to either Automatic (DHCP) or Manual.

The last heading here is the (Properties) section where you will find the Manufacturer, Description, Driver version and Physical Address properties. There is also a Copy button which you can use to copy all these properties when you click on it.

Remember that at the right side of this page and other settings pages, you will always find the Get help link which when clicked takes you to your default browser and opens a help page for you (Note that you must have internet connection for this to open and display information on the help page).

(iv) Dial-Up

This settings section is used to set phone line and modem which you can use to access the internet. Dial-up connections are slower, but they are very affordable.

In this settings page, if you have already added a phone or modem connection to your computer system, it will show up there.

When you click on the available Dial up, you have three button options which are the:

• Connect - for activating connection for that dial up set-up.
• Advance options - when you click on the button, it takes you to the settings page of that option.
• Remove - for removing that particular dial up set-up.

The first heading option here is the connection properties (Connection name, server name or address, Type of sign-in info, Username and Password). There is also Edit which when clicked opens up a dialog box where you can edit the connection properties information.
The next button is the Clear sign-in info which is used to clear the sign-in information.
The second heading is the (VPN proxy settings) section, under which you have a selection option which is attributed to VPN only. The selection option here are: Automatically detect settings, use setup script, manual setup and None.

On going back to the main page, the last link is the Set up an new connection. When you click on this link, it opens a dialog box for you to choose your connection option.
After choosing your connection option. Depending on the option you chose, when you click on the next button, it will take you to another dialog box prompt.
I will not go deep into this because of the scope of this particular tutorial section. But I will be showing you how to set up different new connections in the HOW-TO section on this website under the computer section.

Remember that you can also explore the links under the related settings at the right side of this page. Most of them have already be explained, so you can easily look at them again and see how they are related to this current settings page you are.

(v) VPN

VPN is a Virtual Private Network which is used to create secure connection. In this VPN setting page, the first option is the Add a VPN connection

When you click on this option, it opens a dialog box, where you can input the details of the VPN connection such as the VPN provider, Connection name, Server name or address, Type of sign-in info, Username and Password. After entering these details, you can click on the Save button below to add that VPN connection.

On going back to the main page again, under the heading Advance Options, the options available there are used to turn ON/OFF - Allow VPN over metered networks and Allow VPN while roaming.

(vi) Airplane Mode

The airplane mode setting page is used to disable wireless communications.

The first option here, when turned ON, stops all wireless communications such as Wi-Fi, Cellular and Bluetooth.
Also under the next heading (Wireless device) you will find the button which you can use to turn ON/OFF your Wi-Fi.

(vii) Mobile Hotspot

The settings options here become enabled (not greyed) when you are using your phone hotspot for your computer. On this page, the first is Share my internet connection with other devices. You can used the option below to either turn ON/OFF this option if you want to share your internet connection with other devices.

The second option is sharing your internet connection from. You can use the selection option below it to select where you want to share it from (Wi-Fi, etc).

The last area contains the Network name and Network password. Below this is the Edit which when you clicked on, takes you to a dialog box, where you can edit your network name and network password.

At the right side of this page, as usual there are link under the related settings heading. You will see another heading which is Help from the web (This shows up when your internet connection is active). Under this heading, there is a link Setting up mobile hotspot. When you click on this link, it opens your default browser to display information about the process of setting up mobile hotspot.

(viii) Proxy

Proxy is an intermediary between your computer system and the internet, it is often used to create secured connection which helps to save bandwidths.

On this proxy settings page, the first heading is the (Automatic proxy setup). Beneath this heading, you can turn ON/OFF the automatically detect settings for your computer to automatically detect proxy settings.
The next option there is using a set up script. When you turn ON the: use set up script, below it is an input field where you can fill in the script address for the proxy you want to use. (Script address is the URL or IP address of the proxy configuration).
Click on the Save When after entering the script address to save your configuration.

Under the next heading which is the (Manual proxy setup), you can set up your proxy manually by entering the address and port numbers. There is an input box, which you can use to exempt certain address that starts with some entries, from using the proxy.
And the last option is here the either enable/disable proxy server for local internet addresses.
The Save button when clicked on saves your manual proxy setup information or details.