Page 944 - Windows 10 May 2019 Update The Missing Manual: The Book That Should Have Been in the Box

UP TO SPEED PUBLIC NETWORKS, PRIVATE
NETWORKS, AND HOW TO SWITCH

Throughout this chapter, throughout this book, and throughout
your life with Windows, you’ll encounter references to your
network being “discoverable” or “not discoverable,” or Public

or Private. Microsoft introduced this terminology out of
concern for you, the public—but it’s still complicated.

Here’s the problem: When you’re in a public Wi-Fi hotspot—at

a coffee shop, for example—bad guys with the right hacker
software can, in theory, get into your computer. You wouldn’t
want that.

So when you’ve told Windows you’re on a public network,
things attached to your machine, like printers, are not
discoverable. The bad guys can’t see them on the network.

Nobody can see them on the network.

When you’re at home or at the office, though, your network is
private. Bad guys couldn’t get in if they tried. So it’s OK to

share printers and files with other computers within your home
or office.

That’s the explanation, but here’s the punch line: You can share
files and printers only if Windows thinks you’re on a private

network—your own network.

So here’s how you change Windows’ mind about what kind of
network yours is:

Open → → Network & Internet. On the left, choose how
you’re connected (Wi-Fi or Ethernet). Choose the name of

your current connection.

On the next screen, the buttons you want are Public (you’re on
a public network, and you’d rather lock things down) or