Windows 10: Change Network Adapter Connection Priorities in Windows 10

How to: Change Network Adapter Connection Priorities in Windows 10

How to Change Network Adapter Connection Priorities in Windows 10


A network connection is a set of information that enables your computer to connect to the Internet, a network, or another computer. When you install a network adapter in your computer, Windows creates a connection for it in the Network Connections folder. A local area connection is created for an Ethernet network adapter. A wireless network connection is created for a wireless network adapter.

If a PC uses multiple network adapters (ex: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, VPN, etc..), it uses priorities to decide which adapter to use. Windows uses the Automatic Metric feature to determine the connection priorities.

A metric is a value that is assigned to an IP route for a particular network interface (aka: network adapter) that identifies the cost that is associated with using that route. For example, the metric can be valued in terms of link speed, hop count, or time delay. Automatic Metric is a new feature in Windows that automatically configures the metric for the local routes that are based on link speed. The Automatic Metric feature is enabled by default, and it can also be manually configured to assign a specific metric.

The Automatic Metric feature can be useful when the routing table contains multiple routes for the same destination. For example, if you have a computer with a 10 megabit (Mb) network interface and a 100 Mb network interface, and the computer has a default gateway that is configured on both network interfaces, the Automatic Metric feature assigns a higher metric to the slower network interface. This feature can force all of the traffic that is destined for the Internet, for example, to use the fastest network interface that is available.

The Automatic Metric feature is configured independently for each network interface in the network. This feature is useful in situations where you have more than one network interface of the same speed, for example, when each network interface has been assigned a default gateway. In this situation, you may want to manually configure the metric on one network interface, and enable the Automatic Metric feature to configure the metric of the other network interface. This setup can enable you to control the network interface that is used first in the routing of IP traffic.

In addition, the metric that is assigned to specific default gateways can be configured independently for each gateway. This setup enables a further level of control over the metric that is used for the local routes. For example, it is possible to enable the Automatic Metric feature to configure the routes that are assigned to the network interface, and at the same time to manually configure the metric that is assigned to the default gateways.

A network adapter (network interface) with a lower metric value will have a higher connection priority over network adapters with a higher metric value.

Normally, you will not need to change the metric value of a network adapter to change its connection priority unless the default connection priorities do not meet your needs.

Windows usually connects to networks in this priority order:

1. Ethernet
2. Wi‑Fi
3. Cellular (mobile broadband)

This tutorial will show you how to change network adapter connection priorities in Windows 10.

*Arrow You must be signed in as an administrator to change network adapter connection priorities.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Change Network Adapter Connection Priorities in Advanced TCP/IP Settings
• Option Two: To Change Network Adapter Connection Priorities in PowerShell

OPTION ONE [/i] To Change Network Adapter Connection Priorities in Advanced TCP/IP Settings
1. Open PowerShell, type the Get-NetIPInterface command into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

*note Make note of the metric values in the InterfaceMetric column for your network adapters (InterfaceAlias) to determine what metric value you want to use for a network adapter.

Network adapters with a lower metric value will have a higher connection priority over network adapters with a higher metric value.



2. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type ncpa.cpl into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Network Connections.

3. Right click or press and hold on the network adapter (ex: "Wi-Fi") you want to change the connection priority for, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)



4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and click/tap on the Properties button. (see screenshot below)

*note If your connection is IPv6 instead of the usual IPv4, select Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) instead.



5. Click/tap on the Advanced button. (see screenshot below)



6. Uncheck the Automatic metric box, enter a custom Interface metric number you want for this network adapter, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

*note You would want to enter a higher or lower metric value for the connection priority you want for this network adapter based on the current metric values from step 1 above.





7. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 5)

8. Click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below step 4)

9. When finished changing network adapter connection priorities, you can close Network Connections if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Change Network Adapter Connection Priorities in PowerShell

*note To see more usage options for the Set-NetIPInterface command, see: Set-NetIPInterface | Microsoft TechNet
1. Open an elevated PowerShell.

2. Type the Get-NetIPInterface command into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

*note Make note of the interface index number (ex: "11") in the IfIndex column for the network adapter (ex: "Wi-Fi") in the InterfaceAlias column you want to change the connection priority for.

Make note of the metric values in the InterfaceMetric column for your network adapters (InterfaceAlias) to determine what metric value you want to use for this network adapter (ex: "Wi-Fi").

Network adapters with a lower metric value will have a higher connection priority over network adapters with a higher metric value.



3. Type the command below you want to use into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)
(Apply to both IPv4 and IPv6 for network adapter)
*Arrow Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceIndex "IfIndex value" -InterfaceMetric "InterfaceMetric value"

OR

(Only Apply to IPv4 for network adapter)
*Arrow Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceIndex "IfIndex value" -AddressFamily IPv4 -InterfaceMetric "InterfaceMetric value"

OR

(Only Apply to IPv6 for network adapter)
*Arrow Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceIndex "IfIndex value" -AddressFamily IPv6 -InterfaceMetric "InterfaceMetric value"

*note Substitute IfIndex value in the commands above with the actual interface index number (ex: "11") from step 2 above for the network adapter (ex: "Wi-Fi") you want to change the connection priority for.

Substitute InterfaceMetric value in the commands above with the actual custom metric number (ex: "30") you want to use for the priority order of this network adapter (ex: "Wi-Fi"). You would want to enter a higher or lower metric value for the connection priority you want for this network adapter based on the current metric values from step 2 above.

For example:

Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceIndex "11" -InterfaceMetric "30"

OR

Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceIndex "11" -AddressFamily IPv4 -InterfaceMetric "30"






4. When finished changing network adapter connection priorities, you can close the elevated PowerShell window if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Connect To a Wireless Network in Windows 10
• How to Change Wireless Network Connection Priority Order in Windows 10
• How to Automatically Turn Off Wi-Fi Upon Ethernet Connect in Windows
• How to Add or Remove Wireless Network from Allowed or Blocked Filter List in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Network Adapters in Windows
• How to Rename a Network Adapter in Windows
• How to Create Network Connections Shortcut in Windows 10

:)

 

Adapter priority setting unavailable in Windows 10

Hi everyone. I recently upgraded to Windows 10 and I wish to change the order of priority of my network adapters in Windows 10 but I am unable to do so. Please tell me how I can change the order of priority of my network adapters in windows 10. Thank you

 

Windows 10 Tunngle Network Adapter priority cannot be changed

hey all... i have opened a new post here....Windows 10 Network Adapter priority cannot be
changed. y? wishing for a reply atleast from microsoft.

 

I get an error at powershell:
Get-NetIPInterface : Invalid slass
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-NetIPInterface
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : MetadataError: (MSFT_Net_NetIPInterface:Root/StandardCimv2/MSFT_NetIPInterface) (Get-NetIPInterface) , CimException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorID : HRESULT 0x80041010, Get-NetIPInterface

this is on my desktop, trying to change my ethernet on the comcast Assus XB3 from the 2.4 to 5.0 had to do a hard reset of routher and it wiped out my settings, difficult to get back.

 

Hello Lambert, *Smile

Go ahead and post a screenshot showing the error in PowerShell to see if anything may stand out.

 

I will try to do that, but I copied the above verbatim from the windows Power Shell
Only minus the lines above iy which identified my computer as mine. But I will try to do so now.

 

You might see if the answer posted below may be able to also help you with this issue.

*Arrow windows 10 - Get-Net* PowerShell cmdlets failing with Invalid class - Super User

 

I'm on it now, thank you Brink!
I'll post back after I work through that.





Updated
Reviewing the link Brink provided, found a possible answser through a link to WMI corrupt - how to reinstall/repair?

WMI corrupt - how to reinstall/repair?

sorry about the bold, cant seem to change it. there was an answer there provided by Chang Yin, which seems doable for me, but, it seems geared more for a server and I am just a a win10 desktop at home. So, did not want to run through it if not applicable, Any Thoughts?

And, Thanx again Brink, it does seem within my capabilities.

 

Yep, it'll work on a home desktop PC for trying to fix a corrupt WMI. *Smile