Windows set WiFi preference order

Windows can control WiFi from the Command Prompt, including WiFi AP preference order. Via the Windows WiFi settings GUI page, the latest added WiFi pushes to the top of the preference stack. This is typically not desired, as when setting up a device in general, one usually connects to the most needed WiFi AP first, and over time adds temporary or less desired WiFi, which Windows keeps at the top of the WiFi preference list. This netsh command prompt procedure allows correcting the Windows WiFi preference order.

Show known WiFi AP

This command lists the known (previously connected) WiFi AP, just like shown in the Windows WiFi settings GUI:

netsh wlan show profiles

The WiFi AP are listed in preference order, from most preferred at the top to least preferred at the bottom. A key piece of information needed from this command is:

Profiles on interface “Wi-Fi”

The name might be “Wi-Fi 2” or other if multiple WiFi adapters are in the PC.

Set WiFi preference order

Using the information from:

netsh wlan show profiles

Put the WiFi APs in the desired priority order like:

netsh wlan set profileorder my_work_wifi Wi-Fi 1

netsh wlan set profileorder my_home_wifi Wi-Fi 2

where the trailing integer is the position in the Windows WiFi preference.

Notes

• show graphical report of WiFi AP signal, from an Administrator command prompt:

  netsh wlan show wlanreport

• Python example parsing netsh wlan signal under netsh.py