Vista - Network Discovery - Turn On or Off

**Brink** · **State** **Description**

How to Turn Network Discovery On or Off in Vista

Information

This will show you how to turn Network Discovery on or off so you can or cannot browse a network and people browsing a network can or cannot access shared files, folders, printers, or drives on your computer.

There are three network discovery states:

State	Description
ON	This state allows your computer to see other network computers and devices and allows people on other network computers to see your computer. This makes it easier to share files and printers.
OFF	This state prevents your computer from seeing other network computers and devices and prevents people on other network computers from seeing your computer.
Custom	This is a mixed state in which some settings related to network discovery are enabled (On), but not all of them. For example, network discovery could be turned on, but you or your system administrator might have disabled a firewall exception that affects network discovery. See Note below.

NOTE

If your network location type is set to Public, then Network Discovery will be turned off by default.
If your network location type is set to Private (Home or Work), then Network Discovery will be turned on by default.
For more on network location type, see: How to Change the Network Location Type in Vista
If any of these below are not set this way, then the network discovery state will be shown as Custom instead.
- Network Discovery requires that the DNS Client, Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery, and UPnP Device Host services are started. See: How to Disable or Enable Vista Services With a Advice Guide
- Network Discovery requires that the Windows Firewall exception for network discovery is enabled. For how, see step 6 here: How to Add or Delete an Exception in Windows Firewall in Vista

RELATED LINKS:

Here's How:

1. Open the Control Panel (Classic view).
A) Click on the Network and Sharing Center icon.

B) Go to step 3.

OR

2. Right click on the taskbar Network system tray icon.
A) Click on Network and Sharing Center.

3. Click on the down arrow to the right of Network Discovery to expand it. (See screenshot below)

4. To Turn Off Network Discovery -
NOTE: If it is set to Custom, then see the top of the tutorial for more details.
A) Dot Turn off network discovery. (See screenshot below)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Turn On Network Discovery -
NOTE: If it is set to Custom, then see the top of the tutorial for more details.
A) Dot Turn on network discovery. (See screenshot below)

6. Click on the Apply button.

7. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

That's it,
Shawn

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