How to change network connection priority in Windows 11

If you use a Windows 11 PC daily, you may have noticed that sometimes the system connects to the network that You're not interested at all: the neighbor's Wi-Fi you stumbled upon one day, an old office network, or the 2,4 GHz band instead of the 5 GHz band. All of that is related to the network connection priority which Windows assigns automatically based on your usage history, but which you can control and fine-tune much more.

In addition to choosing which WiFi network to connect to first, you can also decide whether the system should prioritize the wired connection versus WiFi, adjust advanced parameters of the wireless card (roaming, channel width, power, energy saving, etc.) and get the most out of the speed and stability of your networkWe're going to look at everything step by step and in considerable detail so you can get your Windows 11 running perfectly.

How network priority works in Windows 11

Windows 11 maintains a list of known WiFi networks and assigns a internal priority based on usageOf all the saved networks within range, the system will attempt to connect to the one you use most often, unless there are signal or authentication problems. This automatic behavior is fine in a pinch, but if you want real control over which network your device connects to, you'll need to resort to... manual configuration.

In this context, it is useful to distinguish three different things that can be prioritized in Windows:

• Connection type: prioritize Ethernet (cable) or WiFi.
• Network cards or adapters: if your computer has multiple interfaces (for example, two network cards, VPN, virtual adapters).
• WiFi Profiles: decide which saved wireless network should go first, including the preferred band (2,4 / 5 / 6 GHz).

Windows 10 and Windows 11 prioritize wired connections over wireless ones by default because they are usually more stable and fasterHowever, you can change that logic without having to connect and disconnect cables, simply by adjusting the metrics and the way the system calculates priority.

Changing the priority of a WiFi network in Windows 11 using Terminal

The most accurate way to tell Windows 11 which WiFi network to use favorite es Use the netsh command from the TerminalIt's a slightly more technical method, but it allows you to control exactly the order of the saved wireless profiles.

View saved WiFi networks and their order

To begin, you need to open a Terminal window with administrator privileges, otherwise you will not be able to modify the profile settings:

1. Right click on the button Home on the taskbar.
2. Choose “Terminal (Administrator)”.
3. Accept the account control notice by clicking on "Yes".

Once the Terminal opens (it could be Windows Terminal, PowerShell, or the built-in Command Prompt), type this command and press Enter:

netsh wlan show profiles

A list will appear on the screen with all the known WiFi networks by the team. Windows displays them in an order that reflects their usage: from the most used (the one with the highest current priority) to the least used. There you will see the exact names (SSIDs) that you will then have to use to change the priority.

Set a WiFi network as priority

To change the system's preferred network and set it as the first, another netsh command is used. The basic syntax is as follows:

netsh wlan set profileorder name=»NetworkName» interface=»Wi-Fi» priority=1

Important details to keep in mind when using this command:

• Replaces NetworkName by the exact SSID that appears in the list (respecting uppercase letters, lowercase letters and spaces).
• Always keep the quotation marks around the name, especially if it has spaces.
• The option interface="Wi-Fi" Indicate which adapter the change applies to (on most devices the name is simply “Wi-Fi”).
• Parameter priority It allows you to assign the priority number, where 1 is the highest priority.

After running the command, you can verify that the change has been applied correctly by repeating the listing command:

netsh wlan show profiles

The network you've put priority=1 It should now appear in the first position. From that moment on, as long as that network is available and there are no issues, Windows 11 will attempt connect to it first.

Reorder multiple WiFi networks by priority

If you have a few saved networks (home, work, parents' house, mobile data sharing, etc.), you can assign increasing priorities to have a logical order. For example: uterine

• Main home network: priority=1
• Guest Network: priority=2
• Mobile hotspot: priority=3
• Old network from another floor: priority=4

The idea is that Windows uses your preferred connection first and only resorts to others if the primary one is unavailable. This method of organizing Wi-Fi profiles is especially useful if you move between locations and don't want to keep switching networks. every now and then.

Change WiFi connection priority from Windows 11 Settings

If you don't want to touch the command line, Windows 11 allows you to "simulate" a priority system by playing with the option “Connect automatically” of each network and with the list of preferred networks. It's not as refined as netsh, but for many users it's more than enough.

Access available and preferred WiFi networks

Follow these steps to enter the area where saved networks are managed:

1. Balance Windows + I to open the Settings app.
2. In the side menu, go to “Network and Internet”.
3. Click on "Wi-Fi".
4. Select option “Manage available networks” (or similar, depending on the version of Windows 11).

Inside, you'll see a list of the networks the device remembers. At the top, there's usually a filter or view called “Favorites” which orders the list according to the priority that Windows assigns.

Use “Connect automatically” to force a preferred network

Since the graphical interface does not have an explicit priority setting, the way to tell the system which network should have preference is to play with the automatic connection box:

1. Click on the network you want to adjust.
2. Activate the option “Connect automatically when within range” only for the network you want to be the main one.
3. On other overlapping networks (for example, other home or work networks), uncheck that option so that do not connect automatically.

This way, Windows 11 will only attempt to connect automatically to the network you've marked as preferred. The other networks will still be saved, but the system won't switch to them unless you manually request it or the preferred network becomes unavailable.

Forget about networks you no longer use

Another way to clean up and simplify priority management is directly make Windows “forget” The networks that no longer interest you:

1. In the list of available or known networks, click on the old network.
2. Select option “Stop remembering” or similar.

This deletes the profile, including the password and any custom settings. It's a good idea if you've had many one-off connections and now want Windows to focus on the main ones. important networks for you.

Prioritizing wired or WiFi connections in Windows 11

By design, Windows prioritizes the Ethernet connection versus Wi-Fi when both are active. It does this through a combination of interface metrics and gateway selection. If you prefer the computer to connect primarily via Wi-Fi even when a cable is plugged in, you can adjust these metrics from either the graphical interface or PowerShell.

Change priority from Settings and Control Panel

A simple approach is to manage the adapters from the classic network configuration:

1. Opens Windows / Settings and enters “Network and Internet”.
2. Click on “Advanced network settings”.
3. Choose “More network adapter options”The classic window will open with all the adapters (Ethernet, WiFi, VPN, virtual…).
4. Double-click on the adapter you want to adjust (for example, “Ethernet” or “Wi-Fi”).
5. In the window that opens, click on "Properties".
6. Brand “Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” and click "Properties".
7. In the new window, click on “Advanced options…”.

Within the Advanced Options, you'll see several sections related to IP, gateways, and metrics. What interests us here is:

• Default gateways and their metricsYou can add several and assign different priorities to them.
• Automatic metrics Regarding the adapter: if you uncheck this box, you can set a manual metric for that interface.

The metric functions as a kind of “weight”: the smaller the numberThe higher the priority, the higher that adapter will have for routing traffic. For example:

• If you put metric 10 to the Ethernet card and metric 5 For the WiFi card, WiFi will have priority.
• If you do it the other way around (Ethernet 5, WiFi 10), the system will prefer the cable.

This configuration prevents you from having to unplug the cable every time you want to use WiFi as the main interface, which is very useful on laptops or in environments where it is inconvenient to physically access the network cable.

Adjust adapter priority using PowerShell

If you're comfortable using the console, PowerShell offers a global view of all interfaces and their metrics, making it easier to understand the hierarchy of connections that is using Windows.

To view it, open PowerShell as administrator (right-click on Start > Terminal (Administrator)) and run:

Get-NetIPInterface

The command will display all network interfaces, with fields such as InterfaceIndex (the adapter identifier) ​​and InterfaceMetric (its current metric). With this data you can change the priority of a specific adapter using:

Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceIndex INDEX -InterfaceMetric METRICA

For example, to give higher priority to the interface with index 20:

Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceIndex 20 -InterfaceMetric 5

If you ever want to return the metric to the automatic behavior of Windows in a specific interface, you can use:

Set-NetIPInterface -InterfaceIndex 21 -AutomaticMetric enabled

Again, keep in mind that Lower values ​​in InterfaceMetric mean higher prioritySo it's easy to get confused if you make quick changes without noting down what you had before.

Configure your WiFi card for maximum speed and stability in Windows 11

In addition to deciding which network comes first, it's key to adjust the wifi card to ensure optimal performance. Many modern graphics cards, such as the Intel AX210 (very common in current laptops and motherboards), have a huge number of advanced parameters that influence speed, stability, roaming between mesh nodes, and energy consumption.

Access to the advanced WiFi card menu

To change the advanced settings of the wireless card, you have to follow a very similar path to that of wired network cards, but by accessing the WiFi adapter:

1. Open the Control panel and enters “Networking and shared resources center”.
2. In the side menu, click “Change adapter settings”.
3. You'll see all the adapters (Ethernet, WiFi, VPN, virtual...). Right-click on your WiFi network card and select “Properties”.
4. In the properties window, press the button "Set up…" right below the card name.

You will enter the WiFi card propertieswhere you'll see tabs for the controller, advanced details, events, and power management. The tab we're interested in is the one for "Advanced Options", where most of the fine parameters that affect WiFi behavior are concentrated.

Driver: Why it's so important to update it

Before touching anything in the advanced options, it's worth taking a look at the tab "Controller"There you can check:

• La controller date.
• La driver version installed.

On cards like the Intel AX210, it's normal to find frequent updates from the manufacturer, which don't always arrive through Windows Update. That's why it's recommended to:

• Go to manufacturer's official website of the card (Intel or other) and download the latest version of the drivers.
• Do not rely solely on the "Update driver" option in Windows, as it often remains on quite old versions.

Installing the latest drivers offers several clear advantages:

• New compatibilitiesFor example, WiFi 5 cards that with older drivers didn't even "see" WiFi 6 networks can now start detecting and connecting to them.
• Fixing bugs and vulnerabilities: bugs that can affect both security and performance are fixed.
• Performance optimizationMany manufacturers improve channel management, stability, and actual speed with each update.
• New advanced optionsSome configuration functions only appear with recent driver versions.

If, when comparing with guides or screenshots, you see that you're missing some advanced options, it could be for two reasons: either your card doesn't support them, or you don't have them yet. the latest version of the driver installed.

Main advanced options of the WiFi card

Within the advanced options tab, you'll find a long list of parameters. The most relevant ones, especially on a card like the AX210, are usually these:

• Roaming Aggressiveness: controls how “fast” the device decides to switch from one access point to another on a WiFi Mesh network.
  • If you leave it on "Medium", the device will tend to stay connected to the same router for longer.
  • If you notice it's clinging to a distant access point when you're near another, you can move it up to “High” or “Maximum” to speed up roaming.
• Channel width for 2,4 GHz: allows you to force it to 20 MHz or leave it on automatic.
  • If there aren't many neighboring networks, it's advisable to leave it on "Automatic" to be able to use up to 40 MHz.
  • If you have a lot of interference, forcing 20 MHz can improve stability at the cost of some speed.
• Channel width for 5 GHz: similar to the previous one, but for the 5 GHz band.
  • The normal thing is to leave it in "Automatic" to take advantage of 80 MHz and even 160 MHz if your router supports them.
• Channel width for 6 GHz (on WiFi 6E cards): all 6E routers normally work with 160 MHzSo it's best to leave it on automatic if you want maximum speed.
• Favorite bandThis is very useful if your router has band steering. It allows you to specify whether you prefer 2,4, 5, or 6 GHz.
  • If you have good coverage, it's usually a good idea to choose 5GHz or 6GHz to reduce interference and improve performance.
• Ultra-high band (6 GHz)This option must be enabled if you want to connect to 6 GHz networks without problems. With recent drivers, it's usually enabled by default.

In addition to these "big" options, you'll see a good number of parameters related to power management, response to special packages, and sleep behavior. Some of the most interesting are:

• Matching reactivation patternsIf activated, the card can "wake up" the device when it detects certain traffic.
• Download ARP for WoWLAN y NS download for WoWLAN: allow responding to ARP (IPv4) or NS (IPv6) requests without fully powering on the equipment, provided that the hardware and driver support it.
• Package mergingIt combines broadcast and multicast packets to reduce interruptions and save energy.
• Boost processing capacityIf enabled, the device will try to make the most of the available bandwidth, although this may leave other devices on the network with less "room".
• Reactivation Magic Packet: Key option for wireless Wake on LAN. Allows the device to power on when it receives a special packet.
• MIMO Power Saving Mode (SMPS): decides how the antennas are managed to save battery.
  • Without SMPS: all MIMO active, maximum performance.
  • Automatic / dynamic / static SMPS: different ways to turn off antennas to save energy at the cost of some performance.
• Wireless mode 802.11a/b/g y 802.11n/ac/ax: allow limiting the maximum protocols available per band.
  • In general, it's best to leave it in the more modern mode compatible (e.g., 802.11ax with backward compatibility).
• Not compatible with 40 MHz channel (2,4 GHz): If you activate it, you are always limited to 20 MHz.
• Potency of transmissionThe normal thing is to leave it in "Maximum" to have the best coverage and speed, unless you want to reduce the range for very specific reasons.
• Mixed mode protectionIt is usually left with RTS/CTS enabled to improve coexistence between devices of different standards.
• U-APSD support (WMM-PS): designed to reduce energy consumption in low-traffic scenarios, such as VoIP. Many users activate it without problems.
• WoWLAN suspension when disconnecting: controls whether the device goes into sleep mode or cancels the connection when the WoWLAN function is deactivated.

WiFi card power management

In the same card properties window you will find the tab “Energy Management”Here you can decide whether to allow the system to turn off the device to save battery or whether to allow it to reactivate the device.

Typical options are:

• Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
• Allow this device to reactivate the equipment.
• In some cases, specific Magic Packet options.

If you care more about the stability and speed To get the most out of the battery, it is usually recommended deactivate These options, especially the one that allows you to turn off the device, are important. Otherwise, you might experience unexpected disconnections when the system decides it's time to save energy.

In addition, it is worth reviewing the Windows Power Options (Power plans) and, within the advanced settings of each plan, make sure the wireless card is set to always operate at peak performance both with battery and plugged in.

Configure Speed ​​& Duplex to use the maximum wired speed.

In the case of a wired connection, there is also a key parameter to ensure that the card works correctly. maximum supported speed: the option “Speed ​​& Duplex” in the advanced properties of the Ethernet adapter.

To get there:

1. Right-click on the network icon in the taskbar and enter “Network and Internet Configuration”.
2. Go to “Advanced network settings” and then to “More network adapter options”.
3. Double-click on your current network adapter (Ethernet) and observe the value of the line "Velocity" which shows the link speed.
4. Press on "Properties"Select “Client for Microsoft Networks” and click on "Set up".
5. Enter the tab "Advanced Options" and look for the property “Speed ​​& Duplex”.

By default it is usually in “Auto Negotiation”which is a protocol by which the card and the remote device (router, switch)etc.) automatically negotiate the speed (10/100/1000 Mbps) and duplex mode (half or full). If one of the two doesn't negotiate correctly, you could end up with a lower speed to which the card or router actually supports.

In the “Value” field you can force different combinations such as:

• 10 Mbps Half/Full.
• 100 Mbps Half/Full.
• 1.0 Gbps Full Duplex (if the card is Gigabit).

The idea is that you choose the speed. maximum that both your card and network equipment can support to which you connect. For example, if you have 1 Gbps fiber and your card is Gigabit, you want to make sure the connection is established at 1000Mbps Full DuplexOnce the change has been applied, check the "Speed" in the adapter window again to confirm that it is using the expected value.

Additional tips if the network is slow

Even if you perfectly configure the connection priority and set the network card to the maximum, your network may still struggle. slower than it should for other reasons. Some basic tips worth reviewing are:

• Restart the routerIf the problem is temporary, turning it off for about 20 seconds and then turning it back on can solve many things (especially if it has been on for a long time or is very hot).
• Check if you're using a VPNMany VPNs, especially free ones, significantly reduce speed. If your connection is slow, try disabling the VPN or changing servers/providers.
• Move the device closer to the routerEspecially if you use the 5 GHz band, which has less range and worse penetration than 2,4 GHz.
• Check the network cardIf it's very old, it may not support the fiber speed you've contracted (for example, Fast Ethernet cards limited to 100 Mbps versus 300 Mbps or 1 Gbps connections).
• Call your operatorIf speed tests, both wired and WiFi, are significantly lower than the contracted speed, there may be a problem with the line that only the operator can resolve.

How to measure if configuration improvements have worked

To find out if all these adjustments have a real impact and not just "feelings", it's worth doing some minimum testing both before and after applying the changes.

Speed ​​tests before and after

Use an online speed test tool and take measurements under different conditions:

• Connected to the 2,4 GHz band.
• Connected to the 5 GHz band (and 6 GHz if you have WiFi 6E).
• Wired connection if possible.

Save the results of Download, upload, and latency Before you touch anything. Once you've configured network priority, advanced card settings, and power management, repeat the tests under the same conditions and compare. This will tell you if you've actually gained any speed or stability.

Check stability and latency

Top speed isn't everything. Sometimes, even if the test shows good results, the connection has microcuts or latency spikes which are noticeable in online games or video calls. If you want reduce latencyOptimizing TCP/IP and network configuration can help.

• Tools like PingPlotter that monitor the route to a specific destination.
• The command ping in a terminal window (for example, “ping 8.8.8.8 -t” for a continuous ping).

Ideally, these tests should be left running for several minutes and at different times of the day to see if there are latency spikes or packet loss that indicate signal problems, saturation, or network failures.

Impact on energy consumption

If you have changed power saving options (MIMO, card power management, Windows power plan), you can see its effect on the battery duration from a laptop using the system's own tools:

• Task Manager, Performance tab, to view network activity and approximate consumption.
• Battery reports from Windows or third-party monitoring applications.

In general, disabling power-saving features and setting everything to maximum will improve network performance, but it may reduce battery life, so you'll have to adjust accordingly. balance depending on your use case.

With all these settings properly configured—WiFi network priority, wired vs. wireless preference, updated drivers, a WiFi card configured for maximum performance, and good power management—your connection in Windows 11 should normally improve. speed, stability and ease of usepreventing the system from connecting "haphazardly" to networks you are not interested in and taking advantage of both your router and your network hardware.