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How to Block a WiFi Network on Windows 10

You want learn how to block a WiFi signal appearing in Windows 10 by blocking a specific or all unknown WiFi networks? In this tutorial we show how to limit your PC to show only previously allowed wireless networks.

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As smartphones and other devices with wireless network adapters, computers with Windows 10 will show you a list of available WiFi networks in your surrounding.

With many reachable wireless access points popping up and disappearing again, the available networks list can become quite annoying.

If needed you can use the allowed and blocked filter list of Windows 10 to block certain WiFi networks or all unknown WiFi networks.

This also allows restricting the PC to connect to certain permitted WiFi access points and blocking any connection to other devices or hotspots.

Here we show you how to block WiFi signals using different CMD commands that edit Windows 10 filter lists for allowed and blocked networks.

How To Display Wireless Networks marked Allowed and Blocked

This will display a list of wireless networks that have been added to the allowed or blocked filter lists. Once you block a WiFi network adding it to the blocked filter, this is the only way to see it as it will disappear from the available networks list in

  1. Open the Command Prompt

  2. Run one of the following commands according to your needs

    List all allowed and blocked wireless networks:

    netsh wlan show filters

    List only all allowed wireless networks:

    netsh wlan show filters permission=allow

    List only all blocked wireless networks:

    netsh wlan show filters permission=block

How to Add or Remove a Wireless Network in the Allowed Filter List

SSIDs (Service Set Identifiers) present in the allowed filter list will show when you use the “Denyall” option below to hide all “unknown” networks in Windows 10. 

  1. Open the Command Prompt


  2. Add available wireless network to allow list


    Run the following command replacing “NETWORK NAME” in the command with the actual SSID of the wireless network.

    netsh wlan add filter permission=allow ssid="NETWORK NAME" networktype=infrastructure


  3. Remove available wireless network from allow list


    Run the following command replacing “NETWORK NAME” in the command with the actual SSID of the wireless network.

    netsh wlan delete filter permission=allow ssid="NETWORK NAME" networktype=infrastructure


How to Add or Remove a Wireless Network in the Blocked Filter List

WiFi networks in the blocked filter list will be hidden in the available networks list, and can no longer be connected to.

  1. Open the Command Prompt


  2. Add available wireless network to blocked list


    Run the following command replacing “NETWORK NAME” in the command with the actual SSID of the wireless network.

    netsh wlan add filter permission=block ssid="NETWORK NAME" networktype=infrastructure


  3. Remove wireless network from blocked list


    Run the following command replacing “NETWORK NAME” in the command with the actual SSID of the wireless network.

    netsh wlan delete filter permission=block ssid="NETWORK NAME" networktype=infrastructure

How to Block all not Allowed Wireless Networks via “denyall”

This hides all WiFi networks that are not explicitely added to the  Allowed list from the available networks list. “Denyall” is the fastest way to block all but explicitely defined WiFi networks from showing up.

  1. Open the Command Prompt


  2. Apply the denyall-command
     
    netsh wlan add filter permission=denyall networktype=infrastructure

How to Revert the “Denyall”-filter to unblock all Wireless Networks

This will undo the previous option. Wireless networks will display in the visible available networks list and be able to connect to again.

  1. Open the Command Prompt

  2. Run command to undo the denyall-filter

    netsh wlan delete filter permission=denyall networktype=infrastructure


How To Hide or Show Blocked Wireless Networks in the Available Networks List

This option is mostly obsolete. It allows to show (or re-hide) WiFi networks that have been added to the blocked networks list. Common practise is not adding a network to the blocked networks lists if you want to show it.

  1. Open Command Prompt


  2. Run command to hide blocked wireless networks

    netsh wlan set blockednetworks display=hide


  3. Run command to show blocked wireless networks

    netsh wlan set blockednetworks display=show


How to See Stored WiFi Passwords and Turn Your PC into a WiFi Hotspot

Windows 10 also allows to show previously stored WiFi passwords in the case you have lost them. You can also share your internet connection on Windows 10 by turning it into a WiFi hotspot for people nearby.

Last Updated on August 27, 2021 3:46 pm CEST

Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus has been covering the tech industry for more than 15 years. He is holding a Master´s degree in International Economics and is the founder and managing editor of Winbuzzer.com.

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