Windows 10 – Wireless Network Profile explained

Wireless NetworkIn Windows 10, every time you connect to a wireless network, Windows will create something called a Wireless Network Profile.

What is a Wireless Network Profile?

Many of our wireless networking tutorials refer to the Wireless Network Profile (WNP), so we will explain  what a WNP is.

When you connect to a wireless network, Windows will do one of two things depending on whether you have previously connected to the network.

  1. If you have connected to the network before Windows will use the previously created profile to make connecting to the network a seamless and almost invisible experience.
  2. If this is the first time you have connected to this network then Windows will create a new profile based on the SSID of the network.
What is stored in the Wireless Network Profile

There is no definite answer for what is stored in the profile as there are many different types of profiles. The type of profile changes depending on the type of network being connected to. The WNP can be easily summed up by saying that it contains all the settings that Windows needs to connect to the network. These will include, but may not be limited to:

  • SSID of the wireless network
  • Encryption employed by the network
  • Encryption key for the network.
  • Other wireless network settings