How to Block Open WiFi Networks in Windows 10

Lately I have been seeing so many open wireless networks in the neighborhood that I became scared what if I accidentally click on them to connect. Open wireless networks are unprotected WiFi networks that anyone can connect to without having to supply any password. These open networks could be WiFi networks started by devices such as smart TVs, they could be completely harmless WiFi networks not properly setup by amateurs who have just bought a new WiFi router, or they could be harmful WiFi networks designed to steal your personal or financial information.

You never know what kind of open wireless networks your computer might end up connecting to. This is why I take extra precaution and block all of these open WiFi networks that often popup in the WiFi networks list of Windows 10. You can also block such possibly harmful networks using a simple command in the following manner.

  1. Click on the WiFi icon in the notification area to find the WiFi network name (SSID) that you want to block.Block Open WiFi Networks in Windows 10
  2. Press the hotkey Win+X to open the power user menu.
  3. Select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the power menu to launch PowerShell.
  4. In the PowerShell window, enter the following command (assuming that Wireless_F6D1D4 is the WiFi network you want to block): 
    netsh wlan add filter permission=block ssid=Wireless_F6D1D4 networktype=infrastructure

    Block Open WiFi Networks in Windows 10

  5. Repeat step 4 for all the WiFi networks that you want to block. If the wireless network name (SSID) contains spaces, you have to wrap it inside double-quotes, for example, “Nokia 2.1”.

After this Windows will completely ignore all the blocked networks. If at any later time, you desire to unblock these WiFi networks then you can give the following command (assuming that Wireless_F6D1D4 is the WiFi network you want to block):

netsh wlan delete filter permission=block ssid=Wireless_F6D1D4 networktype=infrastructure

If you cannot remember all the networks that you have blocked in the past, then you can view the list of the allowed and blocked networks using the following command:

netsh wlan show filters

Block Open WiFi Networks in Windows 10

After noting down the blocked filters, you can use the previously mentioned command to delete the respective filters from the system. After this you will be access these WiFi networks once again.

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