Clean Up the Vista Networks

In my last post I wrote about the Vista Network List Manager! If you ran the sample, I attached you might see a lot of "old" networks still stored on your machine! (like some WLANs at hotels, ...) I was wondering how to clean up the list of networks and remove those "Network 1...2..3...11..". I played around a little bit and found a way to do it:

Go to the Control Panel and select "Network and Sharing Center":

There pick the Customize Link below the connection map graphics.

Then choose "Merge or delete network locations".

In the following dialog you can see all remembered networks, as well as delete any of them or merge two or more (for instance if the network detection somehow failed to detect them as one network).

By using this you can get rid of unused Networks like "Marriott Bregenz WLAN" or others..

Comments

• Anonymous
  February 25, 2008
  Hi I've created a similar guide that I thought I should share with you. Yuo can find it here http://tim.nilimaa.se/wp-trackback.php?p=45

• Anonymous
  May 30, 2008
  when you are in network and sharing you have to click on manage networks before you do any of the above...

• Anonymous
  June 12, 2009
  I have tried and it was really helpful. Thank you.

• Anonymous
  July 13, 2010
  I wonder, what is the effect of having so many "garbage" locations in this list. Is it possible, during connection, to say "please do not store this connection forever"? My program establishes a temporary Wi-Fi connection. On Windows Vista and WIndows 7, I know how to hide the 'Category' dialog, and choose 'Public' network. My problem is that each event leaves a new entry in the 'Network Locations' list. My program could go and purge leftovers from the registry, except it runs at user privileges, while the NetworkList requires administrator elevation. I do not want to ask for elevation.