How To Hide Your Windows Vista – 7 Computer From Windows Network Neighborhood

June 21, 2011

HowTo, Windows

Windows Network

This will show you how to hide or unhide your Windows Vista / Windows 7 Computer Name from displaying in Network for the other computers on the same network. By default your computer name is displayed (unhidden) in network.

After you apply the changes to hide or unhide your computer name below, it can take about an hour for it to appear or be removed from the other computers on the network.

This is NOT for the Internet. Only in your Local Area Network

This can be helpful to help prevent the other users on the network from accidentally connecting to your computer while browsing Network and messing something up on your computer.

This only hides your Computer Name in Network to help prevent access there. It does not prevent the other users on the network from using the \\Computer Name command in Run to connect to your computer.

Using the Command Prompt (CMD)

1. Open a command prompt (cmd)

2. To Verify and See if your Computer Name is Hidden or Unhidden

  • In the command prompt, type Net Config Server and press Enter
  • If it is hidden, then you will see Yes to the right of Server hidden
  • If it is unhidden, then you will see No to the right of Server hidden
  • Go to step 3 or 4

3. To Hide your Computer Name from Displaying in Network

  • In the command prompt, type in bold belowand press Enter
  • Net config server /hidden:yes
  • You will get a The command completed successfully message afterwards
  • Go to step 5

4. To Unhide your Computer Name to Display in Network

  • In the elevated command prompt, type in bold below and press Enter
  • Net config server /hidden:no
  • You will get a The command completed successfully message afterwards
  • Go to step 5

5. Close the command prompt window

6. Restart the computer to apply

, , , , ,

2 Responses to “How To Hide Your Windows Vista – 7 Computer From Windows Network Neighborhood”

  1. Name Says:

    Why not simply disable server in services.msc?
    Seems alot safer, & definitely more secure

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Name