The program keeps on pestering me to change my network settings to Private when I want to keep it on Public. I do not want my computer discoverable on my home network because I do not trust the other computers on it, even though they are a part of the same home network as me. My sister’s computer got hacked recently and I want to keep my computer secure. I have always set my Network setting to Public even as far back as Windows 98 Second Edition. Why would Norton want me to change my Network settings to a less secure option?
I had this as an ignored issue in alerts, but now there is a notice on the home screen of the program telling me to change my Network settings to a less secure option. It even says if I trust my network then I can set it to Private. But I do not trust my network, so why am I constantly being bothered to change my setting? At least give an option to dismiss the “warning”.
Norton is really getting to be an annoying program over the last few years. This may be the last year I use it if things do not improve.
Hello @KlaatuBaradaNikto
Your issue/scenario has been discussed. I used to want Public. I figured Why not Public. I used to change Norton from Private to Public following Windows recommendation here.
While I’m not defending Norton changing Public to Private. I’ve since come to accept Norton changing Public to Private. Just sharing (fwiw) Norton Chat session summary here.
Norton 360 v25 changing a network setting from Public (your preference) to Private is a widely reported bug or ongoing issue within the software, rather than an intended feature. This is likely due to a conflict between how Norton interprets the network’s trust level and the setting in Windows, often when resuming from sleep or a system restart.
Why this conflict happens:
Conflicting Logic: Norton’s default behavior is to use its own logic to determine a network’s security status. While a “Private” setting is less restrictive and typically used for a home network, Norton may assume a more secure “Public” posture and fail to stick to your manual setting.
Windows vs. Norton Settings: The issue usually occurs even if your Windows OS correctly identifies the network as “Public”. Norton overrides this, leading to the conflict.
Steps to Force the Network to Stay Public
Since you want the highly restrictive “Public” setting, here are steps that users have found helpful in forcing the setting to stick:
Manually Configure the Setting via the Norton App:
Open the Norton 360 application.
Navigate to Security > Advanced Security > Smart Firewall.
Click the settings gear icon next to Network (or the name of your current network).
Explicitly select the Public option for your connected network.
Restart your computer. The setting may hold after a clean reboot.
Ensure Windows’ Network Profile is also Public:
In Windows, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Properties.
Under “Network profile,” select Public.
Aligning both settings might resolve the conflict.
“Forget” the Network in Windows:
Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks.
Select your network and click Forget.
Reconnect to the network. This forces Windows and Norton to re-evaluate the connection from scratch, which can clear the persistent private setting.
Run LiveUpdate:
Ensure your Norton 360 product is fully updated. Norton occasionally releases patches for this specific issue, which you can access via the Norton Community forums or by running LiveUpdate.
Modify the Windows Registry (Advanced Users Only):
As a more advanced workaround, some users have reported success by manually editing the registry to ensure consistency between Norton and Windows.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles in the Registry Editor.
Locate the specific profile GUID for your network.
Ensure both Category and CategoryType are set to Public (usually a value of 0 for Public and 1 for Private, though value may vary, so check for consistency first).
Caution: Incorrect registry edits can cause system instability, so proceed with care or consult Norton Support for assistance.
fwiw ~ AI Mode How can I stop Norton from changing network settings?
To stop Norton from automatically changing your network settings, you will need to try several methods, as this behavior is often caused by a persistent software bug or a conflict with Windows settings. The most effective approach is to ensure consistency between Norton and Windows settings and use configuration workarounds.
Method 1: Manually Configure and Align Settings
The first step is to ensure both your Windows network profile and Norton’s firewall settings agree on the network type.
Set the Network Profile in Windows:
Go to Settings > Network & Internet.
Click on Properties (or Change connection properties).
Under “Network profile,” select your desired setting (Public or Private).
Set the Network Setting in Norton 360:
Open Norton 360.
Go to Security > Advanced Security > Smart Firewall.
Click the settings gear icon next to your current network connection.
Manually select the corresponding setting (Public or Private).
Restart your computer: This is a critical step, as the setting change may only stick after a clean reboot.
Method 2: “Forget” the Network and Reconnect
If Method 1 fails, a fresh connection negotiation can sometimes resolve the underlying conflict.
In Windows, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks.
Select your network from the list and click Forget.
Reconnect to the network and ensure both the Windows and Norton settings are set correctly immediately after reconnection.
Method 3: Ensure Software is Updated
Norton occasionally releases patches for this specific issue.
Run LiveUpdate within the Norton application to download all available patches.
Ensure your Windows operating system is fully updated through Windows Update.
Method 4: Use the Norton Remove and Reinstall Tool
If the problem persists, corrupted program files or settings may be the cause. Using the official Norton Remove and Reinstall tool can clear all program data and provide a fresh start.
Method 5: Consult the Norton Community Forum
Since this is a recurring and known issue, engaging with other users and support staff on the Norton Community forums may yield additional workarounds or specific guidance for your version of the software.
Yeah, Norton’s been doing that lately. It just assumes “home network = trusted,” which isn’t always true. If you want to keep it on Public, you can just ignore the alert or turn off network trust warnings in Norton’s settings. It’s more of a nag than an actual problem, your setup is fine if you prefer to stay on Public.
