Windows 10 Wired Network named after Wireless

How-to: Change the Network Name in Windows 10

I noticed my Windows 10 network name was showing my Wireless network when it should be showing the wired. 

This made me believe my desktop, which has both a Wireless Network and a standard wired RJ45, was using the wrong card. 

After disabling the computer's wireless card (see Control Panel, Network and Internet, Network Connections), and rebooting, it still reported the original Wireless name.  This proved I was using the wired connection -- but the name was wrong.

If you login to the Wireless router's admin panels, you will not find a broadcast name for the Wired connection.  Nor will you find a way to change the name in the Network Sharing Center, nor in the TCP/IP adapter settings.

The name is only exposed in the Registry.

How did this happen?  The first time the workstation connected, it connected via Wireless and placed the name into the Registry.  Switching to the wired connection maintained the same profile and name.

 
Renaming the Network Connection

1.  Start, Run (Windows-key-R), "Regedit.exe"
 
2.  Tunnel to this key:

HKey Local Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
    \NetworkList\Profiles

Multiple network connections may exist, each listed with a GUID {CBSA1321...}.

3.  Within the Profiles folder, click each GUID until you find the network in question.

4.  On the detail side, illustrated below,

Change the Description to a new name
Change the Profile Name to a new name

5.  Close the Registry Editor to save changes.

Click for larger view

The change takes effect immediately, but the System Tray will not update until the next reboot.

In my case, I changed from "wolfhouse24G" to a more generic "wolfhouse".   For this workstation only, both the wired and wireless will show this same name.