Anniversary Update Project To This PC on "Secure Networks"

[netuser]

I tried the setting "Available everywhere on secure networks" and I cannot connect unless I change it to just "Available everywhere."

I can't find the definition of what meets the requirements of a "secure network" for the purposes of using this feature. What is it?

 

[Orlbuckeye]

Secure basically mean a network with some type of security that requires a password to login.

 

[netuser]

Secure basically mean a network with some type of security that requires a password to login.

Both networks I tried it on were WPA2 password protected wireless networks.
There is something else it's looking for, but they are leaving the requirements to guesswork for some reason.

 

[Orlbuckeye]

Securing Your Wireless Network | Consumer Information

 

[netuser]

Thanks, but that isn't it. I don't a generic description or tips on network security. I need to find specifically what the OS is looking for to label the network as secure or not for the project to PC function.
Networks can be labeled as private or public networks, but I don't see anything that labels a network as "secure."
Maybe this answer is going to have to come from Microsoft, but I see scant documentation on Project to PC other than how to turn the feature on.

 

[jnjroach]

My guess is secure network = 802.1x PKI Wireless Network (EAP-TLS). But I can't confirm....

 

[Orlbuckeye]

Ok I'm not sure if the the OS knows if a network is secure or not. It would only display a message from your network. Windows does show all the connections within the range of you Wireless network and does show in the network is secure or not. My secure or not at that level means does it require a password to login. McDonalds, Panera Bread, Barnes and Noble are all examples of open networks that don't use a password. Hotel room usually have a password that the front desk give you at checks in. Now there are different levels of security that can be used but the OS only says secure or not.

Network security consists of the policies and practices adopted to prevent and monitor unauthorized access, misuse, modification, or denial of a computer network and network-accessible resources. These are outside the OS. The only way an OS would know whether a network is secure or not would be a message from the network or network tools. I work in IT and we use domain security if we login with the wrong password we are getting a message from network not the OS. We use a domain controller. We have a firewall and we also have servers outside our network which we call our DMZ which has its own security.

Now I found this on a MS page:

Projecting to a PC auto-discoverability is off by default. To have your PC beacon so it can be discovered and you can project to it through the Connect quick action from a Continuum enabled phone or another PC, go to Settings > System > Projecting to this PC and set “Windows PCs and phones can project to this PC when you say it’s OK” to “Available everywhere” or “Available everywhere on secure networks”. You can also set other settings on this page to your preference.
Read more at Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14385 for PC and Mobile

 

[Orlbuckeye]

In other words this feature is used when trying to connect to another PC or a mobile device (continuum enabled) . Everywhere means the device is not on the secured network (behind your firewall) or behind your secured firewall.

 

[netuser]

Several guesses here, but Microsoft to simply document exactly what they mean by secure network rather than leaving it to interpretation.
If a secure network means 802.1x network, why not just say 802.1x network instead of "secure network?"
The networks I tried that didn't meet the secret criteria of "secure network" were all behind firewalls.

 

[Orlbuckeye]

Several guesses here, but Microsoft to simply document exactly what they mean by secure network rather than leaving it to interpretation.
If a secure network means 802.1x network, why not just say 802.1x network instead of "secure network?"
The networks I tried that didn't meet the secret criteria of "secure network" were all behind firewalls.

Your looking into it to deep. Microsoft doesn't define what a secure network is. Basically a home wireless network is one that requires a password to access the network. The level of security is a different story. Also you router is a firewall as the IP address in of PC's is behind the router which is directly on the internet.

802.11 is a set of technology standards for wireless network devices that governs the way they communicate with one another. The current home standard is 802.11 AC with 802.11N the old standard and 802.11G the standard before that.

Typically home networks have a choice of 3 protocols WEP, WPA or WPA2. Each have different levels protection quality. Meaning some are easier to hack. These protocol encrypt the wireless signal and require a password to decrypt the signal. But they are still secure because a hackers has to do something to enter get on the network. The different protocols define HOW SECURE the network is. Even the lowest level is still somewhat secure. These security terms are defined by MS they are defined by companies like Cisco, AT&T, Verizon and they send messages to Windows when there are errors.

 

[netuser]

Your looking into it to deep. Microsoft doesn't define what a secure network is. Basically a home wireless network is one that requires a password to access the network. The level of security is a different story. Also you router is a firewall as the IP address in of PC's is behind the router which is directly on the internet.

802.11 is a set of technology standards for wireless network devices that governs the way they communicate with one another. The current home standard is 802.11 AC with 802.11N the old standard and 802.11G the standard before that.

Typically home networks have a choice of 3 protocols WEP, WPA or WPA2. Each have different levels protection quality. Meaning some are easier to hack. These protocol encrypt the wireless signal and require a password to decrypt the signal. But they are still secure because a hackers has to do something to enter get on the network. The different protocols define HOW SECURE the network is. Even the lowest level is still somewhat secure. These security terms are defined by MS they are defined by companies like Cisco, AT&T, Verizon and they send messages to Windows when there are errors.

For the purposes of the project to PC feature this thread is about, Microsoft actually is determining what is a secure or not secure network.
The problem is, they aren't letting you know what their definition of secure network is.
Without knowing what Microsoft thinks a secure network is, the project to PC feature doesn't work unless you choose "available everywhere."
Has anyone been able to get project to PC working with it configured with "available on secure networks" enabled? If, so what where the network security settings?

 

[Orlbuckeye]

Yes they do just as android does. Their is a little lock in the wireless connecting if the network is secure. Also if you try to connect to a secure network the prompt to type in the password pops up. If the network is unsecure a warning message pops up warning you its a unsecure network.