Network List Manager and Windows Configuration Designer

...first off, Windows 10 is largely out of luck. Good news is that October 2025, everyone will have upgraded to Windows 11 after Win 10 support expired.  : ) Uh, huh, right.

Anyway, ever wanted to deal with the "Unidentified network" label in the Network and Sharing Center. Well good news, now that Microsoft is trying really hard to relegate Control Panel to the dust bin, it is now possible to make customization settings to the Network and Sharing Center's display of "Unidentified network"

How Network and Sharing Center works with Network List Manager to 'Identify' a Network

Up until this, it just sort of decided what the network's name would be based on a DNS query to an external server. Did you get that? To identify a local network, a network adapter needs to access the internet. IE, if there isn't a default gateway defined, "Unidentified network" is displayed. Who was the moron that made that came up with that design? Typical Microsoft logic. Well, at least now there's a kludge work around.

What to do...

• Download Windows Configuration Designer
  • In Runtime settings, NetworkListManager modify the following values;
    • AllowedTlsAuthenticationEndpoints: https://WhatEverHost.WhatEverDomain.WhatEverSuffix/WhatEverFile (the file can contain anything, just needs to exist)
    • TlsAuthenticationNetworkName: Any you want (although it'll be clipped off when displayed at around 40 or 50 characters)
  • Export Button (at the top), next, next, etc., Build
  • Double Click the .ppkg file produced, Windows will put up a prompt asking if it should be added
• Make sure https://WhatEverHost.WhatEverDomain.WhatEverSuffix/WhatEverFile has a valid SSL / TLS Certificate (not covered here, but one can do it with Let's Encrypt / Certbot and obtaining certificates via DNS Authentication)

Where to view your work

Run gpedit.msc, navigate to Computer Configuration, Windows Settings, Security Settings, and look for Network List Manager Policies (remember, most of the settings don't apply to Windows 10).

OR

Run secpol.msc, look for Network List Manager Policies (it's the same thing, just a shorter tree than gpedit.msc)