Policy
Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now
Microsoft Windows
Policy overview
Key metadata and intent for this policy.
Supported OS tags: Windows10, Windows10RT, Windows11, Windows7, Windows8, Windows81, WindowsRT, WindowsRT81, WindowsServer2008, WindowsServer2012, WindowsServer2012R2, WindowsServer2016, WindowsVista
This policy setting allows the configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now (WCN). The WCN Registrar enables the discovery and configuration of devices over Ethernet (UPnP), over In-band 802.11 WLAN, through the Windows Portable Device API (WPD), and via USB Flash drives. Additional options are available to allow discovery and configuration over a specific medium. If you enable this policy setting, additional choices are available to turn off the operations over a specific medium. If you disable this policy setting, operations are disabled over all media. If you do not configure this policy setting, operations are enabled over all media. The default for this policy setting allows operations over all media.
Registry values
How enabled and disabled states update the registry.
| Scope | Registry location | Type | Enabled value | Disabled value | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer | Path Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Value name EnableRegistrars | REG_DWORD | HKLM 1 | HKLM 0 |
Policy elements
Inputs and configuration options exposed by this policy.
| Scope | Element | Type | Registry mapping | Constraints & behavior | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer | Maximum number of WCN devices allowed: ID WCN_EnableRegistrar_MaxWCNDeviceNumber | decimal | Path Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Value name MaxWCNDeviceNumber Type REG_DWORD | Range: ? to 65535 | |
| Computer | Higher precedence medium for devices discovered by multiple media: ID WCN_Higher_Precedence_Registrar | enum | Path Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Value name HigherPrecedenceRegistrar Type REG_DWORD | Options: WCN over Ethernet (UPnP) (1), WCN over In-band 802.11 WLAN (2) | |
| Computer | Turn off ability to configure using WCN over Ethernet (UPnP) ID WCN_EnableRegistrar_DisableUPnP | boolean | Path Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Value name DisableUPnPRegistrar Type REG_DWORD | Options: true (1), false (0) True: Set value = 1 · False: Set value = 0 | |
| Computer | Turn off ability to configure using WCN over In-band 802.11 WLAN ID WCN_EnableRegistrar_DisableInBand802DOT11 | boolean | Path Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Value name DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar Type REG_DWORD | Options: true (1), false (0) True: Set value = 1 · False: Set value = 0 | |
| Computer | Turn off ability to configure using a USB Flash Drive ID WCN_EnableRegistrar_DisableFlashConfig | boolean | Path Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Value name DisableFlashConfigRegistrar Type REG_DWORD | Options: true (1), false (0) True: Set value = 1 · False: Set value = 0 | |
| Computer | Turn off ability to configure Windows Portable Device (WPD) ID WCN_EnableRegistrar_DisableWPD | boolean | Path Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Value name DisableWPDRegistrar Type REG_DWORD | Options: true (1), false (0) True: Set value = 1 · False: Set value = 0 |