Hide your Vista Computer on the Network

The network map is a graphical view of the computers and devices on your network, showing how they are connected. Computers can be seen as objects in the network map, and that should facilitate easier access to the shared resources found on them. Network Map in Windows Vista makes network diagrams of the connections between network devices that can be used to troubleshoot connectivity problems. Network Map uses a discovery protocol called Link-Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) that queries other devices on the network to determine how the network is organized.

Windows Vista includes the software components that implement the LLTD protocol. For other devices on the network to be displayed on the map, they must enable a discovery protocol that can respond to the mapping requests from the Windows Vista-based computer. Read "Installing Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) on Windows XP" for more info.

Due to security or personal reasons one might want to have their computer "seen", i.e. to be in a discoverable state, while another person might want to avoid having their computer discovered by other networked computers. Therefore, in Vista, there is an option to make your computer "go away", disappear, and not be seen on the network map.

Note: Not having your computer displayed on the network map does not mean it cannot be accessed. If you want to prevent people from gaining access to your computer's shares and other services, make sure you properly configure it and secure it with either the built-in Windows Firewall, or a 3rd-party firewall.

Here are some of the reasons why a computer running Vista may not appear in the network map:

1. The computer is running Windows Vista and is connected to a network that is assigned to the "Public place" network location.



2. The computer is running Windows Vista and the Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) protocol is disabled on the network adapter. Windows uses the LLTD protocol to map computers and devices on a network.



3. The computer is running Windows Vista has network discovery is turned off.



4. The computer is running Windows XP and firewall settings are preventing Windows from detecting it.

Another method of hiding your Vista computer in the network map is by performing the following task:

Remote Support Software Every IT Pro Needs

1. In the Start Menu's Run command type CMD and press Enter. You can type CMD in the Search bar if your Run menu isn't showing.
2. In the command prompt window enter the following command:

Net config server /hidden:yes

This command will hide you from the network map but your shared folders can still be accessed.

To check if your computer is hidden in the network neighborhood type this in the command prompt:

C:'Windows'System32>Net config server

Server Name ''APOLLO
 _________

Server Comment

Software version	Windows Vista (TM) Ultimate

Server is active on

	NetbiosSmb (APOLLO)
	
	NetBT_Tcpip_{28037B04-41B5-466E-B1B9-39C399011DE8} (APOLLO)
	
	NetBT_Tcpip_{497F17A7-2B9F-433D-BAFF-5761B7D878D5} (APOLLO)
	
	NetBT_Tcpip_{D04E509A-239D-4F9A-A97B-3FAB3DC3C99E} (APOLLO)
	
	NetBT_Tcpip_{F6182BAD-1FE0-4128-8FA3-7550A00B7E8B} (APOLLO)
	

	
Server hidden	Yes

Maximum Logged On Users 10

Maximum open files per session	16384


Idle session time (min) 15
The command completed successfully.

Note it might take a few moments for the computer to disappear from the network map.

To un-hide your computer, in the command prompt window enter the following command:

Net config server /hidden:no

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