How to change the priority of wired/wireless network cards in Windows

Do you ever plug in your Ethernet cable while your wi-fi is still connected and wonder which one Windows uses first? Well, Windows usually chooses the best one on its own, but if you would like to change the order of network cards manually, here’s how you can do it.

Why network priority matters ?

When both wired (Ethernet) and wireless (wi-fi) connections are active, Windows automatically decides which to use based on something called interface metrics. This metric helps Windows figure out which connection is more efficient or reliable. Ethernet usually gets a higher priority because it offers a faster and more stable connection.

However, if you want to set your own preferences, for example, always use wi-fi first, you can manually change the network card priority.

Step 1: Check the current network card priority

To see how your computer is currently prioritizing network cards, please follow these steps:

1. Open the command prompt (You can search for “cmd” in the Start menu)
2. Type the following command: –netstat -rn | more
3. At the top of the output, you will see a section called Interface List. The numbers in the first column represent the metric values. Lower numbers mean higher priority.

You will most likely see your loopback interface first; that is the one used for internal communication, then your Ethernet, wi-fi, and possibly some other virtual adapters like VPN or software such as VMware.

Step 2: Change the network card priority manually

To change the priority order, please follow these steps:

1. Open Network Connections:
   • Press Windows + R, then type “ncpa.cpl” and hit Enter
     or
   • Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings
2. Right-click on the network adapter you want to adjust (for example, wi-fi or Ethernet) and then select Properties.
3. In the list, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), then click Properties. 
4. In the new window, click on the Advanced button.
5. In the “Advanced TCP/IP Settings” window,
   • Uncheck Automatic metric.
   • Enter a number in the Interface metric box. Lower numbers mean higher priority. (for example, give Ethernet a lower number like 5 to prioritize it over wi-fi)
6. Click OK on all windows to save your changes

You can repeat these steps for your other adapter too to make sure everything is set the way you want it to be.

Final thoughts

Most of the time, you do not need to change the network priority because Windows usually makes the right call for you. But if you are trying to control how your system connects, especially in certain network environments or for troubleshooting, this setting can be useful.

Just remember: The lower the metric number, the higher the priority.