Ability to Enable/Disable a LAN connection
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
Path in the GPO console
User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Description
Determines whether users can enable/disable LAN connections. If you enable this setting, the Enable and Disable options for LAN connections are available to users (including nonadministrators). Users can enable/disable a LAN connection by double-clicking the icon representing the connection, by right-clicking it, or by using the File menu. If you disable this setting (and enable the "Enable Network Connections settings for Administrators" setting), double-clicking the icon has no effect, and the Enable and Disable menu items are disabled for all users (including administrators). Important: If the "Enable Network Connections settings for Administrators" is disabled or not configured, this setting will not apply to administrators on post-Windows 2000 computers. If you do not configure this setting, only Administrators and Network Configuration Operators can enable/disable LAN connections. Note: Administrators can still enable/disable LAN connections from Device Manager when this setting is disabled.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections Value name: NC_LanConnect
Enabled: NC_LanConnect = 1
Disabled: NC_LanConnect = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_NetworkConnections/NC_LanConnect Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Ability to Enable/Disable a LAN connection
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections]
"NC_LanConnect"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Ability to Enable/Disable a LAN connection
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NC_LanConnect' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./User/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_NetworkConnections/NC_LanConnect
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Ability to Enable/Disable a LAN connection
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections' -Name 'NC_LanConnect' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Ability to Enable/Disable a LAN connection
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NC_LanConnect' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Ability to Enable/Disable a LAN connection
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Ability to Enable/Disable a LAN connection
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections' -Name 'NC_LanConnect' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Ability to Enable/Disable a LAN connection
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 only
# Warning: In SYSTEM context (the Intune default), HKCU targets the SYSTEM profile. Run this script using the logged-on credentials.
$path = 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'NC_LanConnect' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.