Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Vista
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Windows Connect Now Description
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
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars Value name: EnableRegistrars
Enabled: EnableRegistrars = 1
Disabled: EnableRegistrars = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsConnectNow/WCN_EnableRegistrar 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: Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Vista
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars]
"EnableRegistrars"=dword:00000001
"DisableUPnPRegistrar"=dword:00000000
"DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar"=dword:00000000
"DisableFlashConfigRegistrar"=dword:00000000
"DisableWPDRegistrar"=dword:00000000
"MaxWCNDeviceNumber"=dword:000001f4
"HigherPrecedenceRegistrar"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnableRegistrars' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableUPnPRegistrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableFlashConfigRegistrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWPDRegistrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxWCNDeviceNumber' -Value 500 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'HigherPrecedenceRegistrar' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_WindowsConnectNow/WCN_EnableRegistrar
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="WCN_EnableRegistrar_DisableUPnP" value="0"/>
<data id="WCN_EnableRegistrar_DisableInBand802DOT11" value="0"/>
<data id="WCN_EnableRegistrar_DisableFlashConfig" value="0"/>
<data id="WCN_EnableRegistrar_DisableWPD" value="0"/>
<data id="WCN_EnableRegistrar_MaxWCNDeviceNumber" value="500"/>
<data id="WCN_Higher_Precedence_Registrar" value="1"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'EnableRegistrars' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableUPnPRegistrar' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableFlashConfigRegistrar' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableWPDRegistrar' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'MaxWCNDeviceNumber' -Expected 500 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'HigherPrecedenceRegistrar' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnableRegistrars' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableUPnPRegistrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableFlashConfigRegistrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWPDRegistrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxWCNDeviceNumber' -Value 500 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'HigherPrecedenceRegistrar' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
# 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: Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
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
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'EnableRegistrars' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableUPnPRegistrar' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableFlashConfigRegistrar' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'DisableWPDRegistrar' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'MaxWCNDeviceNumber' -Expected 500 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars' -Name 'HigherPrecedenceRegistrar' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configuration of wireless settings using Windows Connect Now
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Vista
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WCN\Registrars'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'EnableRegistrars' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableUPnPRegistrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableInBand802DOT11Registrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableFlashConfigRegistrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWPDRegistrar' -Value 0 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MaxWCNDeviceNumber' -Value 500 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'HigherPrecedenceRegistrar' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.