I have configured my network interface on Windows and gave it a static IP address.
After it got enabled, I notice that the name of the network is Network 3:
In Linux, we know that Interface_name come from the config file under /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts; for example, system eth0 comes from the ifcfg-eth0 file. So, how does Windows name the network interface?
Why is the name of my network Network 3, not Network 1? (What happened to Network 1 and Network 2?
The interface is named "Ethernet"; you can rename it using F2. (Internally, Windows associates configuration to interfaces by their GUID, not name, so you can use any descriptive name you want.)
"Network 3" is how Windows calls the network you're connected to. As part of Windows Firewall, different networks on the same interface are automatically recognized and can be associated with different firewall profiles (home/work/public in Windows 7, private/public in Windows 8).
In other words, this is the third network Windows has been connected to.
To rename the current network or to manage previously recognized ones, go to the Network & Sharing Center, and click the icon next to "Network 3". (Tested on Windows 7, may have changed on Win8.)
I needed a clearer explanation than above...and specific to Windows 10 this still holds.
Disable network adapter in network settings. Uninstall driver for that network interface in device manager. Do not check for hardware yet. Run Regedit as administrator. Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Profiles
Check to see inside each folder you will find an entry that references those autosequenced network numbers.... Network, Network 2, Network 3 etc. Delete all these folders under this branch. Once you have removed all... Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Signatures
and delete all the entries in the Managed and Unmanaged folders, but leave the two empty folders.
Go back to device manager and scan for hardware changes. Driver should reinstall automatically, and assuming your adapter is set to either obtain IP automatically via DHCP or assign itself a static IP you already know will work properly, you should get a prompt on the right of how you want discoverability for the new "Network" connection with no annoying number.
The internet was almost no help to me on this one...so if it helped you, I'm happy my intense digging through registry was worth something to someone besides just me.
Disconnecting and reconnecting the Ethernet interface can cause the interface to be renumbered when Windows thinks the network has changed. This often happens when a laptop moves between networks. This can also happen when the interface changes.
FYI, the name of the interface is actually the top label (Ethernet), the second level is the name of the network (Network 3) and the third label is the type of adapter. On a Corporate network, the network will be AD network name (such as Corp.Bigcompany.com). On a home network, using a workgroup rather than AD, it is just the name Network and a numeric id that increases each time that Windows thinks the network has changed.
With all thanks to Svish, above, and awareness that sometimes a link rots and the content disappears, I am summarizing key info from geekality.net here:
(Necessary in Windows 8.x)
So, on your own responsibility, here’s where to find those profiles in the Registry Editor.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows NT \CurrentVersion \NetworkList \Profiles Of particular note is the ProfileName and the Category. The last one can have the following values:
0 = Public 1 = Private 2 = Domain
