Public or Private Home Wifi and Network Firewall settings?

Question

I am a home user. I am confused as I read different descriptions of Public and Private and where they are used. What should my Home Wifi and Network Firewall be set as? Are the Wifi settings and Network Firewall settings two different Public and Private settings?

1. Windows Defender states PRIVATE is for "Networks at home..." I am connected the Public.
2. My Wifi setting is PUBLIC as it states to "use when connected to a network at home" I am connected the Public.

Here is Firewall Setting:

Here is my Home Wifi setting:

Answer 1

Use public - Recommended

The other is designed primarily for a business/Office

Answer 2

Hi Charmaine,

I am Dave, I will help you with this.

The Public/Private settings are counter-intuitive, both should be set to Public if you access the Internet on your PC, the Public setting is more secure for that use, the Private setting is really only suitable for a closed network you may use in your home or in business.

Answer 3

Hi Charmaine,

I agree, the wording is odd, but you have set up correctly, using Public you can connect to the Internet and also to other devices at home.

Answer 4

Thanks.

The description of each confused me. Both say Private and Public is for connecting at home. I am connected to Public.

1. Windows Defender states PRIVATE is for "Networks at home..."
2. Wi-Fi settings state PUBLIC is to "use when connected to a network at home"

Answer 5

Thanks, I am on Public. I connect to a printer and smartphone (Link to Windows). The wording is odd to me. Public is more secure, Private less secure. I only came across the settings when searching for allowed application on my network as I still have an ONEPLUS device attached to my Google account devices after I installed and installed Bluestacks on my laptop. I located two files and deleted but I still have the device showing in my Google account.