Windows 7: "Home Network" setting cannot be saved

For some reason the active network shows "Public network", so I wanted to change it to "Home network", but the changed setting could not be saved or the "Save Changes" was grayed. This happened on my home network. What could be wrong?

Usually you can click on the picture of the park bench and then have the option to change the network. If you can't, then you can use the group policy editor to change things. You will also be able to change the default behavior - it sounds like you might have accidentally picked public and then picked the box that says don't ask again.

Click the orb, then type gpedit.msc. Under local computer policies -> computer config -> windows settings -> security settings -> network list manager policies, you'll find your network, unidentified networks, identifying networks, and all networks. If you double click on your network, go to the network location and change it to private. Then, go to all networks and make sure that all of the settings are set to "not configured". That should fix your problem.

This can also be caused by not having a default gateway. For example, if you have two computers (or a computer and another device) connected via ethernet, and you don't give the Windows 7 computer a default gateway, by default it will be a public network. If you edit your IP settings and enter a default gateway (use the other computer/device's IP address), the network type will change and you can pick the one you want.

Thanks for your reply.
Let me explain what I am trying to do as follows:

I have a router A which includes a built-in access point but is disabled in its configuration settings. I have another router B with its DHCP disabled and a unique SSID assigned to its access point. I cascaded the router B with A. The problem I described in my original post happened when I attempted to access the router B access point. The connection does not go beyond the local network or to the Internet, which was not mentioned in my original post.

Router A is a wifi access point, but you do not use it as a wifi access point, but it is your DHCP issuing device? Is that correct?

Router B has DHCP disabled, but is your wifi access point? Is that correct?

Router A and Router B need to be on the same subnet (or have the appropriate subnet mask), and Router B needs to have a static IP address outside the DHCP range of Router A. For example:

Router A: IP=192.168.0.1, wifi disabled, DHCP enabled with range of 192.168.0.50-192.168.0.200, with network cable from WAN port to your cable modem.
Router B: IP=192.168.0.10, wifi enabled, DHCP disabled, with network cable from port 1 to port 1 on Router A. Do not connect the network cable to the WAN port on either router.

The problem appeared to be that the router B was not configured how I thought it was. To review the configuration of the router B I attempted to access the router but could not. I reset the router then I reconfigured it the way it should be. Then the problem was resolved. The following is how both router are configured:

Router A:
IP: 192.168.1.1
DHCP range: 192.168.1.100 to 149

Router B:
IP: 192.168.1.2
DHCP: Disabled
WiFi: Enabled

My original post indicated that the WiFi access point functionality of the router A was disabled. But this was for trouble shooting purpose. Now it is enabled.
Purpose of adding an access point as above is to try extending WiFi range using a spare router at hand.

Presently, a unique SSID is assigned for each of these access points. I wonder if the same SSID can be assigned.
Any comment is appreciated.

Yes, you can use the same SSID. Each access point needs to use a different channel.

If the same SSID is assigned but two different channel are used, then does the mobile device automatically switch channel to one which becomes stronger as it moves around? How can I check if it does? Note that the same encryption type and the security code are used for both access point.

Yes, that's how it works. The router channel is fixed, and the computer NIC will switch automatically. You can look at computer's nic status and see what channel is being used.

I looked NIC status. It has only one tab being labeled as "General" and in which there was no channel info. I looked into "Details" and "Wireless Properties" but found no channel info there either.

While reviwing "Wireless Network Properties", I noticed there was an option of "Connect to more preferred network if available" which is presently not turned on. This appears to be intended for public WiFi access points, but wonder if this option can be used for a home network with two access points each having unique SSID.

It appears you can't see what channel you are using. I thought I saw it in there. I was probably thinking about the channel info you can see/set on the router. You could go to the router's config page and see which clients are connected to the router, though.

If you have multiple SSIDs, I don't think you can move between them in such a small area and expect Windows to move to that one. You'd pretty much have to move to the edge of the range of one and lose the connection - then if the other network is available it might auto-connect, but I think you'd have to manually connect.

I'd just use the same SSID. If the connection level drops to a magical point (Windows will determine that), it will automatically switch to the stronger signal with the same SSID.