NetworkInformation Class

Definition

public ref class NetworkInformation abstract sealed

/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract, 65536)]
/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.MarshalingBehavior(Windows.Foundation.Metadata.MarshalingType.Agile)]
class NetworkInformation final

[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(typeof(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract), 65536)]
[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.MarshalingBehavior(Windows.Foundation.Metadata.MarshalingType.Agile)]
public static class NetworkInformation

Public Class NetworkInformation

Inheritance

Object Platform::Object IInspectable NetworkInformation

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute

Windows requirements

Examples

Event subscription pattern (C#):

using Windows.Networking.Connectivity;

NetworkStatusChangedEventHandler handler = sender =>
{
    var profile = NetworkInformation.GetInternetConnectionProfile();
    var level = profile?.GetNetworkConnectivityLevel();
    if (level == NetworkConnectivityLevel.InternetAccess)
    {
        // Safe to (re)try outbound requests
    }
};

NetworkInformation.NetworkStatusChanged += handler;

Selective re-query pattern (C# pseudo-code):

void OnNetworkStatusChanged(NetworkStateChangeEventDetails details)
{
    var profile = NetworkInformation.GetInternetConnectionProfile();
    if (details.HasNewNetworkConnectivityLevel || details.HasNewInternetConnectionProfile)
    {
        var level = profile?.GetNetworkConnectivityLevel();
    }
    if (details.HasNewConnectionCost)
    {
        var cost = profile?.GetConnectionCost();
    }
    if (details.HasNewDomainConnectivityLevel)
    {
        bool tls = profile?.IsDomainAuthenticatedBy(DomainAuthenticationKind.Tls) == true;
    }
    if (details.HasNewHostNameList)
    {
        // Refresh host name dependent routing logic
    }
}

Filtering example (C#):

using Windows.Networking.Connectivity;

var filter = new ConnectionProfileFilter
{
    IsConnected = true,
    IsWlanConnectionProfile = true
};
var wifiProfiles = await NetworkInformation.FindConnectionProfilesAsync(filter);

Determine if the device currently has internet access and is on an unrestricted network (C#):

using Windows.Networking.Connectivity;

var profile = NetworkInformation.GetInternetConnectionProfile();
bool hasInternet = profile?.GetNetworkConnectivityLevel() == NetworkConnectivityLevel.InternetAccess;
bool unrestricted = false;
if (profile != null)
{
    var cost = profile.GetConnectionCost();
    unrestricted = cost.NetworkCostType == NetworkCostType.Unrestricted && !cost.Roaming && !cost.OverDataLimit;
}

// Use hasInternet/unrestricted to decide whether to start background sync

Enumerate all connected WLAN profiles (C++/WinRT):

#include <winrt/Windows.Networking.Connectivity.h>
using namespace winrt;
using namespace Windows::Networking::Connectivity;

IAsyncAction ListWifiProfiles()
{
    ConnectionProfileFilter filter;
    filter.IsWlanConnectionProfile(true);
    filter.IsConnected(true);
    auto profiles = co_await NetworkInformation::FindConnectionProfilesAsync(filter);
    for (auto const& p : profiles)
    {
        if (auto wlan = p.WlanConnectionProfileDetails())
        {
            auto ssid = wlan.GetConnectedSsid();
            // Log or display ssid
        }
    }
}

Subscribe to network status change (C++/WinRT):

#include <winrt/Windows.Foundation.h>
#include <winrt/Windows.Networking.Connectivity.h>
using namespace winrt;
using namespace Windows::Networking::Connectivity;

struct NetworkWatcher
{
    winrt::event_token token;
    void Start()
    {
        token = NetworkInformation::NetworkStatusChanged({ this, &NetworkWatcher::OnChanged });
    }
    void Stop()
    {
        if (token.value) NetworkInformation::NetworkStatusChanged(token);
    }
    void OnChanged(IInspectable const&)
    {
        auto profile = NetworkInformation::GetInternetConnectionProfile();
        if (profile && profile.GetNetworkConnectivityLevel() == NetworkConnectivityLevel::InternetAccess)
        {
            // Online logic
        }
    }
};

Remarks

NetworkInformation provides static methods to query network connectivity state and monitor changes:

• Call NetworkInformation.GetInternetConnectionProfile to get the current active connection profile (may return null if offline).
• Call NetworkInformation.FindConnectionProfilesAsync with a ConnectionProfileFilter to enumerate additional profiles (for example, other WLAN interfaces, WWAN, or prior connections).
• Subscribe to the NetworkInformation.NetworkStatusChanged event to be notified when connectivity changes instead of polling.

The returned ConnectionProfile instances expose cost, data plan, adapter, and technology-specific detail objects (WlanConnectionProfileDetails, WwanConnectionProfileDetails). Always re-query inside the status changed event handler because previously cached profile objects are not live-updating.

For examples of how NetworkInformation class methods are implemented, see the NetworkConnectivity sample.

Use this class to:

• Retrieve LAN/WLAN/WWAN specific details (for example, WlanConnectionProfileDetails, WwanConnectionProfileDetails).
• Obtain localized names or signal / data plan information through the associated profile objects.

Connection attempt best practices

For a complete implementation demonstrating these principles, see the NetworkConnectivity sample.

Additional guidance

• If your scenario depends on cost awareness (metered vs unrestricted), query connectionCost = profile?.GetConnectionCost() and check connectionCost.NetworkCostType before large background transfers.
• For power efficiency, unsubscribe from events when your foreground component is not active.
• Connectivity level can upgrade (for example from ConstrainedInternetAccess to InternetAccess) without the internet profile reference changing. Re-check GetNetworkConnectivityLevel inside each event invocation.

Event handling best practices:

• The event can fire frequently (for example, captive portal transitions, cost policy changes). Keep handlers lightweight and debounce expensive work.
• If using background tasks with NetworkStateChangeEventDetails, inspect flags (HasNewConnectionCost, HasNewNetworkConnectivityLevel, HasNewDomainConnectivityLevel, etc.) to selectively re-query only what changed.

Related classic (Win32) technologies include Network List Manager (NLM / INetworkListManager) and Data Usage & Subscription Management (DUSM). Most UWP / WinRT apps should prefer NetworkInformation and ConnectionProfile over directly invoking classic APIs; consult classic samples only for desktop bridge or advanced diagnostics scenarios.

For broader scenario guidance, see:

• Network connectivity UWP sample

See also

• Network Cost sample
• Network List Manager sample
• NetworkConnectivity sample