When you connect to a new network for the first time, Windows 7 will prompt you to choose a network location. The type of location you select determines the Windows Firewall settings that are applied and the networking features that will be available. Windows remembers the location setting for each different network to which you connect, so you can be sure that the appropriate level of security is always applied.

When you move your computer from one network to another, Windows will usually detect the change and prompt you to select a new network location.

User logon and authorization are very different in a networked environment.

This section describes the following network types:

• Peer-to-Peer Networks
• Domain-Based Networks
• Cached Credentials