Keep a dedicated adapter's IP settings in place.
AdapterLock applies registry write restrictions to selected Windows network adapters. Leave the office connection editable while protecting a dedicated instrument link. Use the desktop view for individual hosts, or the PowerShell interface for policy deployment and reports.
Download v0.8.16 · Operations guide · Validation and limits
Actual WPF interface with simulated adapter records, captured on an isolated desktop. No physical adapter was changed. The capture harness exercises the view, not a full elevated application session.
- Inspect adapter identifiers and distinguish locked, partial and unlocked states.
- Filter by name, address or status. Compact mode hides configuration-changing controls.
- Keep permission snapshots for recovery and export JSON policies for reuse.
- Collect HTML, JSON or CSV fleet reports through PowerShell remoting. Optional startup enforcement and a WMI drift watcher support managed deployments.
Requires Windows 10, Windows 11 or Windows Server 2016+, Windows PowerShell 5.1 and administrator rights. The script requests elevation.
Download the ZIP from the release page and extract it. It includes the script, illustrated documentation and deployment samples. The standalone EXE is optional. Both distributions are unsigned; use your organization's approved signing or execution-policy process. Don't disable endpoint protection to run them.
Open Windows PowerShell in the extracted folder:
# Inspect identifiers before selecting a target
.\AdapterLock.ps1 -ListAdapters -OutputFormat Json -Silent
# Open the compact read-only view
.\AdapterLock.ps1 -Compact
# Preview the planned ACL changes for an exact adapter name
.\AdapterLock.ps1 -Lock -Adapter "Acquisition link" -DryRun -SilentPreview mode skips lock/unlock ACL writes, but startup can still create local log, backup and event-source infrastructure. Review the target and recovery plan before using the write commands in the operations guide.
This is an administrative configuration guard, not a security boundary against administrators. Windows permissions can be changed by an authorized owner or administrator. A badge reports detected deny rules; it isn't proof that every configuration tool, driver or service is blocked. Microsoft's registry access model explains these distinctions.
Test on a disposable machine before deployment. Keep console access and a working recovery path. Locking a DHCP adapter can interfere with lease updates; never experiment on your only remote-management connection.
Unlock removes recognized deny rules for Authenticated Users, Everyone and BUILTIN\Users. Those may include rules created elsewhere. Use a reviewed SDDL backup when the exact prior permissions matter. Detection currently uses English group display names, so localized Windows installations need separate validation.
| Record | Default location |
|---|---|
| Activity log | %APPDATA%\AdapterLock\adapterlock.log |
| Permission snapshots | %ProgramData%\AdapterLock\Backups\ |
| Lock/unlock events | Windows Application log, source AdapterLock, EventId 1001 |
| Optional watcher events | Windows Application log, EventId 1002 |
The operations guide covers exact backup selection, policy deployment, exit codes and watcher removal. Uninstalling the files does not remove existing registry restrictions or installed enforcement.
From a source checkout:
.\build.ps1 -Validate
.\build.ps1 -Package
.\build-exe.ps1Build prerequisites: Pester 5, PSScriptAnalyzer and, for the EXE, ps2exe 1.0.16 or newer. Install these explicitly before building. Validation runs real WPF layout tests, so unattended runs need an isolated desktop.
The v0.8.16 review covers the local tests, selected-cell regression, simulated view interactions and package contents. Elevated lock/unlock, real DHCP behavior and enterprise deployment were not exercised in this marketing pass. Full evidence and limits.
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The text identity remains in use unless the concept review explicitly approves a replacement.