This is the very first time I got an Opportunity to scour through the "View Devices & Printers" option within Control Panel on my Win 8 machine.
Iam stunned to observe some whole New Devices showing out of some unrecognized source within that Window.
Please go through the attached Screenshot, & help decipher the "Mystery" behind the encircled Devices.
PS::: >>Have only recently formatted my Machine through HP Recovery Disk stored on a Brand New Pen Drive. I cannot shun saying Thanks to Derek once again whose diction made the process look so simple & Hassle-free.
>>Wi-Fi Option is DISABLED from the Day one.
A Prompt Help will allay the Fears of using perhaps a Compromised PC.
I see two televisions (do you have smart tvs on your network?) I see three devices that are able to share music (a BlackBerry phone/tablet a PC and a Macintosh) do these item exist on your network?
Devices, even those by neighbours can use your connection, although I'm completely unfamiliar with how Win8x on an OS level handles these, etc., since I have to go into my modem to control these. And about controlling them; I have my system configured where I have to manually input MAC addresses for devices and nothing else can connect without my permission like a next door neighbours devices, etc., it can be a pain and takes legwork however it's more secure.
That's What I wish to Convey...that I have No Idea where are these popping up from? I have already mentioned that my Wi-Fi Connection remains Disabled from day one! No, None of the encircled Item belongs to me, & neither does any of these exist on my Network!?
Is this a case of active snooping? Is the "Big Brother" watching over me!? :-)
Secondly, can this be expected from a Newly Formatted Machine?
I don't see a green tick (usually designating a default device) on my Win8 PC in Control Panel, Network and Sharing Centre, Check Adapter Settings, so that's weird.
Next is where is the wireless adapter that should be shown as disabled?
Lastly, I'm not sure why it has listed the WAN miniport. I guess you have connected the ethernet cable into the modem, which should be all you need.
The first thing I would try would be to disable that WAN miniport adapter.
The Green Tick is a symbolic of a "Default Connection" , & that status were automatically assigned to this Connection by Win 8 itself as it were the first to set up before the rest. The entry of "Wireless Adapter" got removed itself when I installed the "Qualcomm Wireless Driver" from the list of Add/Remove Programs using CCleaner.
WAN Miniport could be an indicative of using my Default Internet Connection through the "Bridge" Mode. Iam not using setting of PPPoE/PPPoA within the Router's Interface.
In my experience of "Bloatware" that comes as Pre-Installed with a Newly bought Machine or huddle in a recently formatted machine, it literary makes no impact even if you remove Software entries associated to the installed Processor, Network Card..etc. etc. These are simply "Software Applications" masquerading as "Device Drivers"! Removal of these do not appear to make any sort of Impact thus far, but will do a great deal to only make your Machine "Lean n Mean"!