Cannot Connect: The network path was not found

yertiz · Sep 30, 2025

I have recently bought 2 new laptops. A Lenova Yoga for my wife and a Chuwi Minibook for me. Both Laptops are running Win11 home version 24H2, OS build 26100.6584. Both connect to the network via 5Gh wifi via a BT router.

The plan is that both laptops should be able to share files in their public folders with my Desktop PC. The Desktop is running Win11 Pro version 24H2 OS build 26100.6584. This arrangement worked perfectly with my ancient Vaio running Win 10 and still does. My Linux box can also connect to the Desktop.

However, whilst I can access both of the laptops from the desktop, neither of the laptops will connect to the desktop despite the fact that the desktop shows as being found on the network under the network section of file explorer on both laptops.

I have diligently checked each computer using Brinks tutorial. I have also followed as far as possible the 10 suggestions on Partition Wizard’s website. I did not manage to add “Reliable Multicast Protocol or Change a Local Security Policy. However, I still get the same message.

The only differences I can see between the computers is that the laptops run home and the desktop pro and as they connect differently the laptops call the network BT1234 after the wifi connection and the desktop settles for Network.

Does anybody have any ideas?

XxXxX · Sep 30, 2025

i cant help with your actual problem i have no doubt one of the more experienced network guru's will be along to help.
but i must advise that on the Chuwi minibook you make a backup of the driver folder within Windows
as Chuwi are not very good at driver support for there hardware, i have 3 Chuwi laptops for my grandchildren.
a full backup of the driver folder is needed if you happen to ever need a re-install of Windows.

best of luck, Steve ..

Try3 · Sep 30, 2025

For the network, I suggest you work through the checklist I use.
A consolidated network setup checklist for Windows 10 and 11 - my post #4 - TenForums

I agree about Chuwi & drivers.
Backup and Restore Device Drivers - TenForumsTutorials
Backup and Restore Device Drivers - ElevenForumTutorials

I helped myself & several other Chuwi Hi10 Pro users by making my driver backups straightaway.
It turned out that their driver downloads had several incorrect drivers [for hardware that was so rare that MS update did not recognise it so could not help].
When I saw people on the Chuwi Hi10 Pro forums complaining that, for example, their touchscreens would not work after installing the downloaded drivers I was able to post the correct drivers for them [and they confirmed that their hardware then worked correctly].

All the best,
Denis

Welcome to ElevenForum.

It's really worth making time to browse through the ElevenForum Tutorial index - there's a shortcut to it at the top of every ElevenForum page [within the Tutorials dropdown list].
- At the foot of the ElevenForum Tutorial index is a shortcut to download it as a spreadsheet.
- I download a new copy each month.
- By downloading it as a spreadsheet I can benefit from Excel's excellent filtering capabilities when I search for topics of interest.
- ElevenForum tutorials are also listed at Tutorials and there's a shortcut to that at the top of every page.

You can search ElevenForum using the search box in the top-right corner of all ElevenForum webpages or using Advanced Search - ElevenForum
- You can also search ElevenForum threads in many general search engines, such as Google, by adding site:elevenforum.com after your search term. For example,
Taskbar setup site:elevenforum.com
- [This is what the search box in the top-right corner of ElevenForum webpages does automatically]

glasskuter · Sep 30, 2025

yertiz said:
The plan is that both laptops should be able to share files in their public folders with my Desktop PC.

Windows 11 has tighter sharing security than Windows 10. First of all I would share between user accounts rather than public account folder sharing.

Shared files on Win 10 network not showing

I just had my laptop upgraded to Win 11, v24H2, build 261006584. I have a home network (private) with shared folders. File Explorer sees my 3 Win 10 network computers, but when I click on a computer name to see the shared folders I get the following message. Windows cannot access...

www.elevenforum.com

.

gunrunnerjohn · Sep 30, 2025

I just followed all the steps below and got all my machines talking, Win11 Pro, Win11 Home, Win10 Pro, and my Netgear ReadyNAS.

In Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features\Turn Windows Features on or off.
Check if there are No Ticks are on SMB 1.0/CIFS Client and SMB 1.0/CIFS Server Only a tick on SMB Direct

Make Sure you are on a Private Network NOT Public

Next go into Group Policy (Pro Version Only) gpedit.msc

Computer Configuration, Windows Settings, Security Settings, Local Policies, Security Options
Double click on Microsoft Network Client: Digitally sign communications (always)
Double click on Microsoft Network Client: Digitally sign communications (if server agrees)
Set both of these to "Disabled"
Click on OK.

Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Network, Lanman Workstation
Double click on "Enable Insecure Guest Logons"
Set this to "Enabled"
Click on OK.

Reboot

pseymour · Sep 30, 2025

None of your machines are using SMB Direct; it doesn't need to be on. "Note: Windows 10 and Windows 11 family are restricted to client-only and can't act as an SMB Direct server."

Improve performance of a file server with SMB Direct

SMB Direct allows for faster file transfer and more efficient network usage by utilizing remote direct memory access (RDMA) technology in Windows.

learn.microsoft.com

yertiz · Oct 1, 2025

XxXxX said:
i cant help with your actual problem i have no doubt one of the more experienced network guru's will be along to help.
but i must advise that on the Chuwi minibook you make a backup of the driver folder within Windows
as Chuwi are not very good at driver support for there hardware, i have 3 Chuwi laptops for my grandchildren.
a full backup of the driver folder is needed if you happen to ever need a re-install of Windows.

best of luck, Steve ..

Thanks for the heads up. I now have a copy.
Yertiz

yertiz · Oct 1, 2025

Try3 said:
For the network, I suggest you work through the checklist I use.
A consolidated network setup checklist for Windows 10 and 11 - my post #4 - TenForums

I agree about Chuwi & drivers.
Backup and Restore Device Drivers - TenForumsTutorials
Backup and Restore Device Drivers - ElevenForumTutorials

I helped myself & several other Chuwi Hi10 Pro users by making my driver backups straightaway.
It turned out that their driver downloads had several incorrect drivers [for hardware that was so rare that MS update did not recognise it so could not help].
When I saw people on the Chuwi Hi10 Pro forums complaining that, for example, their touchscreens would not work after installing the downloaded drivers I was able to post the correct drivers for them [and they confirmed that their hardware then worked correctly].

All the best,
Denis

Welcome to ElevenForum.

It's really worth making time to browse through the ElevenForum Tutorial index - there's a shortcut to it at the top of every ElevenForum page [within the Tutorials dropdown list].
- At the foot of the ElevenForum Tutorial index is a shortcut to download it as a spreadsheet.
- I download a new copy each month.
- By downloading it as a spreadsheet I can benefit from Excel's excellent filtering capabilities when I search for topics of interest.
- ElevenForum tutorials are also listed at Tutorials and there's a shortcut to that at the top of every page.

You can search ElevenForum using the search box in the top-right corner of all ElevenForum webpages or using Advanced Search - ElevenForum
- You can also search ElevenForum threads in many general search engines, such as Google, by adding site:elevenforum.com after your search term. For example,
Taskbar setup site:elevenforum.com
- [This is what the search box in the top-right corner of ElevenForum webpages does automatically]

Thanks for the links. I would prefer to keep it simple by using the public folders but if all else fails I'll give your suggestions a try and let you know how it goes.
yertiz

yertiz · Oct 1, 2025

glasskuter said:
Windows 11 has tighter sharing security than Windows 10. First of all I would share between user accounts rather than public account folder sharing.

Shared files on Win 10 network not showing

I just had my laptop upgraded to Win 11, v24H2, build 261006584. I have a home network (private) with shared folders. File Explorer sees my 3 Win 10 network computers, but when I click on a computer name to see the shared folders I get the following message. Windows cannot access...

www.elevenforum.com

.

I prefer the public folders approach but may come back to user account sharing if all else fails. There may be tighter security but if the Desktop can access the laptop it should be possible to get it to work the other way.
Yertiz

yertiz · Oct 2, 2025

Thanks to everyone’s advice I have managed to make some progress with this only to be confronted with another conundrum.

After executing:

Set-SmbClientConfiguration -EnableInsecureGuestLogons $true -Force

Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false -Force

Set-SmbServerConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false -Force

I can now connect from the Chuwi Minibook to my Desktop without an error message. Once connected I then see under Desktop

f a 512Mb usb stick

Users the main folder on the pc

x a 2TB Western Digital Drive I use for Video Editing.

I can see and access all the files on the 2 removable drives.

When I expand the Users folder I can see Public and expanding that gives me Public Documents, Public Downloads, Public Music, Public Pictures, Public Videos. However, with one exception the Minibook claims the folders are empty even though there is something in all of them. Under Public Documents there is one folder showing for Lightworks (there are 40+ folders there) which I can access. I cannot see anything different about the Lightworks folder although it will have been created automatically by Lightworks on installation.

If I go into Advance Sharing and tick the share box that folder will appear as an individual share but I get the message "You do not have permission to access this file"

Has anyone else seen this weird behaviour? Anyone have any ideas?

Let me know if you need more info.

Yertiz

motoman · Oct 2, 2025

You need to take ownership of those folders. Then you'll be able to see everything and make changes. That's what I had to do when I ran into the same problem.

Try3 · Oct 2, 2025

yertiz said:
I would prefer to keep it simple by using the public folders

Public folders were not designed to be used in the way you want.
They were designed to be a common resource for all users on a single computer.
I think their use across networks was made much less straightforward with the demise of HomeGroups, with which Public folders had sharing capabilities.

You would keep it simple by using other folders to which suitable permissions have been applied.

Best of luck,
Denis

yertiz · Oct 8, 2025

Try3 said:
Public folders were not designed to be used in the way you want.
They were designed to be a common resource for all users on a single computer.
I think their use across networks was made much less straightforward with the demise of HomeGroups, with which Public folders had sharing capabilities.

You would keep it simple by using other folders to which suitable permissions have been applied.

Best of luck,
Denis

Denis

I finally sorted out the minor glitch - a simple permissions issue - so I am back with Public Folders working as they used to.

I guess simplicity is in the mind of the beholder. To me setting up additional users on each machine then having to swap users every time I want to share with another computer sounds far more complicated than using Public Folders.but perhaps I have misunderstood the concept.

Thanks for your efforts

Yertiz

Try3 · Oct 8, 2025

I never need to swap users to get at the shared folders.
The folders I share are outside the C:\Users folders [e.g. D:\Docs].

Denis

yertiz · Oct 8, 2025

Try3 said:
I never need to swap users to get at the shared folders.
The folders I share are outside the C:\Users folders [e.g. D:\Docs].

Denis

Then I misunderstood the concept. However I am happy with what I have at the moment.

Yertiz

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