Solved Lost network computers on network explorer

Madness10 · Jan 24, 2026

Hello all. I am running 25Hs, my wife and mom is running 24H2. Up until about a week ago, we all were able to see others computers. Now, my moms computer is able to see mine and I am able to see hers. But I cant see my wife's computer, she can't see mine. My moms can see mine, but can't see my wife's computer. I'm not sure what happened. I thought it was an update that went bad, so we did a system restore on her computer and mine back to before the last update, but still not working properly. Has anyone experience this with any of the new updates? Thanks.

Rollback_Jockey · Jan 24, 2026

There are many comments on this very subject throughout this forum.

Madness10 · Jan 24, 2026

Rollback_Jockey said:
There are many comments on this very subject throughout this forum.

I have looked at a lot of pages, but nothing that talks about all of a sudden losing the computers.

john1955 · Jan 24, 2026

I did an update two days ago and just noticed my network was broken again . . . I just needed to select to not require passwords AGAIN. How that got changed I'll never know. I only just got everything working a week or so ago. But I was able to at least see the computer I could not access. Mine was between Win-7 and 11 but just thought I would mention it.

If you had not posted this I would not have checked . . .

antspants · Jan 24, 2026

Madness10 said:
I have looked at a lot of pages

It’s not a requirement, we can help you afresh.

Please read the following news:

EDIT: Link corrected

KB5077744 Windows 11 Out-of-band Update build 26100.7627 (24H2) and 26200.7627 (25H2) - Jan. 17

UPDATE 1/24: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/kb5078127-windows-11-out-of-band-update-build-26100-7628-24h2-and-26200-7628-25h2-jan-24.44059/ Microsoft Support: January 17, 2026 - KB5077744 (OS Builds 26200.7627 and 26100.7627) Out-of-band Change log Change dateChange description January 24...

www.elevenforum.com

Madness10 · Jan 25, 2026

antspants said:
It’s not a requirement, we can help you afresh.

Please read the following news:

EDIT: Link corrected

KB5077744 Windows 11 Out-of-band Update build 26100.7627 (24H2) and 26200.7627 (25H2) - Jan. 17

UPDATE 1/24: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/kb5078127-windows-11-out-of-band-update-build-26100-7628-24h2-and-26200-7628-25h2-jan-24.44059/ Microsoft Support: January 17, 2026 - KB5077744 (OS Builds 26200.7627 and 26100.7627) Out-of-band Change log Change dateChange description January 24...

www.elevenforum.com

I looked over this thread and this has nothing to do with what I'm experiencing. What happened happened around Jan 16th.

Try3 · Jan 25, 2026

Madness10 said:
I cant see my wife's computer

The File explorer, Network section has been defective since Windows 10 Version 1803.
What it bothers to show at any given moment is unpredictable.
Don't even bother looking at it.

Make shortcuts between your shared computers and use them instead e.g.
\\WIFESCOMPUTER\
\\WIFESCOMPUTER\SomeSharedFolderOrOther

Denis

Madness10 · Jan 25, 2026

Try3 said:
The File explorer, Network section has been defective since Windows 10 Version 1803.
What it bothers to show at any given moment is unpredictable.
Don't even bother looking at it.

Make shortcuts between your shared computers and use them instead e.g.
\\WIFESCOMPUTER\
\\WIFESCOMPUTER\SomeSharedFolderOrOther

Denis

It has been working fine for the few years, until just recently. If I can't see her computer and she can't see mine, we can't make shortcuts.

Try3 · Jan 25, 2026

Madness10 said:
If I can't see her computer

You said that you could not see it in "network explorer" which I took to mean File explorer, Network section i.e. a File explorer problem not a network problem.
If you write \\HERCOMPUTERNAME\ into File explorer's address bar or the Start menu, Run dialog, does it connect?
Alternatively, does Ping HERCOMPUTERNAME in Terminal [PS / Cmd prompt] show successful returns [Sent = 4, Received = 4]?

Denis

Madness10 · Jan 25, 2026

Try3 said:
You said that you could not see it in "network explorer" which I took to mean File explorer, Network section i.e. a File explorer problem not a network problem.
If you write \\HERCOMPUTERNAME\ into File explorer's address bar or the Start menu, Run dialog, does it connect?
Alternatively, does Ping HERCOMPUTERNAME in Terminal [PS / Cmd prompt] show successful returns [Sent = 4, Received = 4]?

Denis

This is what I get.

Madness10 · Jan 25, 2026

Try3 said:
You said that you could not see it in "network explorer" which I took to mean File explorer, Network section i.e. a File explorer problem not a network problem.
If you write \\HERCOMPUTERNAME\ into File explorer's address bar or the Start menu, Run dialog, does it connect?
Alternatively, does Ping HERCOMPUTERNAME in Terminal [PS / Cmd prompt] show successful returns [Sent = 4, Received = 4]?

Denis

If I type the names of the computers into the file address bar, it shows up in file explorer, but not the network explorer.

Try3 · Jan 25, 2026

Again, I assume that by "network explorer" you mean the File explorer, Network section.

So you do not have a network problem. Your network is operating.
You can create [write] shortcuts using the syntax I showed you and you'll be free of the File explorer, Network section's shortcomings.

Denis

Try3 · Jan 25, 2026

Madness10 said:
If I type the names of the computers into the file address bar, it shows up in file explorer, but not the network explorer.

But I can see your Kathleen-Laptop in your diagram.

I really think we must be talking at cross-purposes.
I suggest you make shortcuts to her computer.

Denis

Madness10 · Jan 25, 2026

Try3 said:
Again, I assume that by "network explorer" you mean the File explorer, Network section.

So you do not have a network problem. Your network is operating.
You can create [write] shortcuts using the syntax I showed you and you'll be free of the File explorer, Network section's shortcomings.

Denis

What would make it not show in the "network" all of the sudden? It was just recent. It has been find the last few years.

Try3 · Jan 25, 2026

Madness10 said:
What would make it not show in the "network" all of the sudden?

That question cannot be answered. Not even by MS given their evident inability to have fixed this problem at some stage in the last eight years.

Denis

pseymour · Jan 25, 2026

When you ping Kathleen-Laptop, you get a reply on IPv6. Unless you have everything set correctly and your network equipment supports it, you're likely to have discovery issues with IPv6. I would set all of the Windows devices to prefer IPv4 over IPv6. Don't disable IPv6 outright.

In the registry, at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters, set the DisabledComponents value to 32 (hexadecimal 20). Restart and check the Network node in Explorer again.

Configure IPv6 for advanced users - Windows Server

Provides step-by-step guidance for how to use the Windows registry to disable IPv6 or certain IPv6 components in Windows.

learn.microsoft.com

Try3 · Jan 25, 2026

I thought IPv4 was still the default. I haven't attempted to change anything in this regard.
Ping NETWORKCOMPUTERNAME

All the best,
Denis

Madness10 · Jan 25, 2026

pseymour said:
When you ping Kathleen-Laptop, you get a reply on IPv6. Unless you have everything set correctly and your network equipment supports it, you're likely to have discovery issues with IPv6. I would set all of the Windows devices to prefer IPv4 over IPv6. Don't disable IPv6 outright.

In the registry, at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters, set the DisabledComponents value to 32 (hexadecimal 20). Restart and check the Network node in Explorer again.

Configure IPv6 for advanced users - Windows Server

Provides step-by-step guidance for how to use the Windows registry to disable IPv6 or certain IPv6 components in Windows.

learn.microsoft.com

I don't have DisabledComponents in my registry.

MisterEd · Jan 25, 2026

Madness10 said:
If I can't see her computer and she can't see mine, we can't make shortcuts.

That's not true. As long as you can ping the computer you can make a shortcut to it. I have been doing that for at least ten years. It works fine with a mix of computers with Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11. The only time I couldn't make a shortcut is either when the computer was turned off or asleep.

BTW, the computers in my network come and go in File Explorer > Network. That is why I don't depend upon it. The shortcuts to the networked computers always work!

glasskuter · Jan 25, 2026

I agree with @MisterEd. I gave up on the network map years ago and rely strictly on shortcuts. Networking issues of all kinds has been an issue Microsoft has never mastered and was made worse when folks started running mixed system versions of Windows on their network. To make matters even worse, was when MS made tighter security in networking. So when I say "all kinds" of problems, I mean just that.

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