Network and Internet See Computers on Network in Windows 11

glasskuter · Aug 17, 2023

A much needed tutorial as we've had a number of networking threads lately. Good job Brink.

Brink · Aug 17, 2023

glasskuter said:
A much needed tutorial as we've had a number of networking threads lately. Good job Brink.

DBReed53 · Aug 3, 2024

glasskuter said:
A much needed tutorial as we've had a number of networking threads lately. Good job Brink.

Yo, Brink!

I have a Win10 Dell laptop & a Win 11 Dell Laptop.\
I login to each using the identical Username & PW and the email for each account is the same and is used by Windows to connect to my Microsoft Account.

I provide a 2.4/5G Wireless access point using my Modem/Router that both PCs can connect to.
I rarely use the 866Mbps Wi-Fi cuz'...I got 1G on Ethernet! Duh!
Both PCs connect by 1G Ethernet at the router.

Both PCs are set as private networks with Discovery & F&P Sharing turned ON.
Just to goose the system into looking at what's on the wire, I even Share a folder on each PC under a COMMON user...ME!

BUT...all of a sudden (Again! How many times over the years have I dealt with this???) NEITHER PC can see itself. Sometimes, PC_1 can see PC_2 but can't see itself. Other times it is reversed, PC_2 can see PC_1 but not itself, Orrrrrrr...One of them will see BOTH...temporarily.

Whatever condition they are in...it's like Missouri's weather..."Don't like this weather...wait a minute It'll change in a heartbeat!!"
Ask me anything. If I haven't said enough, I will answer more thoroughly.

Peace

Brink · Aug 3, 2024

DBReed53 said:
Yo, Brink!

I have a Win10 Dell laptop & a Win 11 Dell Laptop.\
I login to each using the identical Username & PW and the email for each account is the same and is used by Windows to connect to my Microsoft Account.

I provide a 2.4/5G Wireless access point using my Modem/Router that both PCs can connect to.
I rarely use the 866Mbps Wi-Fi cuz'...I got 1G on Ethernet! Duh!
Both PCs connect by 1G Ethernet at the router.

Both PCs are set as private networks with Discovery & F&P Sharing turned ON.
Just to goose the system into looking at what's on the wire, I even Share a folder on each PC under a COMMON user...ME!

BUT...all of a sudden (Again! How many times over the years have I dealt with this???) NEITHER PC can see itself. Sometimes, PC_1 can see PC_2 but can't see itself. Other times it is reversed, PC_2 can see PC_1 but not itself, Orrrrrrr...One of them will see BOTH...temporarily.

Whatever condition they are in...it's like Missouri's weather..."Don't like this weather...wait a minute It'll change in a heartbeat!!"
Ask me anything. If I haven't said enough, I will answer more thoroughly.

Peace

Hello,

Just to confirm, are both computers joined to the same workgroup?

DBReed53 · Aug 3, 2024

Brink said:
Hello,

Just to confirm, are both computers joined to the same workgroup?

Yes. Windows default WORKGROUP.

PS
To your tag line..."The only stupid question is the one you DIDN'T ask!"

jimbo45 · Aug 4, 2024

Sorry @Brink

That doesn't work any more certainly not 100% of the time -- whether it's the changes in recent builds to the SMB1 protocol being phased out or other changes in File explorer you seem to have to initially connect either via IP address or the coputer name. Naming via Netbios is also deprecated so just browsing via file explorer won't often show any computers. Once you've mapped a computer you can pin it to "recent files" etc in Windows explorer.

I'm currently on : (Canary W11 Pro Enterprise) with 1X W10, and 3X Linux machines -- none appear even the shared drives of logged on computer itself.

The W10 computer and the Linux machines all can map the W11 computer !!!! --All on same LAN, workgroup etc.

File explorer shows "Sweet F A")

Ping though returns values to / from all machines.

Windows networking has about as much logic as "Gandalf the Wizard" in The Lord of the Rings -- it works randomly for some people and doesn't for others even on what seems to be identical hardware.

Cheers
jimbo

DBReed53 · Aug 4, 2024

@jimbo45
@Brink

Good points, jimbo45.

Here's an odd thought I had.
Back in the day (early to mid 90's) when configuring peer-to-peer on Windows 3.?, 95 & XP, we had issues regarding which PC would be "king of the hill" as in WHICH PC had 1st place as the "Browser Master" (a function of LanMan or Lanmanager). As devices connected one device always took prominence as the Master and all others deferred to it.

Is there still a function in the WORKGROUP that deals with this?
Is this problem related to the contentious behavior of the individual devices vying for the top spot?

I'm not concerned with the disparity of one PC running Win10 and the other running Win11. I have had this work without any contortionist configurations that worked flawlessly...for a time. It worked great...until it didn't.

Brink · Aug 4, 2024

jimbo45 said:
Sorry @Brink View attachment 103035

That doesn't work any more certainly not 100% of the time -- whether it's the changes in recent builds to the SMB1 protocol being phased out or other changes in File explorer you seem to have to initially connect either via IP address or the coputer name. Naming via Netbios is also deprecated so just browsing via file explorer won't often show any computers. Once you've mapped a computer you can pin it to "recent files" etc in Windows explorer.

I'm currently on : (Canary W11 Pro Enterprise) with 1X W10, and 3X Linux machines -- none appear even the shared drives of logged on computer itself.

The W10 computer and the Linux machines all can map the W11 computer !!!! --All on same LAN, workgroup etc.

File explorer shows "Sweet F A")

View attachment 103036

Ping though returns values to / from all machines.

Windows networking has about as much logic as "Gandalf the Wizard" in The Lord of the Rings -- it works randomly for some people and doesn't for others even on what seems to be identical hardware.

Cheers
jimbo

Currently for me, it only still works with Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices and a NAS on the same network when all the conditions in the tutorial have been set.

DBReed53 · Aug 4, 2024

@Brink

Since I've not worked as a systems/desktop support specialist since the Fall of 1998 my skillset has languished. Sure, I've kept abreast of it as a consumer, but technological advances require a Tech Support Specialist today, to "Push the envelope" of the "Bleeding edge" as well as having an unquenchable "Need for speed."

25+ years down the road, I can't even see the "Bleeding Edge," let alone find the "envelope."

Having followed the Tutorial after having done ALL the same steps on my own to begin with, I find NO FLAW in my config.

So that being said, as my 71st birthday is but 31 days in the future, "Where do I go from here and how can I fix this?"

Brink · Aug 4, 2024

DBReed53 said:
@Brink

Since I've not worked as a systems/desktop support specialist since the Fall of 1998 my skillset has languished. Sure, I've kept abreast of it as a consumer, but technological advances require a Tech Support Specialist today, to "Push the envelope" of the "Bleeding edge" as well as having an unquenchable "Need for speed."

25+ years down the road, I can't even see the "Bleeding Edge," let alone find the "envelope."

Having followed the Tutorial after having done ALL the same steps on my own to begin with, I find NO FLAW in my config.

So that being said, as my 71st birthday is but 31 days in the future, "Where do I go from here and how can I fix this?"

I hear you.

I do agree with @jimbo45 that since the deprecation of SMB1, it has been more hit and miss with network devices.

You might also check your modem/router settings to see if there may be a setting to toggle allowing devices connected to it to see each other. Usually this is enabled by default, but may not always be for some routers.

DBReed53 · Aug 4, 2024

DBReed53 said:
@Brink

Having followed the Tutorial after having done ALL the same steps on my own to begin with, I find NO FLAW in my config.

Having followed the Tutorial after having done ALL the same steps on my own to begin with, I find NO FLAW in my config OR the Tutorial!

hexaae · Aug 19, 2024

@DBReed53
Did you try to enable from panel "Turn Windows features on or off" > SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support >Client SMB 1.0/CIFS = ON?
This seems to solve many "can't view the other PCs" cases under Windows systems (ask MS why

)...

Dez · Aug 24, 2024

hexaae said:
@DBReed53
Did you try to enable from panel "Turn Windows features on or off" > SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support >Client SMB 1.0/CIFS = ON?
This seems to solve many "can't view the other PCs" cases under Windows systems (ask MS why )...

Thanks very much @hexaae, that solved a niggling little problem I had where one PC couldn't see all the PCs on my network.

Dez