Those Pesky credentials When trying to access all computers on my home network

Dear Windows 11 Forums,

Forgive me if I'm posting in the wrong place. I have read several threads similar, I was told to start new thread...

I used to be able to access all comps on my home network, at a minimum they could all access my win 10 pro( System I'm on now)
In the past year or so all computers ( A New win11 that replaced-->an old win10 that's off line forever, and (2) win10's) they all ask for credentials / user name/ password...

My settings are all on network discovery/ disabled password protection etc. / private...

I'm sure I've tried using his email/passwords to no avail.

Looking at the credentials on current computer there are no passwords on web credentials, or on win 11 computer.

There several Entries under the windows credentials tab with my email, and the other computers email and passwords *****
(On All computers)

I have pin and log on passwords disabled on all computers...

Question is: how to get around it, so I can mainly just copy /paste files to new 11 computer, and other win 10 computer?

I Never had much luck with changing/ adding permissions...

Can I delete the windows credentials that show emails w the ***** for passwords?

I don't let computers synch through MSFT account...


TIA

ts

Try the suggestions here

TY,

I just wrote a lengthy reply, it disappeared when I hit post...

Suffice It to say it must be cred manager, all other settings are correct on all 3 comps., new Win11, (2) win10's

TS

Hmm this may help me

I know that you noted that you have PINs disabled, but this important:

If you logon to the local computer using Windows Hello (PIN, facial recognition, fingerprint, etc. ), you MUST logon locally using the PASSWORD after Windows hello was setup. This only needs to be done once but it has the effect of caching the information on the local machine allowing remote connection.

hsehestedt said:

I know that you noted that you have PINs disabled, but this important:

If you logon to the local computer using Windows Hello (PIN, facial recognition, fingerprint, etc. ), you MUST logon locally using the PASSWORD after Windows hello was setup. This only needs to be done once but it has the effect of caching the information on the local machine allowing remote connection.

Click to expand...

And there my friend we may have it.
I dumped login of any kind years ago and had no problem with successive version updates until W11.
Never used Windows hello, etc
The 2 subject PC's have NO login, simply not needed.
I'm beginning to think I need to create a login PW just to get easy network access - but I really don't want to do so....

This access between machines can be done. I have four machines (3 of Win 11 Pro 22H2 and 1 Win 10 Pro) and they all talk to each other. All of my machines have passwords and they all auto logon into Windows. The logons and PWs on each machine are identical. I have pinned shortcuts to each machine in Explorer Quick Access so I don't have to remember details if I have to force a connection. Sometimes Explorer takes time to show or make the connections.

Windows often doesn't help with getting it right. When ever I have difficulties setting up I check that the network settings in each machine are compatible and also check that all machine are defined as Private network.

Of course, you have to Share a drive or a folder before you can get a connection. You can give that share any permissions that you want but the default is Read Only. To force a connection you can do \\MachineName on the Explorer command line and you can pin that to Quick Access.

britgeezer said:

'm beginning to think I need to create a login PW just to get easy network access

Click to expand...

You can just create an additional, local, password-protected Admin user account then use that to authorise the network connection & set the checkbox in that dialog for the credential to be remembered.

All other user accounts will then be able to use the connection, not just the authorising one.

See
A consolidated network setup checklist [post #2] - TenForums
- it applies to Windows 11 as well
- I'm just about to add H's post #5 warning about PINs to that list. I had never heard of this before.


Best of luck,
Denis

Again ty,
Again I posted a lengthy reply with pix etc., Again the site ate It! I usually copy/paste text/ save as I go...

Suffice it to say I've tried it all, all Computers(2 Win 10's, 1 Win 11)

All set to private+ advanced sharing are all set.

All C:\'s are shared. I've NEVER had luck with Permissions...

I can get to public folders and drop stuff there, It's easier to just email small files/ USB EM...

Only thing I haven't tried is getting rid of windows credentials( Good link above- a couple of weeks ago)

I'll get to it...
Ty all for your patience and input!

And sorry I have not completed credentials removal link yet...

I hate not having things work as they did, and given the time and help from the good folks on all the forums I get it in the end!

Fwiw Denis,
I have everything in your link as it should be on each computer...
ty

sneauxwolf said:

All C:\'s are shared

Click to expand...

I suggest you share specific folders within C:\Users%UserName% instead.

sneauxwolf said:

I've NEVER had luck with Permissions

Click to expand...

You won't need luck. You'll just need to share & hence set permissions on specific folders within C:\Users%UserName%

sneauxwolf said:

sorry I have not completed credentials removal link yet

Click to expand...

If you use my checklist, you will not need to do anything else with credentials.


All the best,
Denis
.

My apologies - I neglected one other very important factor that needs to be verified:

The NTFS file permissions on the folder being shared also needs to be set.

Example:

I have a system called system and I create a share called test. I share this to everyone with full control.

In my network setting I have all the usual settings: File and printer sharing is enabled, I am on a private network, in Advanced sharing settings for All networks I have Password protected sharing turned off. However, I still cannot connect to that share. The missing link is the NTFS permissions. To correct, navigate to the folder being share in File explorer, right-click it, select properties, go to the Security tab, add everyone with Full Control to the list of those with permissions.

Problem solved.

Your milage may vary, but this works for me every single time.

hsehestedt said:

I create a share called test. I share this to everyonewith full control.
...
However, I still cannot connect to that share. The missing link is the NTFS permissions.

Click to expand...

I find it interesting that our experiences differ.
I have never had to go further than


I have never adjusted the Security tab Permissions at all.




All the best,
Denis

Denis, I see in your screenshots that everyone is already in your security settings. Oddly, every time I setup Windows, everyone is missing from the NTFS permissions. I just tried it a few minutes ago. Did a clean install on a Hyper-V VM and it was missing. I wonder what we are doing differently to account for this difference.

I may try to do some further testing.

Yes! I figured it out and learned something new in the process.

In File Explorer, I turn off the option to use the File Sharing Wizard.

In testing I see that when you share a folder to everyone using the wizard, it automatically sets the file permissions. Since I have that wizard turned off, I need to carry that out as a separate step.

Ah.
I'll add that to my checklist when I add your ditty about PINs.

I also have Password protected sharing turned on.

All the best,
Denis

Try3 said:

Ah.
I'll add that to my checklist when I add your ditty about PINs.

I also have Password protected sharing turned on.

All the best,
Denis

Click to expand...

I'm going to check it all again after Thanksgiving

All I can do is to echo my frustration with the whole UTTER SHAMBLES of Microsoft home soho networking. I too have run slap up against this crappy Network Credentials thing that stops you dead in your tracks. Ive wasted hours trying to make it work and its utter rubbush. I create a new permission with un and pw and it doesnt recognise it when I try to log in to a folder. Microsoft really doesnt want us little guys having freedome to manage our own little LANs. You gotta sign up to Microsoft or ELSE!!!!

FWIW guys much smarter than me have been defeated on this same issue here - Redirecting

and this is supposed to be an official Microsoft help site (have you noticed how often the answers are pretty shabby, lazy, half baked, leave out important steps

My solution is a usb stick , cant waste time on this . If only users could have a class action suit against Microsoft for attrocious s/w and the damage it causes

BrianS said:

All I can do is to echo my frustration with the whole UTTER SHAMBLES of Microsoft home soho networking

Click to expand...

I'm sorry you have problems. I have never had network problems so perhaps you could work through the procedure that I suggested above.

Try3 said:

See
A consolidated network setup checklist [post #2] - TenForums
- it applies to Windows 11 as well

Click to expand...

Best of luck,
Denis

As was mentioned earlier, we do use Networking a bit differently. I have a 2TB NAS drive with RAID 1 [2 x 2TB] connected to my Wireless Router by Ethernet cable. I can access it from computers either Wired or Wireless/Wi-Fi. I created a folder on the NAS named for the various computers I have then Map that folder from the same-named computer. If working on a 'foreign' machine I Map the Public folder on it.