Win11 24H2 Installed, now no network sharing

Sorry, I'm posting late. I lost the ability to print to my network printer when I upgraded to 24H2. After some research I rolled back my system to 23H2 and everything worked. Should I 1) stick with 23H2 until Microsoft fixes 24H2; 2) update to 24H2, again, and follow the instructions here to enable insecure connections; 3) update to 24H2, use sneakernet to transfer files to my Ubuntu system, and print only from it (Ubuntu Desktop 24.01.1 found my mfc printer immediately but can't use the scanner); or 4) continue my quest to master Ubuntu and abandon Microsoft forever?

Please check this video out. It explains how to fix this problem.

I'm sure I'm at the right post and my first problem was trying to map an external USB drive hooked to my router...I guess if I can at least solve that issue, the file sharing problems with my others W10 machines (second issue) will also be solved. Under W10 it was a charm mapping a drive but now with W11 it seems they made it a bit more complicated for the normal end user...I guess they didn't figure out that we aren't all network gurus... Did pretty much everything suggested above but still...no luck. Any help will be greatly appreciated

email2r2 said:

my first problem was trying to map an external USB drive hooked to my router...

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I have yet to find any router that supports anything higher than SMB1 for sharing. To access the USB drive connected to my router I need to turn on the 'SMB 1.0/CIFS Client' in 'Turn Windows features on or off'.

Bree said:

I have yet to find any router that supports anything higher than SMB1 for sharing. To access the USB drive connected to my router I need to turn on the 'SMB 1.0/CIFS Client' in 'Turn Windows features on or off'.

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Thanks Bree but that didn't change anything in my case. I can see all the folders in that drive if I go with: This PC and open the usb drive but I can't map it without being asked for a folder path and browsing: Network doesn't show anything...

email2r2 said:

Thanks Bree but that didn't change anything in my case. I can see all the folders in that drive if I go with: This PC and open the usb drive but I can't map it without being asked for a folder path and browsing: Network doesn't show anything...

Click to expand...

My router and its shared usb doesn't show on the network either, but I can access it by \\IP address\share name. I had to set a 'network location' in File Explorer to be able to access it conveniently.

Bree said:

My router and its shared usb doesn't show on the network either, but I can access it by \\IP address\share name. I had to set a 'network location' in File Explorer to be able to access it conveniently.

View attachment 124758 View attachment 124759

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Thanks Bree...I did what you suggess and it works (still hate W11) Now I'll waist some time on the file sharing between my other pc

Thank you to everyone.

I solved my problem. Here's what worked:

Rolled back to 23H2 using a system image.

Let Windows update itself to 24H2.

Reinstalled printer driver.

I can't get any of the previous suggestions to make my workgroup show ALL my devices/PCs. Not even the PC I'm using right now shows in the workgroup. If I use \\device name I can get to any of them and they will then show in the left panel but the are gone next time I open explorer. This is all very very frustrating to me and I wish MS had never made what ever changes they made to networking.

I've had to create a folder on my desktop called Network 2 and added shortcuts to all the missing devices. This sux.

As I said above, my printing problem went away after I rolled back to 23H2 and upgraded to 24H2 for the secoond time. Nevertheless, my desktop pc wasn't able to see my laptop. Note: I'm on a home wifi network.

Here's what worked for me to solve this issue. (I believe you're more knowledgeable than I about networking, so take this advice with a grain of salt.)

Right-click on wifi network icon in the system tray.
Go to advanced network settings.
Choose reset network settings, which will reboot your pc.
After reboot, again right-click on wifi network icon in the system tray.
Log on to wifi network again.
Next to the name of your wifi network, click on Properties.
For network profile type, choose Private Network. This was ok for me because I was ok being discoverable on my home network and use apps that communicate over it.
Reboot.
If this works for you, please post back here to let me know.
Meanwhile, I hate Windows networking because the recent upgrade made such a huge headache for me. I'm running an Ubuntu pc and when I've mastered it, I'm going to leave Windows forever. But not yet.

yosarian said:

As I said above, my printing problem went away after I rolled back to 23H2 and upgraded to 24H2 for the secoond time. Nevertheless, my desktop pc wasn't able to see my laptop. Note: I'm on a home wifi network.

Here's what worked for me to solve this issue. (I believe you're more knowledgeable than I about networking, so take this advice with a grain of salt.)

Right-click on wifi network icon in the system tray.
Go to advanced network settings.
Choose reset network settings, which will reboot your pc.
After reboot, again right-click on wifi network icon in the system tray.
Log on to wifi network again.
Next to the name of your wifi network, click on Properties.
For network profile type, choose Private Network. This was ok for me because I was ok being discoverable on my home network and use apps that communicate over it.
Reboot.
If this works for you, please post back here to let me know.
Meanwhile, I hate Windows networking because the recent upgrade made such a huge headache for me. I'm running an Ubuntu pc and when I've mastered it, I'm going to leave Windows forever. But not yet.

Click to expand...

I thank you for your info. However, I'm not on wifi I'm wired. But, I suppose it wouldn't make any difference. I have, yesterday, reset my network on this PC. Restarted the PC, the router and the cable modem (Spectrum). No joy in that either. If I wasn't so set in my ways at 74 I would abandon Windows as well.

We need to be prepared for the next time our networked devices stop talking to each other.

At chatgpt.com, I asked:

using windows 11 24h2, I can't get any of the previous suggestions to make my workgroup show ALL my devices/PCs. Not even the PC I'm using right now shows in the workgroup. If I use \\device name I can get to any of them and they will then show in the left panel but the are gone next time I open explorer. This is all very very frustrating to me and I wish MS had never made what ever changes they made to networking.
I've had to create a folder on my desktop called Network 2 and added shortcuts to all the missing devices.
how can I fix this problem?

The response:

It sounds like you're dealing with some frustrating network visibility issues on Windows 11 24H2. The problem where devices don't persist in the "Network" section of File Explorer is common after recent Windows updates, especially with changes to SMB and network discovery.

Here are some steps you can try to fix the issue:

### 1. **Ensure Network Discovery is Enabled:**
- Open **Control Panel**.
- Go to **Network and Sharing Center**.
- Click on **Change advanced sharing settings**.
- Ensure that **Network Discovery** and **File and Printer Sharing** are turned on for the **Private** network profile.
- If you're using a **Public** network profile, consider changing it to **Private** (this allows your PC to be discoverable by other devices).

### 2. **Check SMB Settings:**
- Go to **Settings > Apps > Optional Features**.
- Scroll down and ensure **SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support** is enabled (since some devices may still rely on SMB1 for visibility).
- Restart your computer after enabling this feature.

### 3. **Reset Network Settings:**
Sometimes network settings can become corrupted, especially after updates.
- Go to **Settings > Network & Internet > Status**.
- Scroll down to **Network reset** and click it.
- Click on **Reset now** and confirm. This will reset your network adapter settings, so you’ll need to reconnect to Wi-Fi or Ethernet afterward.

### 4. **Force Network Re-scan in File Explorer:**
After you access the devices via `\\device name`, the network can sometimes "forget" them. To force a refresh:
- Open **File Explorer**.
- In the left panel, right-click on **This PC** and select **Refresh** or press **F5**.

### 5. **Use `\\IP Address` for Persistent Access:**
If your devices show when you use `\\device name` but not under "Network," you might want to manually map the network drives:
- Open **File Explorer**.
- Right-click on **This PC** and select **Map network drive**.
- Enter the device path like `\\device_name\share_name` or `\\IP_address\share_name`.
- Select **Reconnect at sign-in** to make it persistent.

### 6. **Disable Windows Defender Firewall for File and Printer Sharing:**
- Open **Windows Security**.
- Go to **Firewall & network protection**.
- Click on **Allow an app through firewall**.
- Make sure **File and Printer Sharing** is allowed through the firewall for both **Private** and **Public** networks.

### 7. **Check Workgroup Settings:**
Ensure that all the devices are in the same workgroup:
- Right-click on **This PC** and select **Properties**.
- Under **Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings**, check that your workgroup name matches across all PCs.
- If not, click on **Change settings**, then **Change** and modify the workgroup name to match the others.

### 8. **Re-enable the Network List Service:**
Sometimes, the **Network List Service** might be disabled or not functioning properly, causing devices not to show up in the workgroup.
- Press **Win + R** to open the **Run** dialog.
- Type `services.msc` and press Enter.
- Scroll down and ensure that **Network List Service** is **Running** and set to **Automatic**.

### 9. **Check for Windows Updates:**
Microsoft often releases updates to address issues like this, especially after major feature updates. Check for any pending updates:
- Go to **Settings > Windows Update** and check for updates.

### 10. **Use Third-Party Tools:**
If none of these steps work, you can also try third-party tools like **Advanced IP Scanner** or **LAN Speed Test** to manually scan for and connect to network devices.

### Final Tip:
It’s also worth checking the router’s settings to ensure that it’s not limiting visibility or blocking certain devices from appearing on the network. Some routers have settings for **AP isolation** or **Client isolation**, which could prevent devices from communicating with each other.

Let me know how it goes or if you need help with any of these steps!

yosarian

I hadn't thought of using AI...usually some good user here can sort it out :)
Anyway I read through and everything is set as per the AI suggestions except item 8. It was set to manual I set it to Automatic. This PC did show itself in Explorer but only until I did a refresh. After that it was gone again.

I sure don't like the idea of rolling back the update or going back to 23H or doing a fresh install of either, but it's looking like I may have to choose one and hope for the best.

​

@flhthemi​

Do you perhaps have set some network discovering services manually Disabled in Services.msc?

Tester said:

@flhthemi​

Do you perhaps have set some network discovering services manually Disabled in Services.msc?

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The only services settings I have changed are those mentioned in this thread. When those changes didn't work I returned them to their default settings.
What absolutely confounds me is the PC I'm trying to make work correctly doesn't even show in my Explorer Network! Everything worked perfectly until my PC was updated to 24H. I have several PCs. I refuse to put any of them on 24H until I can figure this all out.

Win 11 23H - Works perfect
Win 10 22H - Works perfect
Android even works fine!
Win 11 24H - Sux

Did not read the entire topic, but did you also turned off firewall temporarily? When for example a network is set to public on the machine that is not discoverd, it could hide it from being seen. It should be on a private network, to be discoverd. So easy way to test is to turn off firewall for a moment.

Windows Security > Firewall & Network Protection > Allow an app through firewall.

Click "Change Settings", then select "File and Printer Sharing" and "File and Printer Sharing (Restrictive)" for a Private network and click OK down the bottom.

in ubuntu, there is a bunch of networking code you can put int here to allow for more networking capabilities, but can be a rats nest of researching reading, and changing the linux config files.. been a few months since I did all that then windows would ruin it again.. I gave up... they will never work like networking was in the past, because some jerks who code this decided to wreck networking for home computers.... IMHO

Tester said:

Did not read the entire topic, but did you also turned off firewall temporarily? When for example a network is set to public on the machine that is not discoverd, it could hide it from being seen. It should be on a private network, to be discovered. So easy way to test is to turn off firewall for a moment.

Click to expand...

Yes it's set just like in the picture and I did turn off the firewall restarted Windows after the changes and neither of these worked. I did leave the firewall settings ticked though.

As a work around I made shortcuts to each device that doesn't show in Explorer Network and put them in a folder named Network 2 and pinned the folder to Quick Access.

I've read all though this thread, and I sorted out a bunch of issues with networking with the various suggestions. I think I've adjusted everything I found in the thread, so I should be close. I have one remaining issue, my Windows 10 Home machine doesn't show up in my Windows 11 Pro Network.

I can access it using \\<computer name> and then have full file sharing. I can also ping the computer name from the Win11 machine. My remaining task is to get it to show up in Network and I'm done. It seems the only issue is name resolution, but clearly the machine can find the Win10 machine by name. Why isn't it populating the name in Network?

I tried turning off the firewall, but I don't think that's the issue anyway, with the firewall on, I have connectivity to the missing machine.