More Networking Issues Win10Pro v1909

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Hello all,

I’ve read through, searched for more, and tried almost every topic I could find on why, oh why, Microsoft can’t figure out the networking issue.

I have 2 desktops (hard wired) through a common switch, both running Windows 10 Pro 64bit with build 18363.959  version 1909. Both are set with the same parameters for networking them together. Now the fun part…my computer can see itself (finally) and nothing else, the wife’s computer can see not only hers, but mine, the laptop and printer. All files/folders that are shared are on a partitioned drive in all computers so no access to the C: drive per say. When I upgraded the laptop recently to Win 10 Home, it saw the entire network just as it did with Win 7.

I can map them out and ping so I know that they can connect but can’t figure out why I can’t see them in Windows Explorer. All systems are logged on with a Local User (all different names) so I can’t say that’s an issue because the laptop and the wife’s can see the entire network, so, it must be just me. 🙂

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You may need to turn on SMB-1 (control Panel\Programs & Features\Turn Windows Features on or off. There is some security risk, but it may be neccessary.
Also check Control Panel\Networking & Sharing Center and be sure network discovery and printer & file sharing are turned ON.

Here are a couple of links for more extensive settings:

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/win10-network-unable-to-connect-computers/#post-2259970

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/why-in-march-2019-i-cant-see-my-other-network/9b9b8c2d-ec37-4723-b9fa-95d9ecb16756

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DON’T TURN ON SMB1!  If you do that, any junior-grade hacker can see ALL of your network shares in cleartext.  That’s how they are able to easily see which computers on the network they want to target and how they distribute their malware across a network.  This is a SERIOUS security issue.

I COMPLETELY understand your frustration with the unreliable networking in Windows 10.  Please see my post, below, on how I solved the networking issues you are experiencing on my own hybrid Windows 10 / Windows 7 network.

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[weendoggy]

PK,

I’ve been through that and no avail. It is a real [pain] to say the least. I just tried removing my network adapters and started over. I’m still in the same boat with my machine but the wife’s still see’s and can access mine.

I’ve turned the network private blah-blah back on and now see this in Network Settings. No matter what I do to “save” changes, it always reverts back to this. It will NOT stay after changing. It does the same thing in Guest or Public as well, but All Networks keeps the box checked for Turn OFF Password.

 

• This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by weendoggy.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by weendoggy.

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UPDATE

After messing around more, for some reason without changing a thing, my computer now sees the entire network. I happened to check on Windows Explorer looking for another file when the Network just populated. Had a good laugh.

I did find one error on my part when trying to access a folder that was “shared” on wife’s computer and needed to set Security for “everyone” which I somehow forgot on that folder. So, I”m attempting my backup today to see how it goes. Backup program sees the drive’s so I should be o.k.

On another note: the wife’s computer stopped seeing mine today. 🙂

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EXACT SAME FRUSTRATING ISSUE.  Will try SMB trick but I’ve tried everything else I can find on line.  My complications are mix of wired and wireless and 1909 Pro and Home.  Went from being able to seeing all PC’s on the network to seeing primary PC as a “MediaPC” (the computer with shared printer and shared drives) to only seeing the computer I’m working on.  Super frustrating.  Waiting for my “it just works for no apparent reason” moment others report.

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UPDATE #2

This is what I found over the last few days. After Windows started “finding” the network and I was able to do my backup (used two programs and both worked), I found this interesting issue:

If I start my wife’s computer first and then mine, it see’s the entire network (which is really just 2 machines) and all is good. Then I start mine and the network only shows mine. No good really because I can access mine already. Thinking about the other day when it worked, I tried this over the next few days. I started my computer first then the wife’s and guess what? Yep, network showed on mine, but only showed my computer on her network. I did this over several reboots and confirmed whoever starts first, wins!

For now, this is o.k. because I backup from my system. At least I have a work around. On a side note, I also found that Windows had changed my Guest or Public settings to “turn OFF file and printer sharing” on my computer after a reboot of everything working fine. I have since changed it back and it has stabilized. Of course, now that I say this it’ll revert to having it’s own mind again. 🙂

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I’ve had pretty good success using the “Network reset” at the bottom of the SETTINGS->NETWORK&INTERNET->STATUS page. And no, it doesn’t work forever, and yes, it’s still a pain to have to deal with this at all.

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[Bill Vallance]

I replied to a post on the Microsoft support forum about the unreliable functioning of Windows 10 workgroup networking.  In that post I describe the solution to the problems you are experiencing.  You can read the entire, very lengthy, post here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/local-network-problems-with-1903/97086935-7cfe-4227-ac7f-87ecd46ad83b?page=3

When you reach the page in the link above, the chosen answer is INCORRECT.  Click the “Replies (some number)” link and Page 3 of the Replies should be displayed.  If it isn’t, scroll through the replies until you get to Page 3 and look for the post from Bill Vallance.  I took the time to excruciatingly detail for Microsoft’s benefit the issues that exist with their unreliable Windows 10 workgroup networking.

TLDR: LOGIN TO WINDOWS 10 USING AN ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT.  Open the Windows 10 Management snap-in console by right-clicking the “This Computer” icon on the Desktop and selecting “Manage.”  Then expand “Services and Applications” and finally click on the “Services” option.  Scroll down until you see the “Function Discovery Resource Publication” (a.k.a., “FDRS”) service.  Double-click it to open the Service Window.  Click the “Stop” button and wait for the FDRS service to stop.  Then click the “Start” button to re-start the FDRS service.  This will re-publish all properly configured Windows 10 workgroup computers in File Explorer.

Today is August 24, 2020.  It’s been more than a year since I made the post on the Microsoft support forum and the problem of missing Windows 10 computers in File Explorer still hasn’t been fixed by Microsoft.  Just this morning one of my Windows 10 computers that had been appearing in File Explorer went missing.  After stopping and restarting the FDRS service on the missing computer it magically reappeared in File Explorer on every Windows 10 computer across the entire workgroup network.  This problem occurs intermittently (and infrequently) on every Windows 10 computer (but not on Windows 7 computers) and has since the release of v1903.  You can setup a Scheduled Task to force the stop and re-start of the FDRS service if you want to attempt to automate the resolution to this problem (I haven’t tried that yet).

• This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by Bill Vallance. Reason: To make sure that "Notify me of follow-up replies via email" was selected

4 users thanked author for this post.

Rick Corbett, MHCLV941, dearnold, RichardMW2

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Bill,

Just tried your refresh of FDRS on wife’s computer. After a refresh of File Explorer all 2 computers showed in Network. So, I’ll be trying this method during the coming week and see if it takes care of either machine when running. Not going to worry about who’s first at this point. If it does, I’ll try a Scheduled Task to see what happens and if it works, I’ll be doing it to both computers. Stand by for “the rest of the story”. 😉

 

1 user thanked author for this post.

dearnold

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I just type the name of the computer instead of clicking, e.g. \\compy2
A lack of machine in Explorer is not a lack of connectivity.

cheers, Paul

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In my opinion, scanning your LAN for other computers is a waste of time. Windows networking has been buggy and problematic for a long long time. Give the computers on your LAN fixed IP addresses. This can either be done by configuring Windows or in your router (many, but not all routers). Then, reference the computer by its never-changing IP address.

To see the files shared by the computer at IP address 1.2.3.4, do
Start button -> Run -> “\\1.2.3.4” (without the quotes).
For a specific shared folder, use “\\1.2.3.4\sharedfolder2” (again, no quotes)

Then you can bookmark (so to speak) these by dragging the leftmost icon in the Windows Explorer bar to the Windows desktop. Then rename the desktop icon so something that makes sense to you (Susans pictures, JohnsSharedFiles).

Get up to speed on router security at RouterSecurity.org and Defensive Computing at DefensiveComputingChecklist.com

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CADesertRat, Alex5723

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Michael432 wrote:

Give the computers on your LAN fixed IP addresses

I never bother doing this and can always get to my machines with \\compy2 etc.
Less setup work is good, m’kay.

cheers, Paul

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Maybe a long (and not secure) process, but here is what I did to deposit files (school homework) on my kid’s desktop computer during the confinement.

1- log on his computer

2- desktop/properties/sharing/advanced sharing/autorisation/add NETWORK with total control

3- ipconfig and note IPV4 adress

4 that’s all

If the computer is not seen on your file explorer, use Paul T method or use the IPV4 adress \\192….

p-s Words may not be formulated correctly as I am in French environment here.

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I have a mix of Win 7 and Win 10 devices on my network.  Without fail, every Win 10 fall and spring update breaks the network discovery again.

 

Up until now, I’ve been using the SMB method.  Next time it breaks I’ll try Bill Pallance’s solution and see if it helps.

 

Thanks, Bill!

 

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Bill Vallance wrote:

TLDR: LOGIN TO WINDOWS 10 USING AN ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT. Open the Windows 10 Management snap-in console by right-clicking the “This Computer” icon on the Desktop and selecting “Manage.” Then expand “Services and Applications” and finally click on the “Services” option. Scroll down until you see the “Function Discovery Resource Publication” (a.k.a., “FDRS”) service. Double-click it to open the Service Window. Click the “Stop” button and wait for the FDRS service to stop. Then click the “Start” button to re-start the FDRS service.

Try this. It’s much quicker but does the same thing:

1. *Right*-click on Start and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. Accept the UAC (User Account Control) prompt then, when the PS prompt appears, enter the following:

Restart-Service "FDResPub"

Try it… post back to let us know how it works for you.

Hope this helps…

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I’ve attached a simple AutoHotkey script that wraps and auto-elevates PowerShell in the background, runs the one-liner then exits PowerShell and shows a message for 5 seconds to let you know the operation has completed.

All you have to do is run the script (if you have AutoHotkey installed) and accept the UAC prompt.

PowerShell-Services-Restart-Function-Discovery-Resource-Publication

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