5 computers on a network - only the HP Microserver seems to be visible to all?

[Mel_P]

I have 3 pcs, 1 HP gen 8 Microserver, 1 Lenovo laptop, an HP LAN connected printer, a Western digital media player and an IP camera, on a partially wired / partially Devolo Homeplug / partially Wifi network.

The VM router is connected to an 8 port switch. This is connected to some wired PCs and 20 a Devolo Homeplug. Other Devolo homeplugs are placedf around the huse

All devices can see the internet via wired / Devolo / Wifi connections. ALL devices can print to the HP LAN connected printer (including several Tablets and an iPad via "sharing".

Making the Win 10 devices see each other seems more difficult - networking with XP seemed easier!!!!

In the good old days of workgroups / Win 7, early Win 10 I could generally see each device from another and transfer files to other PCs. Usually had to sign in to common accounts etc but didn't find it a problem to "see" other PCs.

Now when i Power up the HP microserver (don't leave it on all of the time), I can see this device from the other PCs and read / write from / to it as long as I create a share on the drives I want to access.

I seem, however, to have great difficulty in sharing information reliably across the various Win 10 PCs, seeing the IP camera and writing files to the WD media player. Sometimes they work sometimes they don't

A couple of years ago they all seemed to connect sweetly! What has microsoft done?

I think it has removed "workgroups" - it has probalby updated other things I don't know about

I have even managed to create a share on a Raspberry Pi 4 and make that visible. to the HP Microserver

Is there somewhere where I can find the do's and don'ts of Windows 10 home networking please? There are 3 Windows 10 home devices and 2 Windows 10 pro devices. The HP Microserver, which seems to work OK without doing anything is Win 10 home.

Help please! Mel

 

[Mel_P]

Probably need to use SMB1.0/CIFS stuff in control panel.

Never heard of this before! - went to control panel - "Turn windows features and an off" - "Client was ticked. SMB 1.0 / CIFs Server wasn't - so clicked this "Server" - 15 minutes later still "searching for required files" - it cannot seem to find them!!

Where is the explanation for this stuff - any suggestion please - don't like following instructions "blind".

 

[Mel_P]

Failed to find the "SMB 1.0 / CIFs Server" required files after 30 minutes - obviously not going to find them??

Suggestions?

 

[Mel_P]

Probably need to use SMB1.0/CIFS stuff in control panel.

Installed now on 3 PCs - makes no difference.

They all appear as media player devices on each other but cannot see the hard drives.

 

[Mel_P]

Firewalls, all day long

But I can see the devices as media players - where's the Manual!!!!

 

[Mel_P]

are the hard drives shared>?

Yes. All given a share name under "sharing " tab".

It sometimes works - that's what I cannot understand. And then only 1 way frequently!

 

[Mel_P]

Which box is acting as DNS?

PC given IP Address by router, All named and given the same workgroup name in "System" panel

Which sort of sharing have you used?

Right click on drive, Properties, choose advanced sharing, tick box and give it a share name. Set permissions.

Have you set up access credentials in Certificate Manager?

How do I do this please !?

 

[Mel_P]

All this fiddling - one pc can now see itself and 2 other in "network" group and I can access the files on the other 2 PCs from that PC.

BUT not from the other 2 PCs? - i.e. not reciprocal behaviour.

 

[Mel_P]

I think you might be best off by mapping a drive manually on all the systems to the network drive.

Start > run > CMD > Type "net user \\server.ip\share /user:username password /persistant:yes"

This has documentation;
Net use | Microsoft Docs or "net use /?" gives help.

Thanks. I have an old D-Link NAS mapped that way - that works for that device - will perhaps try that.

Perhaps one of the problems is that none of the PCs is left on - they are all turned on / off as and when required. I suspect if I left them all on they would eventually see each other.

 

[Mel_P]

That's not what I asked. Which box is acting as DNS?

Go into Credential Manager and set up a Windows Credential.

I cannot see (in my ignorance?) how these relate to windows 10 PCs sharing on a home network?

 

[Mel_P]

DNS controls visibility. Having credentials lets you access resources seamlessly.

I don't have a Microsoft domain - just a workgroup, and "credentials" are beyond my level of understanding.

Mel

 

[Mel_P]

What usergroup is it shared in, and what domain, and also what permissions are setup on each machine to allow access to the shares?

Workgroup = WORKGROUP, NO domain. Permissions to change / read.

 

[Mel_P]

Seems like I am not the only one having issues with Windows 10 home networking! See - How To Network Two Computers in Windows 10 (techjunkie.com)

Microsoft seem to think that nobody wants to network home computers any more!

"Windows 10 April 2018 update (version 1803) discontinued this service. You can still accomplish the same tasks, but as a replacement, you need to use the Windows 10 built-in sharing tools like OneDrive, Share, and Nearby Sharing. In this article, we’ll walk you through getting connected."

Also comment - "I have 3 ethernet-connected Windows 10 machines. One is relatively new with a clean Windows 10 install. The other two were updated to Version 2004. Computer A cannnot see B but sees C. C sees A. B sees C, but not A. A cannot connect to C, even though all are in the same workgroup, private network (same router), network discovery on, file & printer sharing on, and password-protected sharing off"

RUBBISH isn't it!!

This is suggested:

1. Make sure your network has Network Discovery and File and Printer Sharing turned on.
2. Make sure the drive(s) you want to access on the networked computer is “Shared”.
3. Select each drive (right click) and open “Properties”.
4. Go to the “Security” tab and click the “Edit” button.
5. Click the “Add…” button and add a new group “Everyone” (you have to type it).
6. Give “Everyone” Full Control and “Apply” (it will run through the files and may take a while).
7. Repeat the above for all drives you want to access (if you have partitions).

It’s crap that you have to take away ALL security to get access to a networked computer.

8. On each computer the Credential Manager will ask for the Username and Password of the networked computer you want to access.
9. Enter these and check the Remember box (it won’t ask again if you enter them correctly).
10. You should now have access to the networked computer and all shared drives and files.