Question Network Shares issue on Windows 10/Windows 11 ?

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paul89895

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I have a home network consisting of the following:

1. Windows 10 PC on a wired connection to my ISP router (Actiontec T3200M).
2. Windows 10 laptop on wifi on the Actiontec.
3. New Windows 11 PC currently running on wifi.
4 Amazon Firestick (runs Android) running on wifi.
5 Various tablets and phones, all Android and running on wifi.

PC #1 is my main PC and is the main media server for my home network. I have set up numerous shared folders requiring no passwords for Everyone on my network. We can see all of these shares from every Android system on my network, in particular from the Amazon Firestick. But I can also see all of these shares from all of our tablets and phones.

However, I have a devil of a job trying to see these shares from my other Windows PCs (nos 2 and 3). This should be easy since this is simple Windows networking (that's what all the books and everything else says). I have tried all the items mentioned in instructions for setting up Windows networking - same workgroup, network discovery on etc.

And sometimes I have even managed to get the thing to work i.e. I have been able to see the #1 PC shares from the other Windows PCs. In fact this was working OK until I had to restart the #1 PC. Then the other PCs could no longer see the shares, but all of the Android devices could see them.

Currently the situation seems to change regularly without me doing anything (at least nothing that I am aware of. For instance earlier on the new PC Windows Explorer showed the #1 PC in the network section, but when I double click it it says it cannot find it. The windows Network Troubleshooter is useless - when you run it it says that I should contact my network administrator (which is me) and gives me no useful information to work with. And when I run Windows Explorer now on the new PC nothing shows up under Network.

If anyone can help me resolve this issue I would be eternally grateful. I'm 77, a retired network support supervisor, and would like to solve this one in my lifetime.
 
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Richj444

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paul89895 said:
They all see the network classified as private.
Click to expand...
I feel your pain. One workaround I've found that might help is try to map the drives manually. I currently have 4 Windows pc's on my lan and rarely do any of them show up in Explorer under Network. They all work fine though, after mapping them manually.
 
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Ralston18

Ralston18

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This modem/router?

https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/auto-install-t3200-modem

Are you able to directly login into the Actiontec T32003200M via a browser? Not via the manufacturer's or some other third party website?

https://www.192-168-1-1-ip.co/router/actiontec/t3200m/5222/

Overall, my thought is that there is an IP address conflict.

Sketch out your network and include all devices and connections., Check all IP addresses Static and DHCP and also make note of device MACs.

Work through the T3200's admin windows etc. Hopefully there will be some listing of connected devices, assigned IP addresses, and MACs.

Also run and post the results of "ipconfig /all" and "arp -a" via PC#1 (main computer).
 
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paul89895

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Ralston18 said:
This modem/router?

https://www.telus.com/en/support/article/auto-install-t3200-modem

Are you able to directly login into the Actiontec T32003200M via a browser? Not via the manufacturer's or some other third party website?

https://www.192-168-1-1-ip.co/router/actiontec/t3200m/5222/

Overall, my thought is that there is an IP address conflict.

Sketch out your network and include all devices and connections., Check all IP addresses Static and DHCP and also make note of device MACs.

Work through the T3200's admin windows etc. Hopefully there will be some listing of connected devices, assigned IP addresses, and MACs.

Also run and post the results of "ipconfig /all" and "arp -a" via PC#1 (main computer).
Click to expand...
IPconfig data

C:\Users\Paul>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Paul-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : AC-22-0B-C4-3F-4B
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:569:519b:e00:2129:a7e3:d84f:ebe5(Preferred)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2001:569:519b:e00:53b:3bc2:80ef:50d1(Deprecated)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2001:569:519b:e00:5c3:a067:37ca:3269(Preferred)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2001:569:519b:e00:d0c:9a8c:b1fe:a497(Deprecated)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2001:569:519b:e00:11e2:93d1:480a:7aeb(Deprecated)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2001:569:519b:e00:b857:c5c9:d6b3:e297(Deprecated)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2001:569:519b:e00:e4b9:9f01:4ad3:5875(Deprecated)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : 2001:569:519b:e00:f08a:f2c0:62c8:27a2(Deprecated)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::432c:8f1d:f2eb:19f3%3(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.65(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, April 11, 2024 1:19:00 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, April 19, 2024 1:19:08 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : fe80::9e1e:95ff:fee9:9280%3
192.168.1.254
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.254
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 61612555
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-27-C2-A8-05-AC-22-0B-C4-3F-4B
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:568:ff09:10c::68
2001:568:ff09:10b::124
192.168.1.254
75.153.171.124
2001:568:ff09:10c::68
2001:568:ff09:10b::124
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
 
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paul89895

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Here is the arp -a with my additions of the devices and names. I have no idea of the devices at 224.etc onwards.

Is there any other info I can provide? Could I be having issues with firewall or any subnet issues that I might have created e.g I am using an app called FING to get a lot of network info and one weird this is that it lists something called a netmask of 192.168.1.0/24 - do you know how this might relate to the standard subnet mask of 255.255.255.0

C:\Users\Paul>arp -a

Interface: 192.168.1.65 --- 0x3 Main PC: PAUL-PC

Internet Address Physical Address Type

192.168.1.64 f8-a0-97-c4-9d-2a dynamic Optik TV Cable box(Arris)

192.168.1.67 68-db-f5-07-80-66 dynamic Amazon Echo

192.168.1.68 94-3a-91-e5-a2-83 dynamic Amazon Firestick

192.168.1.69 0a-1b-3d-ea-c0-3a dynamic Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 - Paul

192.168.1.70 ee-f5-38-0a-36-ee dynamic Google Pixel Phone - Paul

192.168.1.73 ce-b7-57-37-7b-58 dynamic Samsung Galaxy Tab A

192.168.1.74 3c-55-76-06-ac-93 dynamic Lenovo Windows 10 laptop

192.168.1.76 ec-a9-40-29-06-59 dynamic Optik TV client (Arris)

192.168.1.78 20-0b-74-36-8b-4b dynamic New Windows 11 Desktop

192.168.1.254 9c-1e-95-e9-92-80 dynamic

192.168.1.255 ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff static

224.0.0.2 01-00-5e-00-00-02 static

224.0.0.22 01-00-5e-00-00-16 static

224.0.0.251 01-00-5e-00-00-fb static

224.0.0.252 01-00-5e-00-00-fc static

239.192.152.143 01-00-5e-40-98-8f static

239.255.255.250 01-00-5e-7f-ff-fa static

255.255.255.255 ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff static
 
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Ralston18

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Nicely done.

/24

Subnet mask = 255.255.255.0 with a range of 256 IP addresses and 254 available for use.

CIDR

Explanation

= = = =

Per ipconfig /all your Main PC is obtaining the DHCP IP address of 192.168.1.65 via the DNS server/ Gateway at 192.168.1.254 (Subnet mask being 255.255.255.0) Not unexpected.

Per arp -a other network devices are likewise receiving DHCP IP addresses from 192.168.1.64 to 192.168.1.78. That is also not unexpected and my sense is that there is no device count limit being imposed on the range of available devices.

What I am not sure about is that last listed device: "192.168.1.254 9c-1e-95-e9-92-80 dynamic".

Does the mac match the modem or some other network device?

= = = =

This modem/router:

https://www.actiontec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/T3260ws_UserManual_PN0535_0137_0002.pdf

User manual (?)

https://www.actiontec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/T3260ws_UserManual_PN0535_0137_0002.pdf

Are you using 192.168.254.254 to access the modem's Home screen (Per Page 11)?

Also if you run "pathping 8.8.8.8" targeting Google what are the first 5 or 6 hops?

= = = =

Most home networks are connected as shown in the following line diagram:

ISP === (coax, DSL, fiber) ===> Modem ---->[WAN Port] Router [LAN Port] ----> [LAN Port] Office Wifi Access Point ~~~~> Wireless network devices

With other Router LAN ports -----> Wired network devices.

Feel free to edit and correct my line diagram. Current ISP connection is DSL - correct?

[Note: Physically numbered Page 9 provides a more generic view of the connectivity requirements.]

The T3200 is a combined modem/router. Did you or someone else change the modem/routers default (manufacturer's) settings? If so, what were the changes?

Is there another router connected - anywhere?

One immediate option that has worked well for many is to disable IPv6. However, I suggest holding on that until there is more certainty about the network's devices, connectivity, and IP addresses.

Likewise changing the DNS Servers to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (Google) can help as well.

Immediate objective being to first ensure that the IP addressing is as it should be and free of any errors of commission or omission. Some typo perhaps.
 
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paul89895

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I will answer your different questions individually;

Q: What I am not sure about is that last listed device: "192.168.1.254 9c-1e-95-e9-92-80 dynamic".

Does the mac match the modem or some other network device?
A: I log into the modem directly at 192.168.1.254 as ADMIN

The mac address is 9C:1E:95:E9:92:81 ???
Q: Also if you run "pathping 8.8.8.8" targeting Google what are the first 5 or 6 hops?
A:
C:\Users\Paul>pathping 8.8.8.8
Tracing route to dns.google [8.8.8.8]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
0 Paul-PC [192.168.1.65]
1 192.168.1.254
2 100.122.26.161
3 154.11.12.217
4 74.125.50.110
5 142.251.229.135
6 142.251.50.243
7 dns.google [8.8.8.8]

Q: Most home networks are connected as shown in the following line diagram:
A: Your "line" diagram does not show up as such but I can see what you are getting at. This is my "line" diagram
ISP === (fiber box) ===> Actiontec WAN Port Router
Actiontec LAN Port ----> Paul-PC
Actiontec LAN Port --à Optik TV box
Actiontec Wifi Access Point ~~~~> Wireless network devices including Windows 11 PC and Windows 10 laptop
There are no other routers in the network. And the router settings are basically unchanged. The only change I remember making is to force 5GHZ wifi.

Paul

I will attempt to answer more of your questions as time permits.
 
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lantis3

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paul89895

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Ralston18 said:
What is the IP Address and mac for the Actiontec Wifi Access Point serving the wireless devices?

Which model?

Reference:

https://www.actiontec.com/gateways-and-extenders/

Does the following link provide applicable set up instructions?

https://support.sasktel.com/app/ans...ome-wi-fi-on-your-actiontec-wireless-extender
Click to expand...
As per my previous reply I access the Actiontec T3200M at 192.168.1.254. It's MAC address is
9C:1E:95:E9:92:81
which is different from the arp -a output of
192.168.1.254 9c-1e-95-e9-92-80 dynamic
And the Sasktel link is for a network extender - in the T3200M the wifi access point is built right in to the unit. I have a digital copy of the correct manual (which I did not find on the Actiontec site).
 
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paul89895

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lantis3 said:
Do as suggested as #4 posting.

Just map the share folder to a drive letter of your choice.

Windows's Explorer has difficulty to show PC reliably on the network for over 20+ years. It's never been fixed.

Two Win10 machines in the same network can't even see other PC reliably

https://imgur.com/ldUvafu
View: https://i.imgur.com/ldUvafu.png


https://imgur.com/GG6A4Sx
View: https://i.imgur.com/GG6A4Sx.png
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion but this will not work in my situation since I have lots of shared folders (more than 26) and the primary "reader" of those shares is Android based - FireTV. I only want access from the other PCs for occasional use. The annoying thing is how Microsoft and many different sites say this is so easy.
 
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lantis3

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Type \\computername at Windows Explorer address bar, wait for computer to appear.

Right click on computer name, then pin it to Quick access. When you need to see shared folders, double click the computer name on Quick access.

Works for me.

2xQFg5B.png
 
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paul89895

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I apologize for my earlier response.

I tried exactly what you said and it works perfectly. All the shares from my main PC appeared and I was able to play a movie on the other PC. Now I'm just wondering if that will work tomorrow since I have had other "successes" that disappeared the following day.

So this method will keep everything in place for my Firestick.

Thanks for your persistence with me. I will keep you posted with future progress.

But now a rhetorical question - why could I not find this out elsewhere - is it some Windows secret?
 
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paul89895

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lantis3 said:
Type \\computername at Windows Explorer address bar, wait for computer to appear.

Right click on computer name, then pin it to Quick access. When you need to see shared folders, double click the computer name on Quick access.

Works for me.

2xQFg5B.png
Click to expand...
Further to my previous reply I found that this method worked viewing Windows 10 shares from a Windows 11 PC - but not the other way round. Which is a real shame because my ultimate objective is to replace the Windows 10 PC with the Windows 11 PC and then turn the Windows 10 PC into some type of NAS.
 
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lantis3

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It's just years' experience and frustration.

In Windows NT/2000/XP era, there is Computer Browser Service that runs on individual PC that goes through broadcast and elect process that keep a list of computer on the network, but PC is not always on so it doesn't always work, so MS came up with WINS server that runs on Windows Server that works much better since it's always on.

When Windows 7 came out, Microsoft change it yet again to Function Discovery Provider Host/Function Discovery Resource Publication service but it still doesn't always work (Manual or even Automatic start),, and both are still used by Win10&Win11

In a business domain environment, DNS is used, computer name nroadcast then elect a computer browser method NETBIOS & WINS has been abandoned by MS many, many years ago. Yet for home environment, there is just no proper solution.
 
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lantis3

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In Windows 11,

Settings, Network and Internet, make sure you are using Private profile, then Advanced network settings, More Settings, Advanced Sharing Settings, both Network Discovery & Fire and Printer sharing are on.

I was able to see WIn11 shared folder from Win10 machine without problem

pphNjxI.png
 
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paul89895

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lantis3 said:
In Windows 11,

Settings, Network and Internet, make sure you are using Private profile, then Advanced network settings, More Settings, Advanced Sharing Settings, both Network Discovery & Fire and Printer sharing are on.

I was able to see WIn11 shared folder from Win10 machine without problem

pphNjxI.png
Click to expand...
I have all that set on both PCs. I also have set SMB on for both PCs. But it still works only one way.
 
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paul89895

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As I have stated before, my home network is designated on all of my PCs as a PRIVATE NETWORK.

The WINDOWS 11 PC (PAUL2024) can see and access the shares on the WINDOWS 10 PC (PAUL-PC).

On the WINDOWS 10 PC (PAUL-PC) I can see PAUL2024 but when I click on it I get the following error:

"Network Error Windows cannot access PAUL2024 etc

Error code 0x80070035
The network path was not found"

I get the same error if I put \\PAUL2024 in the File Explorer address bar.

How do you copy and paste these boxes from Windows - I tried Windows Snip but it does not work.
 
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