PCs on LAN can ping each othr but can't share files

[windranger]

I have a LAN with 2 PCs and the situation is weird: PCs on same workgroup can see each other, but they can't see the shared files/folders- because these don't show up in Network (Windows Explorer).

One computer is the main one (Windows 10, set as Master Browser), the other one is XP.
Name of the workgroup is WORKGROUP.

- On W10, the samba v1, v2, v3 are enabled (see screenshot)
https://prnt.sc/gdju3s

- I can ping from any of the PCs the other one successfuly.

- The result of the command "net view" on w10 PC is:
"System error 53 has occurred. The network path was not found."

- The result of the command "nslookup hostname" on w10 PC is:
"Server: ap8857ee75cefe
Address: 192.168.11.1
*** ap8857ee75cefe can't find hostname: Non-existent domain"

- The result of the command "nbtstat -A 192.168.11.3" on w10 PC (where the IP is XP's) is:
NetBIOS Remote Machine Name Table
Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------------------
HOME-PC <00> UNIQUE Registered
HOME-PC <20> UNIQUE Registered
WORKGROUP <00> GROUP Registered
WORKGROUP <1E> GROUP Registered


Even when XP computer is not connected to LAN, the result of "net view" on w10 PC is the same: "System error 53 has occurred. The network path was not found."

Adapter's settings -> Properties -> IPv4 -> Properties -> Advanced -> WINS : NetBIOS Setting is set to "Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP"

Just in case, I also flushed the DNS server.

Don't understand why this happens, I'd appreciate any help.

 

[LedaOhio9]

Hmm.. Maybe?
Make sure the following services are enabled
- DNS Client
- Function Discovery Resource Publication
- SSDP Discovery
- UPnP Device Host

Also make sure your firewall permits File Print Sharing.

 

[little_me]

I seem to remember that windows explorer at times cannot make heads or tails of shared folders between XP and windows 7 (likely windows 10 too) and what worked was to just use hard path to the share (and it worked)
so..
\\computername\sharename
or
\\computer-ip\sharename


that is just something that might work.

 

[windranger]

Thanks, I checked, and:
DNS Client is running
Function Discovery Resource Publication is running
SSDP Discovery is running
UPnP Device Host is running

Firewall is Windows firewall, disabled for LAN.

Before talking about file sharing, I think the problem is that any of the PCs can't see the other one in Network, althugh they are on same workgroup, so this issue should be addressed first I think, but don't know how.

 

[little_me]

well, I dug out my old XP laptop to test this. It seems to work just fine without special SMB registry keys. (neither computer has those, it also seems a lot of computers have issues with smb2 and XP doesn't support anything but 1)
Both computers can see each other on network and can see each others shares. Although it seems XP needed closer to 5 minutes of thinking to see windows 10. (I suspect this is due to how master browser election takes lots of time and until that is done, workgroup cannot be browsed. Also I suspect that if windows 10 wins, xp cannot see a thing)
Also at times, XP has issues browsing the computers on network (claims "no permissions" but using path \\computername\sharename will still work.

only difference is, I don't get that error 53 which would thus likely be the issue. (remote registry service is not running on win 10 but is running on XP)
Following might help:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-networking/system-error-53-has-occurred-the-network-path-was/9511bbd8-ca11-4c1e-8d85-f7e8ce7e0fb9?auth=1

 

[LedaOhio9]

If you like.. I will remote you with Teamviewer and give it a shot while you watch.
We can chat via Notepad while I try and get it going for you.
I am purty good at mapping drives.. Have a nice LAN here myself.

http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p647/Leda_May/Capture_zpstzpt7dba.jpg

 

[boosted1g]

First and foremost Win 10 needs to be set to private and not public network for file shares to want to work correctly.

What happens if you use //ip address/share name?

 

[windranger]

Thanks for coming up with many possible solutions.
I tried //computername/sharedfolder and it works. I can see the shared folders on the other computer from any of the PCs.
I posted a screenshot from the XP PC here:
https://prnt.sc/gfdnum
The XP's name is Goodguy-pc; the W10 PC's name is Home-pc

Now I have the following questions:
1. After accessing the location with the above command, the shared folder (music) showed under "Web Client Network".
But shouldn't it be displayed under Workgroup..?

2. Until I specifically accessed location //computername/sharedfolder , the shared folder on the other PC was not visible in Entire Network.
I think this behavior is not normal... why doesnn't it show there from the beginning...?

 

[boosted1g]

Simply put windows workgroup and network discovery is just not reliable, wasn' t in XP and the new methods like homegroup are not any better.
At my work we have 10 win 7 computers made from the exact same disc image, just changed PC name and IP address. Out of the 10 it is a complete mismatch for what does and does not show up on each computer, the only thing consistent is that no pc shows all 10.

This is why businesses just dont bother with this and use //hostename/share or //ipaddress/share and either map it or just create a link for the user. This is night and day more reliable.

Now part of the reason for this issue (but not when you only have 2 systems) is that Windows limits concurrent network connections in desktop OS to 10.
To use a desktop OS as a NAS you need to modify the registry: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/18667011-c034-43bc-ab2e-0e87bf811e5e/windows-7-increase-the-limit-of-concurrent-tcp-connections-not-related-to-eula-file-sharing?forum=w7itpronetworking

Also, just to make sure you are aware you are creating a large risk using windows xp and forcing your win 10 to use smb v1 to support it. SMB v1 has become completely broken/hacked and all of the ransomware and malware like peyta, wannacry, and others recently in the news all use smb v1 vulnerability to inefect the system. In all honesty, at this point XP is like having an average wood gate with most of the fence completely knocked down. Even if you installed a super-reinforced maximum security gate, doesn't matter when there are multiple semi-truck sized holes in the fence.