Can't see my SMB shares
Can't see my SMB shares
I'm feeling a bit puzzled here. All my home network devices connect effortlessly, but my new laptop isn't recognizing them. I'm using the first pod of my TP-Link mesh system as my router. My internet goes through coaxial cable to the ISP modem, then straight to the router, and everything is managed by that device. The laptop is brand new and running Windows 11, which might mean some hidden MS settings need adjusting. What should I investigate? I'm trying a lot of different approaches.
Windows defaults network settings to public, which prevents SMB from discovering it. You may need to change the default to private, allowing SMB to function properly.
The home network uses Windows 10, while your new laptop runs Windows 11.
Ensure the laptop’s network configuration is private to enable proper SMB protocol operation.
You’re wondering if everything aligns correctly since your laptop and the network are both private. The fact that you can access it via WiFi suggests the settings match, but the issue might be with how Windows displays the shares in Explorer. It’s possible the sharing configuration isn’t being recognized properly, even though the devices are set up the same way.
Launch Finder on laptop, enter //<IP of your desktop>, press enter.
That's an intriguing concept, though I'm uncertain about the details. It might interfere with other connected devices I currently use.
Auto-discovery is turned off for networks marked as "Public". This means your home network should appear as "Private" on your laptop, allowing it to communicate with the rest of your network and ask about SMB shares. Changing your home network to "Public" on any Windows 10 device will affect your entire network visibility. This behavior applies to each WiFi network individually, not just one adapter. If you move your laptop to public Wi-Fi, it will see that network as Public, then switch to Private when you return. For more details, refer to Microsoft’s guidance: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/wind...Windows_11 and the AMHERST IT knowledge base article.