Local network external hard drive
Local network external hard drive
I'm working on configuring an external HDD for your dad's shop. He needs to transfer and retrieve files across multiple PCs, including media functions. I'm facing difficulties getting access despite successful setup at home. I followed the steps: connected the drive, adjusted sharing settings for full permissions, assigned it to a server and homegroup, enabled network sharing with public access and password disabled. I also tried creating a guest account with specific permissions. Now I'm unsure how to proceed and would appreciate guidance.
To add more confusion, I simply moved the hard drive to another PC, applied identical permission settings, and everything functioned perfectly. When I transferred it back to the original PC, it worked flawlessly until I turned off the home group feature, at which point it stopped again. Re-enabling the home group didn’t fix the issue, leaving it to continue malfunctioning.
It seems the system keeps refusing access because other network PCs lack permission. I understand it doesn’t require a homegroup, and I’m using the same setup at home to connect to a Plex server. I’m puzzled as to why it functioned for a short time until I turned off the homegroup.
The network speed varies depending on the devices involved, not just one or another. It tends to be slower now and will continue to be affected until the issue is resolved. The server is connected through Ethernet, so ensure the connection remains stable for optimal performance.
It's fully wireless with the router positioned roughly in the center of the front office area of the shop. I believe the main issues are that most computers run slowly and they're all using 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, likely with some generic spare cards we acquired. None of them offered a 5 GHz option, though he suggested restarting the router which I didn't do. There are many Ethernet cables scattered around with plenty of outlets, but none are connected. After the previous tenant left, they removed everything from a server closet, wrapped it in a coil, and placed it in the roof without labels. We don't have a method to check which cables are where.