Some Windows 10 users are complaining about a problem related to not discovering their computers on the same network they are working. If you also can’t discover the computers on your network, you can attempt these fixes. But before going for these fixes you should attempt these initial workarounds to solve your problem with minimal effort.
Initial Workarounds–
1. Restart your computer. After restarting check again if you can discover the computer on your network.
2. Try to check if you can discover the computer on the network from another computer. If you can access the computer on the same network, go for the fixes.
Fix-1 Turn SMB1 feature ON
Turning SMB1.0 feature ‘On’ on your computer will fix this issue,.
1. Press Windows key+R to open Run window.
2. In the Run window, type “optionalfeatures” and then hit Enter.
Windows Features window will be opened.
3. Scroll down through the Windows Features window and make sure “SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support” is checked.
4. Then, click on “OK” to save the changes on your computer.
Wait for a while as Windows install this optional feature on your computer.
4. Now, click on “Restart now…” to restart your computer in order to save the changes.
After restarting your computer check if you can detect other computers on your network or not.
Fix-2 Change Startup type of FDRS
1. Press Windows key and ‘S‘ key. This will open the Search box. Type “services” in that.
2. Then, click on the “Services“.
2. In the list of services, scroll down to find out “Function Discovery Resource Publication” and double click on it.
3. Now, in the Properties window, click on the drop-down beside the “Startup type:” and from the drop-down menu, choose “Automatic (Delayed Start)” and click on “Apply” and “OK“.
Close the Services window and reboot your computer. After rebooting your computer check if you can discover the computers on your network.
Fix-3 Change Private Network profile
[NOTE: It is recommended, that you should change this setting when you are on the ‘Private’ network only]
1. Press Windows key +R to launch Run, and copy and paste “control.exe /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter” and hit Enter.
2. Now, on the left side click on “Change Advanced sharing“. It will open the Advanced sharing settings window.
3. Now, in this window click on “Turn on network discovery” and then click on “Turn on file and printer sharing“.
4. After this, click on “Save changes.
Close the Control panel window, and restart your computer.
Fix-4 Disable Automatic Setup Network Connected Devices
1. Press Windows key +R to launch Run, and copy and paste “control.exe /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter” and hit Enter.
2. Now, on the left side click on “Change Advanced sharing“. It will open the Advanced sharing settings window.
3 – Uncheck Turn No Automatic Setup Network Connected Devices
Fix-4 Change the settings of All network profile-
1. Press Windows key +R to open Run.
2. Then, all you need to do is copy-paste this line in Run and hit Enter key.
control.exe /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter /page Advanced
3. In Advanced Sharing settings window, click on “All Networks“.
4. Then, click on “Turn on sharing so anyone with network access can read and write files in the Public folders“.
5. In Password Protected sharing option, choose the option “Turn off password protected sharing“.
6. Finally, click on “Save Changes“.
Close Advanced Sharing settings window.
Restart your computer.
Check if you can discover computers on your network.
Fix-5 Turn on Network discovery with Command Prompt-
1. At first, we have to open the Run window. You can do it by pressing the “Windows key+R” together.
2. Now, type “cmd” in the Run terminal and then click on “OK“.
3. Now, copy and paste this command in Command Prompt window, and hit Enter.
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Network Discovery" new enable=Yes
You should be able to discover the computer on your network.
Fix-6 Join a network from System Properties-
1.Press Windows Key+R to launch Run, and copy-paste this command and hit Enter. System Properties window will open.
sysdm.cpl SystemProperties
2. In the System Properties window, choose “Computer Name” and click on “Network ID…“.
3. Now, choose “This computer is part of a business network: I use it to connect to another computer at work” and click on “Next“.
4. Now, enter the name of the Workgroup in the box beside the “WORKGROUP:“. Now, click on “Next” to complete the process.
Restart your computer.
You should be able to discover the computer on your network.
Fix-7 Reset the network on your computer-
1. Press Windows Key+I to open the Settings window, on your computer.
Now, click on “Network and Internet“.
2. Now, under Status, on the left hand side, scroll down and click on “Network reset“.
Restart your computer and after rebooting, check if you can discover the computers on your network or not.
Fix-8 Reset the network from Command Prompt-
1. You have to press the ‘Windows key‘. Now, simply type “cmd“.
2. Right-click on “Command Prompt” which has appeared in the search results, and then click on “Run as administrator“.
3. Once you have opened the Command Prompt window, type or copy-paste these commands and hit Enter after pasting each of them.
netsh int ip reset reset.txt netsh winsock reset netsh advfirewall reset
Don’t forget to reboot your computer and after rebooting you should be able to discover the computers on your network.
If you are facing this issue as you have received a recent major update for your Windows 10, you should attempt this fix on your computer.
Fix-9 Disable Fast startup
Many users are suggesting that when they disabled fast startup, the problem vanished.
Thank you. I have tried to solve this problem for ages. Looking everywhere for an answer.
Take a bow.
Genius! I have wanted this answer for MANY years! THANK YOU!!
Thanks, very helpful.
from a fellow Mechanical Engineer, now working in IT related field
windows 11 x64 on normal startup i can see and access all computers on my network
but after sleep i can access internet but no computers show on network unless i restart
network adaptor power management is unticked to save power
power settings advanced has network connectivity enabled
if i run power troubleshoot it does not fix the problem
reset network after enabling filesharing options then network computers show but then computer restarts
turned off firewall but after sleep no computers on network.
Dear Sambit Koley,
You ARE the man! I am a techie (7 years Microsoft MVP for Windows) and I have had only limited success with this issue that, in my opinion, should not exist. Windows should be configured with all of these “fixes” out of the box (Better OOBE).
Just now for the first time in years, my Network reveals all 6 of my Windows computers (1 Windows 11 and 5 Windows 10).
Thank you very much!
Roger Faucher
Fix # 2 helped with showing all three devices( Main Computer, 2 laptops) was seeing both laptop but not the Main computer. After restarting the computer following directions the main computer could not be seen again. Went back to fix #2 and it showed again after I had to stop and restart “Function Discovery Resource Publication.” My next question would be is there some way that I don’t need to do this every time I restart my computer, sleep, or shut it down? It would be greatly appreciated if you have another work around that I won’t need to keep going to Fix #2.
Fix 1 worked for me. Thanks muchly
Thanks a TON! My newly cloned machine could see only itself on the network. Step 1 did the tick
It’s amazing that in 2021, Microsoft can’t make networking work without people needing to adjust a bunch of obscure settings. Over the last 30 years, using multiple versions of Windows, networking has rarely just worked. Almost always, computers don’t show up on the network.
Awesome you rock
A work around that I have not seen on any of the numerous pages about this issue, is to just type into the start search bar \\ipaddress or even better \\PCNAME. This brings the shared folders up in an explorer window, you then right click on the PC you cannot see and pin it to quick access. Unfortunately it does not add it to the network devices folder.
Awesome job! This is a rare but frustrating problem (especially when working with Intuit).
I used Fix #1, SMB1 feature ON to fix Windows 10 network after I tried EVERYTHING else. In my case SMB1 feature WAS ON until I updated to 20H2 which for unexplained reasons defaults to OFF. Very frustrating thank you very much.
Thank you so much. Why can’t Microsoft employee people like you who understand that repeating the same company line while ignoring what they are being told, does not work.
Step six did it for me. I have two W10 computers, one work no problem when setting up the network, my second would only see itself.
Once again, thank you.
This has been happening since Windows 10 came out for me (2015) – through EVERY different version including 2004. If you do manage to get it working (I’ve never gotten it working on all of my computers at the same time) – network shares will still randomly disappear for NO apparent reason. This worked PERFECTLY in Windows 7 on every one of my PCs, but not on the Windows 10 PCs. Frankly, I’m tired of this nonsense.
WHEN is M$ gonna actually and PERMANENTLY fix this?
Replaced old dead PC with new Dell. Can see other PC OK, but cannot see new PC on other PC. Have tried all steps above plus others with no luck. This must be a very low priority for MS.
Totally disgusting that Microgreed has messed up on networks, this is pretty much a very big issue. I had it working yesterday on all three PC’s however today 19th Oct 2020 all went Pete Tong once more. I could see one computer on the other PC’s but I could not even see the other computers on their own network system.
Hopefully this will still be working tomorrow, touch wood, but it seems that the settings do not save themselves, I changed the workgroup from that, to a new name, a few resets later and it defaults back to workgroup.
This is a terrific guide for solving Windows networking problems. It was a great help to me. Thanks!
I’ve been working for two days to get sharing to work between three Windows 10 PCs. All three could see the shared folders on two of PCs. But none of the three could see the shared folders on the third. Fix 7 fixed the problem.
Thank you Sambit !!!
Frank