Network Reporting/Listing Problem

I have three PCs in a Workgroup network. All are connected to the router via Ethernet. All are running Windows 10 Pro 64bit with the latest updates. All connect to the Internet with no problems. Each one connects to the other two for file sharing.

I'm not having a network connection problem but I am having what I would call a reporting or listing problem. Specifically, in File Explorer, PC#3 does not show up under Network. PC#1 and PC#2 show up in File Explorer on all three PCs but PC#3 does not show up on any of the PCs. Again, all three PCs ARE connecting with each other but PC#3 is just not showing up on the network list.

If I manually type \\PC3\ in the Windows Explorer address bar, it instantly shows up under Network. If I close Windows Explorer and open it again later I have to manually type \\PC3\ again to get it to show.

So, it's not a connection problem. PC#3 is connected to the other two. It's just not automatically showing up under Network in Windows Explorer.

I don't think it's a hardware or driver problem because there's no connection problem. There's just a reporting/listing problem.

Any clues or suggestions appreciated!

Peter

When windows looks for the network it doesnt actual look it asks the master browser for the list it can take the MB time to pick up a list if its been off and you should turn on MB first so other register as they come on scan from each pc with this util and find MB NetBScanner - NetBIOS scanner

Samuria said:

When windows looks for the network it doesnt actual look it asks the master browser for the list it can take the MB time to pick up a list if its been off and you should turn on MB first so other register as they come on scan from each pc with this util and find MB NetBScanner - NetBIOS scanner

Thanks for the reply. How do I turn On Master Browser? From what I've read, it's no longer part of Windows 10 (yet I am having this problem with only one of my PCs and all of my PCs have the same latest version of Win10).

Thanks.
Peter

I ran NetBScanner per the instructions you sent. I ran it on my PC#1 and it correctly showed PC#2 and PC#3. However, PC#3 still does not appear under Network in Windows Explorer.

1. What Windows 10 version do you have installed on all systems? I found one problem I had with one computer was resolved when it was updated to v1809 (along with the others).

2. Have these 4 services been set as "Automatic" start on all systems?
> a. Function Discovery Provider Host
> b. Function Discovery Resource Publication
> c. SSDP Discovery
> d. UPnP Device Host

NOTE: People were recommending that they be set up as "Automatic - Delayed Start". However the October Feature Update changed them to "Automatic" except for "b" (Function Discovery Resource Publication) which was set to "Automatic - Delayed Start, Trigger Start"). These new settings seems to work as well.

3. If that does not help, you might also try setting SMBv1 Client to "ON" if it is not currently set "ON". This is located in "Programs and Features" > "Turn Windows features on or off" in the links on the left.

JohnD

Which pc was master browser?

Samuria said:

Which pc was master browser?

None of the three PCs was listed as the Master Browser.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but it appears that Master Browser was removed from Win10 as of the v1803 update. I no longer see the Master Browser settings in the registry.

Peter

First, thanks to everyone here who offered suggestions.

Sometimes the simplest, most obvious things are not so obvious. The solution was to do a Network Reset on PC#3 (the PC that wasn’t showing on the other PCs).

1. Go to Windows Settings
2. Network & Internet
3. Status
4. Network Reset

I did that and restarted the PC and everything is now working as it should. Lesson learned: After you change network settings, do a Network Reset. Obviously! I changed network settings after doing a clean install of Win10 last week but forgot to do the reset.

What I did NOT need to do:
Start SSDP Discovery service
Start UpnP Device Host service
Enable SMBv1 (or any other version)
Enable SMB

Function Discovery Provider Host service and Function Discovery Resource Publication service both were previously enabled and DO have to be enabled.

Thanks again.

Peter