2 Win 10 PCs can't network properly - What am I overlooking?

I need to start by saying that I have been doing Advanced Sharing on my home LAN since, I guess, Win 3.1 for Networks. I have a home LAN that typically has 3-4 systems active at any one time, plus printers. I find that things break (or fix themselves) mysteriously without any action on my part.

I honestly don't know what to do next to fix this current problem. I'm open to all suggestions.

Right now we are travelling and I can't get my wife's system, call it L, and my system, call it D, to network properly. If it matters, my system D is Win 10 64 Pro, and my wife's system L is Win 10 64 Home. Because of this problem the backup program running on my system can't back up the files on my wife's system.

I get these problems all the time. Normally I can solve the problem, even if it's just an ugly workaround. This time I can't seem to solve this problem even after I have gone through all the tutorials in the Network and Sharing forum. And all the settings that normally work to get networking and sharing to run properly, I've done those and I still can't solve this problem.

On system L, the network icon window does not show system D. But if I type \\D into the network icon search box, all the volume shares on D do show up. So system D can share drives and files with system L.

On system D, the same is not true. On system D, the network icon window does not show system L. And if I type \\L into the network icon search box, the volume shares on L do not show up. Which means that my backup program running on system D can't backup files on system L. Can you tell I'm really po'd?

• Both systems are on the same Wi-Fi 5.0 Ghz network. From a cmd window, each system can ping the other successfully.
• In the Advanced Settings on System Properties, both systems are named properly and both on in Workgroup.
• On both systems the network is set up as private, with Discovery and File and Printer Sharing turned on.
• Norton Comcast security suite is installed on both systems. Further, I have added each system to the Norton Security Settings Firewall for settings for Device Trust using their MAC addresses.

It would be useful if there was a master checklist of all the settings needed to share files successfully. To me, networking is one of the most frustrating parts of Windows, always has been. Maybe this thread can be the start of this master checklist.

x509

public or private network?If your traveling you might have to switch.

thomaseg1 said:

public or private network?If your traveling you might have to switch.

Without going into the details about the setup, both the home network and the network where are now, both are private.

If your trying to to connect to your Home network from where you are then
It should be set to public or at least one of them.
Even though its the same company the two locations represent two networks.
(I believe that's how they put it)
You could try disabling the firewalls on both and try again as private.

thomaseg1 said:

If your trying to to connect to your Home network from where you are then
It should be set to public or at least one of them.
Even though its the same company the two locations represent two networks.
(I believe that's how they put it)
You could try disabling the firewalls on both and try again as private.

Actually, I'm in a place with a different custom names for both WiFi bands, but both systems D and L are on Workgroup. All the phones and tablets are also on the networks in this place. (relative's house).

Tomorrow I will try out your suggestion for disabling the firewall on both systems (Comcast/Norton). It is certainly worth trying. If networking suddenly works, it would give me a specific issue to focus on.

Also I think I will set the network type to Public on both systems, change the options for public networks temporarily (!!) and see what happens.

x509

x509 said:

Actually, I'm in a place with a different custom names for both WiFi bands, but both systems D and L are on Workgroup. All the phones and tablets are also on the networks in this place. (relative's house).

Tomorrow I will try out your suggestion for disabling the firewall on both systems (Comcast/Norton). It is certainly worth trying. If networking suddenly works, it would give me a specific issue to focus on.

Also I think I will set the network type to Public on both systems, change the options for public networks temporarily (!!) and see what happens.

x509

And now for the update. I have not had a chance yet to carry out any of the suggestions, but but now from system D I can see system L in the Network icon main window. I did nothing but somehow the problem is fixed.

So this is a real Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot moment. And this is why I hate Windows networking.

x509

Danield said:

Now that you can see L, are all the previously shares on L accessible from D?

Yes, they were when I posted message #6.

But beat me with a stick. Now system D can't see system L in the network icon window. I swear i didn't do a thing , but I got a message saying that network discovery has been turned off. What ???? Why does Windows do these things?

System L still sees system D just fine, including all shares.

So is there an answer here or am I (and lots of others, judging by all the posts in the forum) doomed to a lifetime of Windows networking idiocy and frustration. (not that I have any emotions here )

x509

Danield said:

Now that you can see L, are all the previously shares on L accessible from D?

Yes, they were when I posted message #6.

But beat me with a stick. Now 11 hours later, again, system D can't see system L in the network icon window. I swear I didn't do a thing , but I got a message saying that network discovery has been turned off. What ???? Why does Windows do these things?

System L still sees system D just fine, including all shares.

So is there an answer here or am I (and lots of others, judging by all the posts in the forum) doomed to a lifetime of Windows networking idiocy and frustration. (not that I have any emotions here )

x509