Can't view networked devices in File Explorer?

Would be grateful for any assistance...

Following the successful clean install of a dual boot desktop PC (W10 Pro V20H2 on one HDD, Ubuntu on the the second), I can no longer view any (of five) networked devices in W10 Pro File Explorer. I'm particularly interested in my NAS as it contains backups of personal user folders & files that I wish to re-install on the W10 Pro HDD.

How can I use File Explorer to view networked devices? At present, the 'network' option is shown but it's empty. I'm pretty new to all this so simple explanations would be appreciated. Thanks for your understanding.

PS no changes have been made to hardware connections or physical layout of PC or devices.

Thanks for your replies.

I checked out the Network and Sharing Centre settings and they were same as yours, Berton.

I initially searched for a tutorial but must have used inappropriate search terms as I didn't find anything relevant. Thanks for the link, dalchina, I'll read through the tutorial tomorrow.

EDIT: Just read tutorial. Bit confused - does the tutorial really address my issue? Surely this tutorial is about file sharing, which may or may not be a future issue for me, whereas the problem I currently have is the W10 PC File Explorer doesn't even acknowledge the existence of a connected NAS (and other devices but they can wait).

Windows 10 deprecation of SMB1 has impacted users ability to view/access networked devices/shares as has already been noted here. Nevertheless, it is still possible to view/access these devices in Windows Explorer. The difference is that procedures for doing so are now different than in the past and this has caused many frustrations for users. This has resulted in various recommendations, hacks, etc. including the re-enabling of SMB1 which does solve the issue but leaves a security hole in your network.

Below are simple procedures that will enable a user to view/access a device/share in Windows 10 using Explorer without the hacks, etc.


Explorer default view when opened shows an overall view of locations and attached devices as seen in the screenshot below:



Explorer view when opened with This PC selected view of the PC and connected devices as seen in the screenshot below:

Note that I have defined a number of networked devices in this example that can be viewed and accessed in the This PC view of Explorer.

If you wish to add networked devices to the Explorer This PC view then you first need to understand the path statement necessary to define the location in the Add a network location wizard in Explorer. In the above screenshot locate the notation for Address bar. Using this space you can begin to enter a path statement that once verified works can be used to define the desired device path and add that device to the Explorer window.

It is important to understand the path statement syntax to accomplish a successfully verified path statement that will verify when executed. The use of the keyboard backslash character - \ is necessary to have success. In addition, you must provide either the IP Address of the device or location or the network name of the device and/or share. Example: \\192.168.2.100 typed into the Address bar followed by pressing the Enter key when Network is selected will gain access to a device as shown in the example screenshot below:

Note: The network shares shown in the above screenshot are all password protected so even though I can now see/view those shares to gain access I must provide the appropriate credentials to access them. All shares have the same owner. If my desire is to only add one of the shares here, for example the Backup share, I would need to refine the path statement to that share as follows - \\192.168.2.100\Backup. If I had done this then only the Backup share would be visible here instead of all the shares on the device.

A network name may be used to define a network location instead of using the IP Address of the location to verify the location path. This is not always possible as some devices will refuse to be identified by name. In the screenshot below I have now added a second network location which in this example is a FreeNAS server device by using the device location name in the path like this - \\FreeNAS.

As you go about verifying network device\location paths make sure you write them down so that once you have them defined and verified working, you can use the Add a network location wizard to add them to Explorer. Once you have them added, your network locations will only be a few clicks away.

Enjoy!

Normally Windows Explorer > Network works. Just in case it doesn't I use my backup method.
I created a folder on my desktop called "My Network"
In this folder I created shortcuts to the network locations
For example, for the computer called DarkMatter see below.
Alternately, these shortcuts can be to IP addresses.

I'm on Insider Dev Build 21359.1 and this Master Browser situation is driving me completely insane. Compounding it is the fact that I cannot map any network drives from my brand new W10 PC build. I'm entering my Microsoft Account credentials and they are being refused.

Thanks for all your replies. Your help is much appreciated.

My initial response is...WTF! For my limited level of knowledge, this is getting far too complicated. I thought I got off lightly when I successfully clean installed W10 Pro 64bit at the first time of asking but obviously Microsoft had other ideas. I just didn't expect this trap to lay just around the corner. Ye gods!

I'm currently running Ubuntu and it found the NAS immediately, without me doing anything. I need to reconsider my approach/options here. The main reason I wanted to use Windows File Explorer to access files/folders on my NAS was, ironically, because I had previously found it easier than using the (to me) confusing QNAP NAS operating system/user interface. Guess I'm just not cut out to be a computer user.

Time out whilst I reconsider my options - and stock up on tranquillizers.