Share Files and Folders Over a Network in Windows 10  

manoj91 said:

i got it working, thanks. but windows 10 still isn't making sharing simple. mac os 10 sharing is easier.

Great news manoj91, and welcome to Ten Forums.

I gave up and use a NAS connected to a router to share items on devices connected to the network now.

desertdad,

Do they all have the same WorkGroup name?

Since the network has both Win10 & other version computers, have you installed SMB?

Denis

Brink said:

Great news manoj91, and welcome to Ten Forums.

I gave up and use a NAS connected to a router to share items on devices connected to the network now.

I did too, have 2 x 2TB WD MyCloud drives connected by Ethernet to the Router and can access from Wired or Wireless Windows, Linux and my MacBook Pro until it died.

Dick,

I cannot see what is missing from your list now that you clarified the two points I asked about. I've consolidated my own notes and this is what I did to set up my own network [between Windows 10 computers without any drive being connected to the router as a network drive].

1 Set the same WorkGroup name on each computer - Change Workgroup - TenForumsTutorials

2 Create a local Admin account on each computer with both the same username and the same password.

Add Local Account - TenForumsTutorials
Change Account Type - TenForumsTutorials

This can actually be an MSAccount but a local one is normally less prone to errors and it's always a good idea to have a spare, password-protected local Admin account as a hedge against possible user profile corruption in the future.

3 Set up all Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center, Advanced sharing settings - including

Turn On Network Discovery - TenForumsTutorials
Turn On File and Printer Sharing - TenForumsTutorials
Turn On Password Protected Sharing - TenForumsTutorials

4 Share the desired folders - Share Files and Folders Over a Network - TenForumsTutorials

In brief,

- In File explorer, right-click on the folder, Properties, Sharing tab, Advanced sharing
- Set the checkbox for Share this folder
- Give it a Share name
- Click on Permissions,
- Everyone - Set Full control, Change or Read as desired

5 If a network includes earlier Windows versions or a network drive then I understand SMB1 needs to be set up but this is not a topic I know about - Enable SMB1 File Sharing Protocol - TenForumsTutorials

6 Connect each computer to the router's network and set it up as a Private network - Set Network Location to Private - TenForumsTutorials

- This connection step assumes use of Windows defender. If you use different security software then you should check if it requires any additional steps, such as manually approving use of specific network adapters, but I imagine they are all pretty decently automated these days and would at least tell you if they were rejecting a network / network adapter.

7 Access the shared drives both ways between each pair of computers & provide network credentials

- Enter the common local Admin account username and common password {the one set up on each computer at step 2 above}
- Set the Remember my credentials checkbox so that you are never required to do this again

- You will be able to access the shared drives using all other user accounts not just the Admin account used to set it all up.

Denis

@Brink,

Perhaps you could consider using my post #108 as the basis of a tutorial on setting up networks. Rather than replace or alter any existing tutorials, it could simply serve as a central checklist of steps that are explained in each of them.

Denis