File Explorer may not detect other devices or perform file sharing on the local network when running Windows 10 version 1803

Sorry, folks.  I just must not know much.  I only started with DOS 2.0.  First version of Windows was 1.1.  Started networking with 3.11, in 1993 or 4.  Have used every version of Windows except Vista, either at home or at work.  Network Discovery is an integral part of the system.  File Sharing is the primary purpose of networking.  I am sure you have your preferences as to how you set up your system.  I want mine simple, and to work, every time.  If this feature (SMB) is unsafe/unsecure, why is it listed as a Windows Feature?  Will MS do something about this issue?

You have to distinguish between network sharing (file sharing) and network browsing.

For network sharing you don't need smbv1 and Computerbrowser service, and you don't need most of the services mentioned in the solution (you may not need *any* of them for sharing) . You have to know the name of the PC and the path you want to access. Then you easily access the path via Explorer. And you may add a permanent network share that will always show besides your local drives.

For network browsing (discovery) you either need Computerbrowser/smbv1 or all the services (*) as they are listed in the marked solution above.

I just tested this. I didn't have any PCs of my network populating File Explorer. I don't need that, I access all PCs by path and not by discovery. Discovery takes much too long, you have to walk all your way down via network, PC, folder, folder etc., too much hassle. So, my Computerbrowser service is not running, anyway! But access to files on all PCs on the network works and has been working all the time, for years. Now, I tested the marked solution. Remember, Computerbrowser is off, anyway. I enabled all the services mentioned above (except for Computerbrowser) on two PCs. And I can see the PCs now in File Explorer. Note, they will not appear under "Network Locations". They appear under "Network". Network is shown on the Navigation pane beneath all the drives. You can also access "Network" by typing "Network" in the address bar of File Explorer. So, where it may show "Desktop" or "This PC" or "C:\whatever" you type that over with "Network" and hit Return. May take a while until it finishes. On first try it may list only your current PC. Refresh it and it should show the other PC and your current PC should be gone from it. It also shows my printer which doesn't use smbv1 at all, it uses a network printer protocol. If you now click that PC, depending on what kind of sharing you enabled you may then see some shares or nothing. I see nothing as I haven't enabled public sharing and use administrative shares which are apparently not shown by this method.

If you still cannot make your network work without smbv1 we can walk this thru if you like. But then please start a new thread and post a link here. This thread has grown much too long and distracting to be of use for deep troubleshooting.

Note: the solution without smbv1 will not work if you rely on devices on your network that support only smbv1, for instance several older NAS devices don't support smbv2 or 3. It surely works for any networking between Windows 10 PCs.

This is a good background article, regarding the unsafeness of SMBv1 and how to enable network browsing (he also recommends using fixed shares instead of network browsing) without it. It's somewhat technical. https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/filecab/2016/09/16/stop-using-smb1/

Addendum:

(*) Actually, you don't need "all" the services, the solution is only "pro-active". You only need to enable Automatic (Delayed) for the Function Discovery Resource Publication service. You also need the Function Discovery Provider Host service. However, this should be already running (as long as it is set to Manual, which is the default). Apparently, it gets started if you have checked to use File sharing in Network and Sharing Center.