Home network computers aren't shown in Windows Explorer

Removing Homegroup from Windows 1803 caused problems for networking.

"(not even by putting \laptopnamein the address bar)."

"Sometimes laptop B does show laptop A but when I try to access it I get a 'Windows can't connect" message."

These are typical symptoms in latest Windows update. 

To get you PC's to visible under File Explorer network section then most important part is to start some required services.

Push Win Key and type "Services", locate those services, start them and set Start type to Automatic (Delayed Start). 

Services are:

   - Function Discovery Provider Host

   - Function Discovery Resource Publication

   - SSDP Discovery

• UPnP Device Host

For that  "\*laptopname"*don't work issue see Step 6 on my example.

Find more details about sharing from example how I have setup my network to work with Win 10 1803.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-files/homegroup-removed-how-to-get-network-sharing-work/01277332-2916-4a68-853a-116696b20743

No go.

I have been through all the issues in your link above on both computers. I have looked up the IP addresses in the modem for each laptop and put them in the hosts file. It works.

But when I open up the computers next morning and the modem turns on it has changed the IP addresses and no longer works. So I have to change the hosts file again.

I tried setting the hosts file back to the original (blank) but I am back to laptop A being able to access A and B, but laptop B not even listing A in the Network. Only after a restart of B will it see and contact A.

Next suggestion?

It would appear that your modem is not keeping your computers on a static IP address for your LAN. Therefore windows ends up using the wrong IP address/computer name to resolve the connection.

Most modem/routers keep a static IP to computer name or MAC address table so that whenever a particular MAC address/computer name disconnects and reconnects it always receives the same IP address on the Local Area Network. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. It depends on the specific modem/routers setup.

What worked for me was getting into my modem/routers settings page and making sure it kept a static IP address for each computer. To get to the modem/routers setup page you have to be connected to the router and enter a specific IP address. It varies by manufacturer. Look up your model's info on the manufacturer's website. Some modem/routers will have a sticker with the info attached to the unit, itself.

Once you get the IP addresses for your computers on your LAN to stop bouncing around and use Pauli O's tips for setting up a Table in hosts (which you have already done), you should get solid Network connections on your LAN. Anyway, that's what worked for me. Currently running Win10 1803 build 17134.112. Oh yeah, you probably have to reboot all computers and the modem/router once you get the settings changed.

Crazy that regular users have to try all these settings and adjustments just to get home networking running.

Good luck. Let us know how things work out.

Thanks for that, but ...

I have now had a long conversation with Optus to find out how to put all the computers onto static IP addresses (I have four altogether). And I have checked the printer still works. Now each computer can access all the others.

However, they are all somewhat erratic in display in Windows Explorer. Sometimes they show all computers and sometimes they don’t – sometimes they show in the ‘Network’ window of Windows Explorer and sometimes they only show in the menu of WE. But I have put shortcuts on each Desktop so I can access them. So that part is finally working.

But that has caused another problem. When away from home I use my mobile as a hotspot and that has always worked fine. However, now if I set up the hotspot each computer will link to it but none can access the internet – it just says ‘no internet, secured’. The phone accesses the internet fine when the hotspot is active, but not the computers.

What am I supposed to do about that!?

I have two suggestions:

1. Keep all PC's in dynamic addressing and setup your router DHCP so that each PC's MAC address is bind to one IP-address this way PC's IP never change and hosts file can be used.
2. Try this new trick: Keep all PC's in dynamic addressing, but disable IPv6 from all PC's NIC/Wi-Fi adapters. No need for changes to router, no need for hosts file.

One another user here have found this same, and some users are already reported that this is working: I did this and restore original hosts file back and network is still running.