Here is short description how I get my network sharing work with Windows 10 v1803. (I haven't never use Homegroup so I start directly from step 2.) Only for those PC's which are still using Windows 10 v1709 or older: Disconnect from non-existing Homegroup if you have used it. 2.1. All PC's: Check Network profile and Network discovery and Share settings Sometimes this selection to change between Private and Public network profile is missing from Settings / Networks page. In that case profile must change by PowerShell. Right Click Windows Icon (Start button) and open PowerShell (Admin) and use following commands to get interface index number and change profile to Private (or Public): Get-NetConnectionProfile Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceIndex <index number> -NetworkCategory Private 2.2. All PC's: Check Network Discovery and Share settings https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/f7770a4f-8e37-48c9-a436-2fe4e8e12ca0?platform=QnA All PC's: Set Start type to Automatic and start following services that allow PC's to be visible on Network. (Reboot.) Push Win Key and type "Services", locate these services. - Function Discovery Provider Host - Function Discovery Resource Publication - SSDP Discovery UPnP Device Host Setting shares. 4.1. Check your current shares. Open file explorer and type \localhost to address bar to see what shares are made in this computer. ![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/d9a66593-0cd1-499b-908f-36a6854f27c1?platform=QnA 4.2. Create new share (here I use folder "Test"). (Setting "Turn on sharing so anyone …" in Step 2.2. make share for folders in C:\Users automatic.) Folder is now shared and Network share path is: \PCNAME\Test 4.3. Safe way to share folders. Create user account to all users on your network to whom you want to give access to shared resources. Use same user ID and password which they have on their own computers. Right click "Test" and open Properties and select Security tab to see current settings. Default security settings are shown in next picture. Those settings allow access to shared folder(s) only for those users who have user ID on that computer. 4.4. Sharing folder "Test" to Everyone" (Very unsafe setting! Think carefully do you need to select this!) If you want that everyone have access to that share then go to Security tab and: Click Edit On Permission dialog click Add. New dialog open and you can add "Everyone" to that list https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/c1f22caa-ec01-4f49-8c76-01b18ed8061f?platform=QnA When back to Permissions dialog select which rights you want to give to "Everyone". Now anyone on your home network should have access to shared folders without credentials or having user account on your computer. Now when click Network on File Explorer all your PC's should be visible in Computer and Network sections. This should be cover the essentials to sharing your data over local network. This share is not limited to C:\Users folder, every folder can be handled like shown in steps 4. Now your PC's should visible, but if not then try to reset all network settings: Go to Settings / Network & Internet / Status, scroll down to find "Network reset, on next window click "Reset Now" button. It will takes about 5 min to perform this reset and then PC reboot automatic. When you sing in first time you get notification something like "Do you want your PC to be access by other computers", click Yes for that. If you get error message "Windows cannot access \PC_NAME" when you try to connect shared folders then continue to step 6. There is some bug on Windows 10 1803 and because of that PC's can't always connect to each other by Name. If you get error "\PCNAME path not found" you can solve this by adding your PC's and IP-addresses to hosts file. 6.1 New routers (or modems) may have feature to remember which IP-addresses are assign to each device, but with older routers (or modems) you have to check that your router or modem is set give predefined IP-addresses linked to each PC's MAC-address. This way PC's will get same IP-address every time when it ask IP-address form router (or modem) DHCP-server. There should be some kind of list of PC names with MAC addresses and given IP-addresses of each connected PC. Picture show that list on my router. In my case with old router I had to select manual assignment in each line. 6.2. Add all PC's IP-addresses and Names to hosts file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts). You can check your IP-address and PC's name by opening command prompt (CMD) For IP-address type command: ipconfig you get line like this: IPv4 Address ………. 192.168.100.101 For PC name type command: hostname Write down IP-address and Name of each PC and add those to that hosts file. To edit copy hosts file to some another location, right click it and use notepad to edit and save it. Replace original file with edited file. Because hosts file is located on system folder replace will ask administrators rights to perform it. localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself. # 127.0.0.1 localhost # ::1 localhost 192.168.100.101 PC1 # Ethernet 192.168.100.102 PC2 # Ethernet 192.168.100.202 PC2 # Wi-Fi

See my correction in post above.

Aha, that was the part I didn't understand the first time through. What I did, appears to work though. Is there an issue with it being a text file? It doesn't seem like that should be working from an operational view. UPDATE 6-17-18 Later that day My mistake here. What I did does not work. I did not follow Pauli O's instructions correctly. Putting a Hosts -table.txt file in the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc location does not fix the problem. I have no idea why it was working for a bit, other than the general glitchiness of Win10. The correct procedure as Pauli O explains is to copy the file named Hosts to another location on your computer. Then open it in that new location with Word Pad. Add your IP address and computer name info as shown by Pauli O. That creates the Table as part of "Hosts" When you have added all the computers you need, hit the save button on Word Pad. Now you copy the Hosts file back to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc You will be overwriting the original Hosts file that does not contain the table that you just added. You will be asked to perform the replace with administrator rights since this file is located in System 32. Do it. Now the file Hosts located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc contains your table that you added to it. If you did all the previous steps in Pauli Os Original Post, your Network folder will show your other computers by name and when you click on them you can access all the folders that are shared. Pauli Os instructions, when followed correctly, work like a charm.

Hosts -table is this table which is inside hosts -file (without any file extensions). As I wrote copy that hosts file temporary to some other place, open it to notepad (right click that file, select open with, select notepad), edit, save and copy back to etc folder without any file extension. When copying it ask first do you want replace existing file -> click Yes, then it ask administratotr aproval -> click Continue.

When I looked in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc I found several files. One named "hosts" that appears to be nothing more than a template. I did not have an entry called hosts -table I used the hosts file (opened using wordpad) and deleted everything down to localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself. # 127.0.0.1 localhost # ::1 localhost and then added my IP address and computer name info using the format shown in your step 6.2 I saved the WordPad doc as "hosts -table.txt" file (without the quotes). I put a copy of that in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc I have to admit I couldn't see how that would have any effect on my shares being accessible. But I went ahead and put a copy of that file in the other two computer's C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. Neither of those computers had a file called "hosts -table in that location either. To my complete surprise, it worked perfectly. I have shut down each computer several times now and each time I have booted them back up. Now all my computers appear in the network section and the shares are accessible. I did not have to rename any computers for this to work. I do not have SMB 1.0/CIFS client turned on. I can now use a program on any computer and modify the base location data files from any computer on my network. It is working exactly the way I need it to after implementing your fix. Thanks, Pauli O. This fixes the issues I was having with the very spotty functioning of Networking computers in my home with Win10. Win 10 is not suitable for any critical application. Update 6-17-18 Later that day: My mistake here. What I did does not work. I did not follow Pauli O's instructions correctly. Putting a Hosts -table.txt file in the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc location does not fix the problem. I have no idea why it was working for a bit, other than the general glitchiness of Win10. The correct procedure as Pauli O explains is to copy the file named Hosts to another location on your computer. Then open it in that new location with Word Pad. Add your IP address and computer name info as shown by Pauli O. That creates the Table as part of "Hosts" When you have added all the computers you need, hit the save button on Word Pad. Now you copy the Hosts file back to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc You will be overwriting the original Hosts file that does not contain the table that you just added. You will be asked to perform the replace with administrator rights since this file is located in System 32. Do it. Now the file Hosts located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc contains your table that you added to it. If you did all the previous steps in Pauli Os Original Post, your Network folder will show your other computers by name and when you click on them you can access all the folders that are shared. Pauli Os instructions, when followed correctly, work like a charm.

Homegroup removed! How to get network sharing work with Windows 10 v1803.

Anonymous

Here is short description how I get my network sharing work with Windows 10 v1803.

(I haven't never use Homegroup so I start directly from step 2.)

Only for those PC's which are still using Windows 10 v1709 or older:

Disconnect from non-existing Homegroup if you have used it.

2.1. All PC's: Check Network profile and Network discovery and Share settings

Sometimes this selection to change between Private and Public network profile is missing from Settings / Networks page. In that case profile must change by PowerShell. Right Click Windows Icon (Start button) and open PowerShell (Admin) and use following commands to get interface index number and change profile to Private (or Public):

Get-NetConnectionProfile

Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceIndex <index number> -NetworkCategory Private

2.2. All PC's: Check Network Discovery and Share settings

https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/f7770a4f-8e37-48c9-a436-2fe4e8e12ca0?platform=QnA

All PC's: Set Start type to Automatic and start following services that allow PC's to be visible on Network. (Reboot.)

Push Win Key and type "Services", locate these services.

- Function Discovery Provider Host

- Function Discovery Resource Publication

- SSDP Discovery

UPnP Device Host

Setting shares.

4.1. Check your current shares.

Open file explorer and type \localhost to address bar to see what shares are made in this computer.

![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/d9a66593-0cd1-499b-908f-36a6854f27c1?platform=QnA

4.2. Create new share (here I use folder "Test").

(Setting "Turn on sharing so anyone …" in Step 2.2. make share for folders in C:\Users automatic.)

Folder is now shared and Network share path is: \PCNAME\Test

4.3. Safe way to share folders.

Create user account to all users on your network to whom you want to give access to shared resources.

Use same user ID and password which they have on their own computers.

Right click "Test" and open Properties and select Security tab to see current settings.

Default security settings are shown in next picture.

Those settings allow access to shared folder(s) only for those users who have user ID on that computer.

4.4. Sharing folder "Test" to Everyone" (Very unsafe setting! Think carefully do you need to select this!)

If you want that everyone have access to that share then go to Security tab and:

Click Edit
On Permission dialog click Add.
New dialog open and you can add "Everyone" to that list https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/c1f22caa-ec01-4f49-8c76-01b18ed8061f?platform=QnA

When back to Permissions dialog select which rights you want to give to "Everyone".

Now anyone on your home network should have access to shared folders without credentials or having user account on your computer.

Now when click Network on File Explorer all your PC's should be visible in Computer and Network sections.

This should be cover the essentials to sharing your data over local network. This share is not limited to C:\Users folder, every folder can be handled like shown in steps 4.

Now your PC's should visible, but if not then try to reset all network settings:

Go to Settings / Network & Internet / Status, scroll down to find "Network reset, on next window click "Reset Now" button.

It will takes about 5 min to perform this reset and then PC reboot automatic.

When you sing in first time you get notification something like "Do you want your PC to be access by other computers", click Yes for that.

If you get error message "Windows cannot access \PC_NAME" when you try to connect shared folders then continue to step 6.

There is some bug on Windows 10 1803 and because of that PC's can't always connect to each other by Name.

If you get error "\PCNAME path not found" you can solve this by adding your PC's and IP-addresses to hosts file.

6.1 New routers (or modems) may have feature to remember which IP-addresses are assign to each device, but with older routers (or modems) you have to check that your router or modem is set give predefined IP-addresses linked to each PC's MAC-address.

This way PC's will get same IP-address every time when it ask IP-address form router (or modem) DHCP-server.

There should be some kind of list of PC names with MAC addresses and given IP-addresses of each connected PC.

Picture show that list on my router. In my case with old router I had to select manual assignment in each line.

6.2. Add all PC's IP-addresses and Names to hosts file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts).

You can check your IP-address and PC's name by opening command prompt (CMD)

For IP-address type command: ipconfig you get line like this: IPv4 Address ………. 192.168.100.101

For PC name type command: hostname

Write down IP-address and Name of each PC and add those to that hosts file.

To edit copy hosts file to some another location, right click it and use notepad to edit and save it. Replace original file with edited file. Because hosts file is located on system folder replace will ask administrators rights to perform it.

localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.

# 127.0.0.1 localhost

# ::1 localhost

192.168.100.101 PC1 # Ethernet

192.168.100.102 PC2 # Ethernet

192.168.100.202 PC2 # Wi-Fi

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Anonymous

2018-06-17T16:36:11+00:00

See my correction in post above.
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Anonymous

2018-06-17T16:00:48+00:00

Aha, that was the part I didn't understand the first time through. What I did, appears to work though. Is there an issue with it being a text file? It doesn't seem like that should be working from an operational view.

UPDATE 6-17-18 Later that day

My mistake here. What I did does not work. I did not follow Pauli O's instructions correctly.

Putting a Hosts -table.txt file in the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc location does not fix the problem. I have no idea why it was working for a bit, other than the general glitchiness of Win10.

The correct procedure as Pauli O explains is to copy the file named Hosts to another location on your computer. Then open it in that new location with Word Pad. Add your IP address and computer name info as shown by Pauli O. That creates the Table as part of "Hosts"

When you have added all the computers you need, hit the save button on Word Pad.

Now you copy the Hosts file back to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

You will be overwriting the original Hosts file that does not contain the table that you just added.

You will be asked to perform the replace with administrator rights since this file is located in System 32. Do it.

Now the file Hosts located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc contains your table that you added to it.

If you did all the previous steps in Pauli Os Original Post, your Network folder will show your other computers by name and when you click on them you can access all the folders that are shared.

Pauli Os instructions, when followed correctly, work like a charm.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2018-06-17T08:28:58+00:00

Hosts -table is this table which is inside hosts -file (without any file extensions).

As I wrote copy that hosts file temporary to some other place, open it to notepad (right click that file, select open with, select notepad), edit, save and copy back to etc folder without any file extension.

When copying it ask first do you want replace existing file -> click Yes, then it ask administratotr aproval -> click Continue.
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Anonymous

2018-06-17T08:01:11+00:00

When I looked in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc I found several files. One named "hosts" that appears to be nothing more than a template. I did not have an entry called hosts -table

I used the hosts file (opened using wordpad) and deleted everything down to

localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.

# 127.0.0.1 localhost

# ::1 localhost

and then added my IP address and computer name info using the format shown in your step 6.2

I saved the WordPad doc as "hosts -table.txt" file (without the quotes). I put a copy of that in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

I have to admit I couldn't see how that would have any effect on my shares being accessible. But I went ahead and put a copy of that file in the other two computer's C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. Neither of those computers had a file called "hosts -table in that location either.

To my complete surprise, it worked perfectly. I have shut down each computer several times now and each time I have booted them back up. Now all my computers appear in the network section and the shares are accessible. I did not have to rename any computers for this to work. I do not have SMB 1.0/CIFS client turned on.

I can now use a program on any computer and modify the base location data files from any computer on my network. It is working exactly the way I need it to after implementing your fix.

Thanks, Pauli O. This fixes the issues I was having with the very spotty functioning of Networking computers in my home with Win10.

Win 10 is not suitable for any critical application.

Update 6-17-18 Later that day:

My mistake here. What I did does not work. I did not follow Pauli O's instructions correctly.

Putting a Hosts -table.txt file in the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc location does not fix the problem. I have no idea why it was working for a bit, other than the general glitchiness of Win10.

The correct procedure as Pauli O explains is to copy the file named Hosts to another location on your computer. Then open it in that new location with Word Pad. Add your IP address and computer name info as shown by Pauli O. That creates the Table as part of "Hosts"

When you have added all the computers you need, hit the save button on Word Pad.

Now you copy the Hosts file back to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

You will be overwriting the original Hosts file that does not contain the table that you just added.

You will be asked to perform the replace with administrator rights since this file is located in System 32. Do it.

Now the file Hosts located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc contains your table that you added to it.

If you did all the previous steps in Pauli Os Original Post, your Network folder will show your other computers by name and when you click on them you can access all the folders that are shared.

Pauli Os instructions, when followed correctly, work like a charm.
Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.

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