local network access to new computer

Miriam Forbes 20 Reputation points
2026-09-18T22:28:27.79+00:00

I have just set up my new widows 11 home pc. I set it up in my local area network and it is visible on both the old and new pc under network.

when I open up the new computer from the old pc it only display the user named default and not the new user I set up.

when I open up the network link from my new PC it says nothing is in there, so I assume it is also opening up default user?

All the documents etc are all in the user name I setup and there is no default user??

where to from here?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accounts, profiles, and login
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  1. Ivan B 124.5K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-18T23:02:35.23+00:00

    Hii,

    Sorry, it's a bit confusing—I just want to make sure I understand: you created a user to access the shared folder, but when you try to access it from the PC using that user, no folder appears. Is that correct?

    Thanks.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-18T22:28:48.51+00:00

    What is showing under Network is not the list of user profiles on the PC. It is the network view of that computer, and access depends on what is actually shared and which credentials are accepted.

    For a new Windows 11 PC on a home network, the supported checks are:

    1. Make sure both PCs are on the same local network
      • On both PCs, confirm they are connected to the same local network.
      • From the old PC, open File Explorer and type \\NewComputerName in the address bar.
      • If the PC opens but only limited content appears, continue with the sharing and credentials checks below.
    2. Turn on sharing on the new PC
      • Go to Start > Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings.
      • Select Advanced sharing settings.
      • Turn on:
        • Network discovery
        • File and printer sharing
    3. Share the specific folder from the new PC user profile
      • Open File Explorer on the new PC.
      • Browse to the folder inside the account that was created during setup, such as the needed folder under C:\Users\<new user name>.
      • Right-click the folder > Properties > Sharing > Advanced Sharing.
      • Select Share this folder.
      • Select Permissions and allow the access needed.
      • Also check the Security tab and make sure the same account has matching access there. Both Sharing and Security permissions must allow access.
    4. Use valid credentials from the old PC
      • Windows can require the username and password of the new PC when opening a shared folder.
      • Using the same Microsoft account on both PCs does not always make Windows treat them as the same network identity.
      • If prompted, enter the username and password of the new PC.
    5. If access still only shows the wrong profile or fails, create a dedicated local sharing account on the new PC
      • Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users.
      • Select Add account.
      • Choose I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
      • Select Add a user without a Microsoft account.
      • Create a local user with a password.
      • Add that account to the folder’s Sharing permissions and Security permissions.
      • Then connect from the old PC and sign in with that local username and password.

    This usually resolves the situation where the PC is visible on the network but the expected user files are not accessible.


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