XPS 8930, no longer shares folders with other Dell XPS desktop

Hi

Does it/they Ping?

Daft idea, but the "login" credentials / verification are not still set as W11 original?

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="File and Printer Sharing" new enable=Yes

OP, file sharing via Windows local network at home is notoriously unreliable compared to enterprise central server set up. Like you said folders can appear but nothing inside. Since you were lucky to have it working on Windows 11 pro before, I suggest you do a clean install of Windows 11 pro in 8930 and hope you can replicate success.

sometimes struggling to make two computers see each others shared folder becomes too much a project not worth the frustration. It should be a breeze but the local network protocol is not user friendly. Another option is to use a fixed ethernet external hard drive connected to your router via Ethernet cable, drop files from both pc to that drive and both can access it. The old WD Mybook for example.

Nothing will help you until MS fixed Network Sharing. Well known problem.

I used to be able to use NET VIEW, but that ran on SMB 1.0 support mostly, which MS basically Deprecated.

I have been able to get around it though, easily too.

In my case, XPS8940 and a Dell Tower Pro EBT2250 (which was an XPS8500 before) and I can do all I need with my 'method'.

First I have a Desktop Icon for my Network:

My wife's Tower does show, but MY PC does not.

However, I can add back MY PC, using these two Commands, NET STOP FDRESPUB and NET START FDRESPUB.

============

C:\>net stop fdrespub
The Function Discovery Resource Publication service is stopping.
The Function Discovery Resource Publication service was stopped successfully.

C:\>net start fdrespub
The Function Discovery Resource Publication service is starting.
The Function Discovery Resource Publication service was started successfully.

=============

Open that Icon again:

I now have both. That works fine, I can read/write/execute any file on each PC.

But that was a PAIN to do each time I wanted to transfer stuff, and I could never see my USB drive on my Router.

So I create a 'Share' folder on my desktop and it contains these:

Each Icon had a similar NET VIEW command that does work, adding the \\sharename to the command.

For instance to see my router (tp-share) I use this:

C:\>net view \\tp-share\
Shared resources at \\tp-share\

Share name  Type  Used as  Comment

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G           Disk
The command completed successfully.

Setting that command as the properties.

For instance, I'm on my XPS8940 and this is what I see on my wife's PC:

All drives are set to share in the drive properties and fully accessible.

I think it has to do with "Windows Browse Master" but it can be any number of things. Obviously, it tends to work better when all the computers are all the same OS and version.

Even if it is not "seen" ... try connecting anyway ... enter it's    \\COMPUTER-NAME

in File-Explorer's top address-bar. It should ask for a Username and Password, and you should be able to just enter that computer's normal login credentials (like you use to login to it normally when using it's keyboard locally).

Be sure both computers are on the same Workgroup.

Don't over-share stuff. I only share a few folders (not whole drives).

@Tesla1856​ 

Don't overshare is good advice, especially if on a Laptop that can connect to Public Networks. A home user, on a Desktop Private Network is a different 'story', at least to me.

Even with guests in the house, I turn on my Guest Network on my router for them to connect too, as it isolates my true network from them.

Yeah, one could argue that if someone somehow gets on my PC they could see all the files, but in person, doubt it, even with guests in the house. Via an infection, I guess if they can get past the security apps, it could happen, but I doubt that would happen.

Of course, if I am wrong, I'll be sorry, but I'm willing to risk it.

@ispalten​ ,

@Tesla1856​ 

Even with guests in the house, I turn on my Guest Network on my router for them to connect too, as it isolates my true network from them.

Yeah, one could argue that if someone somehow gets on my PC they could see all the files, but in person, doubt it, even with guests in the house.

I also have the little Windows Peer Networking here at our Residence setup so that guests can use the WiFi to access the Internet (when their cellular is not good enough).

But as described above ... if they start "searching the network" and see one of my Windows-Shares ... they will not have the credentials to open it.

And of course, all this is only possible (in the first place) on "the safe LAN side" of our Router.

I have a 3 unit TP-Link BE68 WiFi 7 Deco set.

It's Guest network (has 2) has this feature that I enable:

Network Isolation: Enabling this feature creates an isolated sandbox for visitors, keeping your primary local network, personal files, and smart home devices (IoT) completely secure and hidden from guest access.

So I don't worry about anyone using the Guest Network, 6Ghz or 2.4/5Ghz SSID's for Guests.

With that they can only see any other 'guests' that might connect at the same time... which is why 'mobile' devices, like a laptop, should not share all disks and folders.

@anne_droid​ 

Hi,

Thank you for your response.  I forgot to mention that I disabled all functions of Bitdefender Internet Security on both desktops and no change.  Answers to your questions:

1.  I can ping each desktop (DT) from the other with ping times <1ms.

2a. No permissions were ever set that I'm aware of.  Both DTs are in "WORKGROUP" on the same subnet.  They should at least be able to see each other in "Networks" but that's not the case.   EXCEPT that the 8950 can see the 8930's Media Library and I can access media files there.

2b. How would I double-check this "login credentials" question?  WRT permissions, I setup sharing on the folders on the 8930 that I want the 8950 to see and have access to.  Permissions were set up there.

3.  I ran the netsh command on both desktops.  Re the 8930, 48 rules were updated.  Re the 8950, 51 rules were updated.  

4.  No change after applying the netsh cmd.  The 8950 still cannot see the 8930's icon and folders, HOWEVER, the 8950 still sees the Media Library on the 8930 and I can access contents of this library from the 8950 but no folders.

Kind Regards,
Maddog3577

@MadDog3577   One thing I'd like to mention is all important stuff should be backed up outside of PC.  I use the cloud.  I can access files from 2 PC's and my phone, though I keep one PC offline anyway.  When I got a Win11 PC, it automatically imported everything from the cloud from my Win10 PC.

May be you have reason for not using the cloud?  That's fine too.

Hi

I am actually out of helpful suggestions, as it seems you have covered everything.

@MadDog3577​ 

Did you try what I suggested?

Root Problem here is Windows Browse Master, as @Tesla1856 mentioned. MS deprecated that, but it seems Routers seem to use that.

I think you also need to enable NETBIOS on the LAN device on each PC:

@bradthetechnut​  Hi, thank.  I understand what you're saying which is important.  Like you, I also use cloud backup services for my 8950 (my daily use PC) except sensitive material which I keep in a separate "bitlocked" partition which I backup to external HDDs and store in a safe.  Since I need access to many files on a near daily basis, I found it tedious and time consuming to go to the cloud backup to pull files after a computer crash, so I setup the XPS-8930 as a Hot spare which I fire up periodically IOT run SyncToys which syncs files from the 8950 to the 8930.  When the 8950 fails, I just switch to the 8930 which has all my important files except the very latest versions that I can pull from the cloud.  When the 8950 is backup, I reverse the sync flow.

Best Regards,

Maddog3577

@anne_droid​  I appreciate your assistance regardless of the outcome :-)

Maddog3577

@ispalten​  No, I haven't yet tried your remedies.  I will try later on today or tomorrow depending on how my day goes.  I do appreciate your responses and the time spent preparing them.

Best Regards,

Maddog3577

@MadDog3577​  As anne_droid said, sounds like you got it well covered.