- Set your network to Private, enable discovery and sharing, and control firewall/SMB for a secure environment.
- Use Advanced Sharing with SMB permissions and NTFS aligned; avoid SMB 1.0 except for specific compatibility.
- Connect via UNC (\\server or \\IP), map drives, and manage identical credentials or accounts for frictionless access.
- Troubleshoot common errors by reviewing SMB services, policies, and versions; limit guests; and enforce good naming and routing practices.
Share a network folder on Windows 11 It's easier than it seems if you set up your network properly and apply the appropriate permissions. In this guide, I explain, step by step and with basic and advanced options, how to share folders between computers. Windows (and also how to access from Linux), how to set up accounts, what to do if you want to do away with passwords, and how to resolve common errors.
In addition to the essential steps, you'll find security recommendations, technical details about SMB (including when to enable SMB 1.0 and why to avoid it), creating groups and users, mapping drives, Tricks with the hosts file and tips to avoid firewall or antivirus blocks. The goal is to set up a stable and secure local network where everyone works on the same files without headaches.
Network Requirements and Preparation
Before sharing anything, get your network in order.. Make sure all computers are on the same subnet (e.g. 192.168.1.0/24), that the PC's network profile is Private and that network discovery and file and printer sharing are enabled. It's highly recommended to use NTFS as your file system to access the Security and Advanced Permissions tab.
Turn on file and printer sharing From Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings. In the Private profile, select Network discovery and File and printer sharing. Repeat on the computers that will act as the SMB server (where folders are shared) and SMB client (where access is provided).
Consider renaming the team to something short and without unusual characters to make it easier to locate on the network: Settings > System > Information > Rename. Avoid tildes, accents, spaces, and hyphens. If you maintain the Workgroup concept, use the same name on all computers.
Open SMB ports if your firewall blocks them: 445/TCP and, if you're using older versions, 139/137/138. In many cases, Windows handles this, but some third-party antivirus programs cut these connections, and you'll need to create exception rules or disable their firewall on your private network.
Publish your team on the network Enabling the Function Discovery Resource Publication service in services.msc, with startup mode set to Automatic or Automatic (Delayed Start). This helps your PC appear in Network Explorer.
Set the network profile to Private
The network profile must be Private to allow discovery and sharing. Go to Start > Settings > Network & Internet, choose your adapter (Ethernet or Wi-Fi), click Properties, and select Private. If you don't change this, Windows will treat your network as Public and block discovery.
In the Network Center you can also check Change advanced sharing settings. Under All Networks, you can decide whether to enable Public Folder Sharing and whether to disable Password Protected Sharing (this affects security; I explain secure alternatives below).
Create users and groups for controlled access
Don't share your personal account with everyone.It's best to create specific local accounts and, if they're going to have the same permissions, group them together to centrally manage access.
How to create users: Open Computer Management (compmgmt.msc) > Local Users and Groups > Users > New User. Create, for example, user11, user12, and so on. Set strong passwords and, if applicable, policies such as requiring password changes.
How to create a group: In Local Users and Groups > Groups > New group (for example, sharegroup1) and add the users who need to share permissions. Working with groups greatly simplifies administration and reduces errors with scattered permissions.
Share a folder with Advanced Sharing
The most flexible and professional method in Windows It's Advanced Sharing. Preliminary recommendation: Create a folder at the root of the disk to avoid long paths and confusing permissions, for example C:\Shared.
Step by step:
- Right click in the folder > Properties > Sharing tab > Advanced Sharing.
- Check Share this folder and define a Share name. Use a simple name, without accents or spaces.
- Permissions: Remove “Everyone” if you want strict control. Add your group (e.g., sharegroup1) or specific users; set Read or Full Control.
- Adjust the Security (NTFS) tab: Add the same users/groups and align the permissions with those of the share. Remember that NTFS always takes precedence: if NTFS is read-only, it doesn't matter if the share is write-only.
Share with hidden name If you need it: If you end the name with “$” (e.g., GEDEX$), the resource will not be displayed in Explorer when browsing the Web. It will still be accessible if you know its path: \\\\SERVER\\GEDEX$.
Centralized shared resource explorer: Run fsmgmt.msc to see all shares, sessions, and open files at a glance; you can create, modify, or disable them without navigating through folders.
Quick share with “Specific Users” (simple option)
If you are looking for speedIn Explorer, select the folder > Sharing tab > Sharing or right-click > Grant access to > Specific users. Choose specific people or "Everyone" and set whether to Read-only or Read/Write.
In Windows 11Right-clicking will reveal a more compact menu; click "Show more options" to see the classic menu with "Grant access to." While convenient, this option is limited compared to Advanced Sharing and can inherit unexpected permissions.
Connect from another Windows computer
The universal route is the UNC: Open Explorer and type \\\\ComputerName or \\\\Address.IP (for example \\\\192.168.1.212). If you know the resource, use \\\\ComputerName\\Resource or \\\\IP\\Resource.
Map a network drive It's convenient: right-click on the shared folder > Map network drive > letter > select "Reconnect at logon." This way, you'll always have the resource at hand, just like any other disk.
Access without entering passwords every time: Create a user with the same name and password on both computers and use that session to log in. It is safe and avoid the temptation to turn off password-protected sharing.
Credential Management: If you changed a password and it fails, delete old credentials in the Credential Manager (Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager) or open the classic manager with rundll32.exe keymgr.dll,KRShowKeyMgr.
Access from Ubuntu and other Linux distributions
From the file manager (Nautilus, for example) go to Other locations and in “Connect to server” type smb://IP address (for example smb://192.168.1.97). Enter a valid username and password for your Windows computer.
You will see visible shared resources And, if you use privileged credentials, even administrative shares like C$ or ADMIN$ (hidden in Windows by “$”). Without administrative permissions, you’ll typically only see standard shared folders like Users or ones you’ve published.
SMB: Versions, Security, and When to Enable SMB 1.0
Windows 11 and 10 use SMB 3.x by default., which offers security improvements (signing and encryption). Avoid SMB 1.0 unless you need to interoperate with very old equipment (e.g. Windows XP) or certain legacy multifunction devices.
SMB 1.0 Risks: It was exploited by ransomware like WannaCry or NotPetya through vulnerabilities like EternalBlue. If you enable it for compatibility, do only what is essential and consider segmenting the network or limiting who can connect.
Check SMB by PowerShell:
- SMB1 (Windows 10/11):
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName SMB1Protocol - SMB2/3 enabled:
Get-SmbServerConfiguration | Select EnableSMB2Protocol - Quick View:
Get-SmbServerConfiguration | select "*enablesmb*"
Enable SMB 1.0 (only if absolutely necessary): Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off > SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support. Also via PowerShell: Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName SMB1Protocol. Remember that recent versions remove SMB1 if it's not used within ~15 days.
Passwordless Sharing: Options and Warnings
The recommended option is to use the same username/password on both computers., achieving seamless login. Avoid disabling password protection except in highly controlled scenarios; opens the door to unauthorized access if someone enters your Wi‑Fi network.
If you decide to disable it: In Advanced sharing settings > All networks, check “Turn off password-protected sharing” and (if applicable) enable Public folder sharing. It is not recommended in productive environments.
Guest Account: On modern builds of Windows 10/11, you can't enable the classic Guest account; create standard local accounts and control permissions instead.
Troubleshooting common problems
“Windows cannot access \\server\\resource” or “You don’t have permission”: Check that the user/group is added in Share Permissions and Security (NTFS). Check with PowerShell: Get-SmbShareAccess -Name "NombreRecurso" y get-acl C:\\Ruta\\Carpeta | fl.
Code 0x80070035 (Network path not found): Check that the “Server” service is running, that FDResPub and “Host Provider Discovery Function” are active, and that the client and server speak the same version of SMB (enable or disable SMB1 depending on the specific case).
Insecure guest login errorStarting with Windows 10 1709, anonymous SMB logins are blocked by default. SMB3 authentication is preferred. If you insist on using guests, there's a policy in "Lanman Workstation" to allow "insecure guest logins" or logins via the registry. AllowInsecureGuestAuth to 1, but it is not recommended.
0 x 80004005: very typical when the client does not have SMB1 and the server only speaks SMB1. Temporarily enable SMB1 or upgrade the server to SMB2/3.
Connection limitOn Windows clients (7/8/10/11), the maximum simultaneous connection per computer to shared resources is 20. If you need more, consider migrating to Windows Server for the computer acting as the file server.
Good practices for folders, names and paths
Locate your shared items on easy routes such as C:\Shared. Avoid sharing “Documents,” Desktop, or very deep paths with confusing inherited permissions; antivirus and backups usually get along better with short, clean paths.
Nomenclature and valid characters: use names without accents, eñes, spaces or Symbols for both your computer and your resources. If your keyboard doesn't easily display the backslash \\: in Spanish, AltGr + key to the left of 1; or Alt + 9 2 on the numeric keypad.
Direct shortcut and quick access: Create shortcuts to the \\\\SERVER\\Resource (or IP) for your users. If the resource is hidden with “$”, the shortcut will still work without appearing when browsing the Web.
When the network name does not resolve: hosts and fixed IP
If you access by IP but not by name, check that the discovery service is active. In networks where VoIP switches or carrier routers hijack DHCP or NetBIOS, a definitive solution is to assign entries in the hosts file.
Edit hosts: Open Notepad as administrator, load C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts, add a line “192.168.1.15 SERVER” (no # in front, no slashes). Save and test \\SERVER. Be careful with antivirus programs that block editing of hosts; temporarily disable protection if necessary.
Assign fixed IPs to key computers: on the network adapter, TCP/IPv4 > Use the following IP address and reserve values outside the DHCP range of the router to avoid collisions. This prevents shortcuts or host entries from breaking when the IP changes.
Create a local network without a router (hosted Wi-Fi or mobile hotspot)
If you don't have a router or Internet connectionYou can create an ad hoc network: On supported devices, set up a hosted network or use Mobile Hotspot in Settings > Network & Internet. Set a name and password, and connect to other devices like you would any other Wi-Fi network.
The mobile hotspot may be disabled after reboots.You can restart the ICS service with an elevated command to force its availability. Be sure to document SSID and key, and consider a script or reliable third-party utility if you use it daily.
Antivirus, firewall, and malware: what you need to know
Many network access failures These issues are caused by your antivirus firewall (Panda, Symantec, ESET, etc.). Try temporarily disabling it on your private network or creating rules that allow SMB access within your subnet. You can also use the Windows Firewall, which is generally more balanced and consumes fewer resources.
After cleaning malwareSome computers are left with a corrupted network stack (more common in older Windows systems). If you suspect a previous infection, reinstalling or repairing the TCP/IP stack may be faster than searching for the fault in other components.
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