La network detection in Windows 10 is a feature that allows you to quickly find devices connected to the network using File Explorer (i.e. view other PCs connected to the same network as if they were folders on the computer being used).
When the feature is enabled, you can open any folder and then expand the Network section in the left column of File Explorer, it is possible to see all networked devices including routers, network drives or other PCs and of course browse some shared folders and files or printers.
However, the network discovery feature in Windows 10, even if it is very simple to activate, may not work properly if some conditions are not met or if there are some incorrect settings. It happens that not all computers or devices that we would expect to see are identified or that the computer we are using is not seen by others.
Whatever the reason, almost all issues can be resolved by first identifying the network, ensuring that the functionality is enabled and that the necessary services and protocol are running.
How to enable network discovery in Windows 10
To enable network discovery in Windows 10, you still need to use the Control Panel (sooner or later, in Windows 10, the Control Panel will be removed and the features will be in Settings under the Network section).
- From the Control panel, Click on Network and Internet, Then in Network and shared resource center.
- Then press the option Change advanced sharing settings on the left panel to open a very spartan options screen, where you can expand three sections: Private, Guest and all networks.
- For security, it is always a good idea to turn off network sharing under Guest or Public and also under All Networks, so you should expand the private network section to find the option that enable network discovery, with the option of automatic configuration.
- In the next section, also turn on file and printer sharing and press Save Changes.
Once you've completed the steps, opening a folder and expanding the Network section, you should now find other computers and devices connected to the same local area network (or connected to the same router).
If Network Discovery in Windows 10 is turned on and File Explorer doesn't show any devices, it means that one or more of the requested services might not be running.
One important thing for network discovery in Windows 10 to work is that the network used, the Wi-Fi network for example, is configured as a private network.
As explained, it is possible to share files between PCs and view shared folders (Windows, Mac, Linux) and share folders of documents, images and music.
You may be interested in: 10 Types of Internet Connections in Force in 2021
Fix network discovery issues in Windows 10
To enable services, you need to search in the Start menu or search bar for Services. When the list of services opens, find and verify that the following services are “running”:
- DNS client
- Host Discovery Provider Features
- Publication of resources for identification
- SSDP discovery
- UPnP Device Host
If one of the services is not running, double-click it, select the Automatic startup type, and press Start down. After completing the steps, open the Network folder in File Explorer to see if the detection works or if you still don't see anything.
Fix network detection in Windows 10 by enabling SMB protocol
If network detection works, but some devices are missing, such as an old computer, a network-attached disk, or a storage network-attached network (NAS) devices, those devices may have relied on the older version of the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol. .
However, please note that it would be better not to use the SMBv1 protocol, which can still be enabled in Windows 10, for security reasons. To enable it, go to Control Panel > Programs and press Enable disables the Windows functionality. Here you can find the component SMB 1.0 / CIFS Client to install.
Automatically fix network sharing issues
Before attempting to enable SMBv1, which as mentioned is an already insecure and risky protocol, it is advisable to run the automatic network troubleshooting tool included in Windows 10.
When you open Settings, section Update and security, press on Troubleshooting and then, on the right, press the link Additional tools for troubleshooting.
Among the various tools, press on NIC and run the tool for the wifi network used. Do the same with the Shared Folders troubleshooting tool.
Reset network settings
If the troubleshooter didn't work, you can use the feature network recovery which removes and reinstalls all network cards on the computer. This process restores all network components, restores factory defaults, and resolves network discovery issues in Windows 10.
The only side effect of resetting is that it will reset your Wi-Fi passwords, so you will need to re-enter them.
There are several ways to reset network card settings in Windows 10; the simplest is to open Settings, go to Network & Internet, then Status and press the Reset network button on the right.
Final words
The system network detection in windows 10 It is quite useful for those who work on a private network or share files constantly. Thanks to this guide you can enable this system and if any kind of problem occurs, we have organized the possible methods that you can try so that you can solve them easily.
My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
I have been publishing about technology and gadgets on the Internet for over 15 years, especially in mundobytes.com
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