Windows 10: PC not discoverable on network.

Hello, I am trying to set up two computers on my network so that they can share a folder between them. I followed a video that explained how to enable network discoverability through the network share center.Here is a quick list of what I did. 1 turned on "network discover on both computers." 2 turned on "file and printer sharing on both computers." 3 Kept the recommended setting "Use 128 bit encryption to help protect file sharing connections" for both computers Recommended setting4 turned off password protected sharing on both computers5 Under settings, changed network profile to

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interaction of UAC, discoverability, and network profile


After my last clean reinstallation of Win10 I had trouble access my NAS drives. I have everything working now, but I don't really understand what I did and how it works. And I know my future holds more clean installs so I want to understand what I did.

Some background:

1. I'm paranoid so have my UAC set to it's highest value.
2. Accessing my NASs seems to require using the "Private" network profile and setting "Make this PC discoverable".
3. #1 prevents #2 so I lowered the UAC long enough to change the network settings and then set it back up.

1st question: Was the high UAC setting just preventing changing the network setting, or is it preventing something else in network discovery that will bite me in the future? I'm having trouble believing that lowering the UAC just long enough to change the network settings is actually all that was required.

2nd question: I'm not aware of doing anything other than setting "Make this PC discoverable", but suddenly I was using the "Private" network profile. Are these just two ways of saying the same thing, or did I have to do something more to switch to the "Private" profile?

3rd question: If "Make this PC discoverable" and using the Private network profile are not the same thing, which was needed to get network discovery of my NASs working. (Prior to changing the setting, Windows10 could see the devices on my LAN bu no SMB connection could be established.)

 

Some PCs are not discoverable on the domain network

Some of the PCs at work are defining the network as "Domain Network". These PCs are neither discovering the other PCs on the same network, nor they are discoverable to the other PCs. On the other hand, some other PCs are defining the same domain network
as "Private Network", and these PCs are discovering and discoverable for all PCs. The problem is that I am not able to change the "Network Profile" to "Private", nor I am able to activate the "Private" instead of "Domain", because these options doe not appear
under any of the tap "Network & Internet" in the "Control Panel". By the way I am using Windows 10 on all the PCs and Windows Server 2008 R2 on the servers.

Please advise if it is a Server or PC problem and how I can solve that.

 

Autoamtically disable "Allow your PC to be discoverable by other PCs and devices .." popup message

Hi Damian,

To disable to the "allow your PC to be discoverable by other PCs and devices," you may try the suggested steps below:

• Access Control Panel (icons view), then click Network and Sharing Center.
• Click Change advanced sharing settings link on the left side of the screen.
  
• Expand the Private (current profile) or Guest or Public network profile for the one you want to turn off network discovery.
  
• Click (radio button) to Turn off network discovery for what you want to do, and click/tap on Save changes.
  
• Under the Private network profile, you can also check (off) Turn on automatic setup of network connected devices to turn off network discovery.
• Click Save changes.
• Close the Network and Sharing Center.

Feel free to post the result for us to help you further.

Regards.