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Can not see folders/files on LAN-connected computer (Windows 10)

My home LAN has two computers, connected by a router. My laptop can see folders and files on my desktop computer, but no matter what I have tried, the desktop computer can see the laptop in the network, but can not see ANYTHING inside the laptop. Both are running the latest Windows 10 update (slow ring).

Based on various efforts and reading, I have installed SMB 1.0 (Samba), made sure File and Printer sharing are turned on, temporarily turned of Windows Firewall on the laptop, turned off password protection on the sharing temporarily, and created a homegroup that is shared on the two computers. Still, I see the laptop from the desktop computer, but none of the internal contents, even though I shared the root folder, as well as sharing four areas in the homegroup sharing options. I used to be able to see and exchange files between the computers, but perhaps Microsoft updated some behaviors?

David

ASKER

One more relevant piece of information: when wireless is turned on, I can see files in the laptop, just as expected (root folder as well as the homegroup-defined folders). Once I disconnect from the wireless connection, the Ethernet connection is not allowing me to see inside the laptop. I do have the sharing options (two checkboxes) checked ON in the Ethernet dialogue, but am not sure if the Settings option checkboxes need to be checked ON. Of course I want to use the Ethernet due to higher speed, not just the wireless connection.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

McKnife

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David

ASKER

Thanks. I ran "telnet laptopname 445". The cmd window goes black immediately (no prompt, no message about trying to connect). So I guess port 445 is open.

McKnife

Yes, it's open and that's all you need. If it doesn't work, it means you have a buggy behavior caused maybe by security software on one of the computers. I'd do a test and uninstall all 3rd party AV softwares and firewalls and reboot and see.

David

ASKER

I had to do more digging to get to what was going on: it appears that my old laptop, which had the same device name that I gave the new (current) laptop, was still in my desktop computer DNS, so whenever I used the (new/old) laptop name, the IP address was the one that the old laptop had, but the new laptop has a different IP address.

Since I wanted to make the naming work, not rely on IP address, I used a series of commands on both computers, and eventually everything worked and the ambiguous definition based on the old laptop disappeared. The commands were:

ipconfig /registerdns (and wait 15 minutes)
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew
re-boot computer