Hello,
I understand that you're facing difficulties with file sharing between your computers after a lightning strike and hardware replacement. It can be frustrating when the usual troubleshooting steps don't resolve the issue. Let's go through some additional troubleshooting steps to try and resolve the problem:
Check network profile: Confirm that the network profile on each computer is set to "Private." Open the Settings app on each computer, go to Network & Internet > Ethernet (or Wi-Fi) > Network profile, and ensure it is set to Private. Public network profiles can have more restrictive sharing settings.
Verify network connectivity: Double-check that all computers are connected to the same network and can communicate with each other. You can try pinging the IP addresses of the other computers to confirm connectivity. Open Command Prompt and type ping <IP address> (replace <IP address> with the IP address of another computer). Repeat this for all computers to ensure they can reach each other.
Temporarily disable firewalls: Disable the firewall software (including any third-party firewall applications) on all computers and test if file sharing works. If it does, you may need to adjust the firewall settings to allow file and printer sharing.
Create a new shared folder: Try creating a new shared folder on one of the computers and see if other computers can access it. This can help determine if the issue is specific to existing shared folders or a broader problem with file sharing.
Verify user permissions: Check the user permissions on the shared folders. Ensure that the user accounts on each computer have the necessary permissions to access the shared folders. You can try giving explicit permissions to individual user accounts instead of relying on the "Everyone" group.
Reset TCP/IP stack: Resetting the TCP/IP stack on each computer can help resolve network-related issues. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run the following commands one by one:
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
Restart the computers after running these commands and test file sharing again.
Enable SMBv1: Windows 11 has deprecated support for SMBv1 (Server Message Block version 1) due to security concerns. However, some older devices or operating systems might still rely on SMBv1 for file sharing. On each computer, open the Control Panel, go to Programs > Turn Windows features on or off, and check the box next to "SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support." Click OK and restart the computer.
Verify workgroup settings: Ensure that all computers are part of the same workgroup. By default, Windows assigns the "WORKGROUP" workgroup name. To verify or change the workgroup name, right-click on This PC, select Properties, click on "Change settings" next to the computer name, go to the "Computer Name" tab, and check the workgroup name.
If none of the above steps resolve the issue, there might be a more complex network configuration or compatibility problem. In such cases, seeking assistance from a professional or contacting the support channels provided by your hardware or software vendors might be helpful.
Note: It's generally recommended to have strong, unique passwords for user accounts to enhance security. Using a PIN as the sole authentication method may not provide adequate protection for your computers and network resources. Consider setting strong passwords for your user accounts in the future.
I used AI provided by ChatGPT to formulate part of this response. I have verified that the information is accurate before sharing it with you.
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