Windows 11 Networking and Credentials Problems

Question

I have 4 Windows 11 computers, 2 laptops, and 2 desktops. All the computers run under my Microsoft ID. I am trying to set up networking between all four computers to share their Public Folder along with the user folder to my account. Under Internet advanced sharing I have Private Networks set to Enabled for Discover and allow File & Print Sharing. Under Public Networks I have all options set to OFF. Under All Networks, I have Share Public Folders set to On and Password Protected Sharing set to On. This configuration is identical on all 4 Windows 11 machines.

I have checked the physical file folders, that are being shared, on each machine and each folder shows that the folder is being shared as //HOSTNAME/FOLDERNAME. So far everything looks like it should, at least to me.

My problem arises when I try to access one of those folders from another machine, let's call it //COMPUTERA, in the network. On some machines, I am prompted to enter credentials, before I can access the remote folder. I always supply my Microsft ID and my current password. I view the password to make sure I haven't made a typing error. The credentials are always rejected with a bad user ID or password message.

Now for the weird part on another computer in the network, I can access that same shared folder, without being prompted for credentials. It isn't even consistent between the four computers. On //COMPUTERA I may be able to access //COMPUTERC but not //COMPUTERB without being prompted for credentials, which always fails

While on //COMPUTERB I can access //COMPUTERA but not //COMPUTERC. I have been chasing this problem from computer to computer, like a game of Whack-A-Mole,, with no success. I can successfully access a different networked computer, on one machine, only to find the access to that computer has now disappeared on another computer, that formerly had access. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

***moved from Windows / Windows 11 / Internet and connectivity**

Answer 1

Finally, after days of searching the web, I found the solution to my problem. Here is a link to another Microsoft Community Problem Post, where someone posted the correct solution for my authentication problems.,

Can't access the other Windows 11 computers on my home network - Microsoft Community

Thank you Skulfighter

I now can successfully access shared folders, across all 4 of my Windows 11 machines.

Answer 2

Update! After I posted my question I noticed that under Networks the hostname of the computer I was using, was not displaying. So I asked ChatGPT how to fix this. It replied that the following services must be running: Function Discovery Provider Host, Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery, and UPnP Device Host. Bringing up the Services Configuration, on none of my 4 machines were all those services running. Some machines had some of the services running, even that wasn't consistent, but no computer had all four services running, So I set them all to Automatic and rebooted each machine. I now can see all four of my Host Computers under Network using File Explorer. On three of the machines I now can successfully access the shared folders on all four computers. On the fourth computer I am still prompted to supply credentials for access on two of the computers, shown on the Network, and those credentials are always rejected with an invalid UserID and Password. Three computers working is significant progress, but the fourth continues to stymie me. I'm posting this in hopes of helping others who might view this thread.