Can't access network between two laptops on same network.

Question

I have two PCs on the same home network. I can't connect them. It asks for Network Credentials. I have tried all of the credentials that I know. But it is confusing. Does it want my Microsoft Account credentials or my login user name and password for the device. Both are 'network credentials'. Microsoft, sometimes you make our life so confusing.

Have tried establishing credentials using Credential Manager. Have also set Network Sharing to anyone on the network and in fact, 'no password required' which WIndows doesn't seem to save properly. Both deices can be seen as network devices on my File Manager window but just can't access them. Had done this in the past relatively easily but MS seems to have changed something.

***Move from Windows / Windows 10 / Internet and connectivity ***

Answer 1

Hello ,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community forum.
It can be really confusing to have problems with network credentials when connecting two PCs on the same home network. Here are some steps and suggestions that might help you resolve the issue:

1. Make sure both PCs are connected to the same network and the network type is set to "Private Network".
2. In Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change Advanced Sharing Settings. Ensure that network discovery and file and printer sharing are turned on. If you don't want to use password access, turn off password-protected sharing.
3. When prompted for network credentials, you typically need to enter the username and password of the target computer's local user account, not the Microsoft account's credentials. You can try using the target computer's username (e.g. "PC nameusername") and the corresponding password.
4. Make sure you have added the correct network credentials in the Credential Manager.
5. Sometimes firewall settings may block network access. Make sure Windows Firewall or any third-party firewall allows file and printer sharing.
6. Try restarting your router and both PCs, sometimes a reboot of a network device can fix the connection issue.
7. Try to access another PC directly with your IP address. See if you can access it.

I hope the information above is helpful.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to let us know.

Regards,
Jill Zhou