Network Folder Authentication Not Working WIN10

Question

Good day,

I am trying, to no avail, access my shared folder from my Android device (Galaxy Note 20 Ultra)

This was working perfectly fine on Windows 11 and the folder communicated seamlessly with my device.

I just reverted back to Windows 10, because I am a gamer and Win11 is not as stable as Win10 for competitive gaming.

Now, I setup the folder to be shared. I granted all permissions in every possible place. I turned on network discovery. My phone picks up the network folder but does not grant me any access. I am using my login credentials (that even worked preciously on Win11) and it keeps saying "Can't connect. Make sure the address and other info is correct, then try again"

I even added a new local account to the PC with a new microsoft account, gave it admin rights and added all the access to it in Folder properties. But it still doesn't work.

It is important to note that I do NOT wish to remove the password protection as I do not live alone and do not want others to access my desktop or this folder containing sensitive data.

However, when I do remove password protection in Network and Sharing Center, I am able to access the Network Folder just fine by signing in anonymously.

I know my username and password is correct, so what am I doing wrong?

Please help as this is incredibly frustrating.

Thank you 🙏

***Moved from Windows / Windows 10 / Files, folders, and storage***

Answer 1

Hello!

I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble accessing your shared folder from your Android device after reverting back to Windows 10. Based on the information you provided, it seems that the issue might be related to network folder authentication. Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:

1. Make sure both your PC (Windows 10) and your Android device are in the same workgroup. On your PC, go to Control Panel > System > Advanced system settings > Computer Name > Change. Check the workgroup name and ensure it matches on your Android device if possible.
2. Try connecting to the shared folder using the IP address of your Windows 10 computer instead of its network name. You can find the IP address by typing ipconfig in Command Prompt.
3. Since Android's native file manager may use SMBv1 protocol for network sharing, ensure that it is enabled on your Windows 10 machine:

• Open Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off.
• Check "SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support" and click OK.
• Restart your PC after enabling this feature.

4.Some Android file managers may not support NTLMv2 authentication which is default in newer Windows versions. If your file manager has an option to change the SMB protocol version or authentication method, try changing those settings.

I hope these steps help you resolve the issue. Let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.

Regards,

Karlie