Windows 11 share not taking computer-name

Question

I have two computers, one acting as a server/workstation (Comp1) and the other as a workstation (Comp2).

I share a folder on Comp1\Users for Everyone. When I try to map to Comp1\Users it is requiring me to enter the Comp1 ipaddress and does not accept the Comp1-computer-name. This is a problem when I reboot and end up with new ipaddresses.

Answer 1

It turns out that for some reason, Windows 11 added a dash and a number to the computer-name when we disconnected the network cable and the computer automatically switched to wireless. once we found that was the case we rebooted the router and problem was solved.

Answer 2

Hello Bob Bolger, thank you for coming back and sharing what worked.

It sounds like when your computer switched from Ethernet to wireless, Windows 11 modified the network computer name by adding a suffix to avoid conflicts, which caused the name resolution to fail since the actual computer name no longer matched what you were typing. Rebooting the router likely reset the network state and allowed the original computer name to register properly again, or cleared any cached naming conflicts.

I really appreciate you taking the time to share this—it'll be helpful for others who run into similar situation. Thanks for contributing to the community!

Answer 3

If you are unable to map to Comp1\Users using the computer name and it requires the IP address instead, this could be due to a DNS resolution issue or a problem with the NetBIOS settings. Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:

1. Check Network Discovery: Ensure that Network Discovery is turned on for both computers. This allows them to find each other on the network.
   • Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings and ensure that Network Discovery is enabled.
2. Enable TCP/IP NetBIOS: Make sure that TCP/IP NetBIOS is enabled on both computers. You can do this by:
   • Going to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings.
   • Right-click on your network connection, select Properties, then select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), click Properties, then Advanced. Under the WINS tab, ensure that Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP is selected.
3. Use the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN): If you are in a domain environment, try using the FQDN of Comp1 to see if that resolves the issue.
4. Check Firewall Settings: Ensure that the firewall on Comp1 is not blocking file sharing. You may need to allow file and printer sharing through the firewall settings.
5. DNS Configuration: If you have a local DNS server, ensure that it is correctly configured to resolve Comp1 to its current IP address. You can also try flushing the DNS cache using the command ipconfig /flushdns in the Command Prompt.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue of mapping to Comp1 using its computer name instead of the IP address.

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References:

• The network folder specified is currently mapped using a different user name and password error
• Error when you try to access an administrative share on a Windows-based computer from another Windows-based computer that's a member of a workgroup: Logon unsuccessful: Windows is unable to log you on