cannot access home network, credentials not recognised

Question

I have just installed windows 11 professional. I am unable to access my home network because of credentials.

Answer 1

Hi Michael Parkin,

Thank you for reaching out.

After installing Windows 11 Pro, you may notice that access to shared folders or home network locations prompts for credentials and does not accept them. This can occur due to updated security requirements for network file sharing (SMB), where access now requires proper user authentication rather than allowing automatic or guest connections.

Here are some possible solutions and workarounds that you can try in this situation:

1, Use the correct sign‑in format

• When prompted for network credentials, enter them as: HOSTNAME\username
• Example: HOMEPC\Hendrix

2, Create a Local User Account on the Shared PC

• On the PC that hosts the shared folder, go to Settings > Accounts > Other Users
• Select Add account
• Create a Local account with a password
• Grant this account permission to the shared folder
• Use these credentials when connecting from your Windows 11 Pro device

3, Set Network Profile to Private

• Go to Settings > Network & Internet
• Select your active connection
• Change Network Profile Type to Private

4, Allow Compatibility with Older Network Devices

• If connecting to an older NAS or home router share, open PowerShell as Administrator and run: Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false
• If your network share previously did not use usernames/passwords, use this command: Set-SmbClientConfiguration -EnableInsecureGuestLogons $true

Hopefully, one of these steps can help restore your access to shared resources within a home network environment on Windows 11 Pro.

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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Answer 2

Hi ,

If you're using the same Microsoft account to try to access the folder, you'll need to add security to the folder you're sharing.

Go to the start menu > settings > network and internet > ethernet or wifi network > select Private mode.

Then go back to the previous menu and select advanced network settings > advanced sharing settings.

Mark Network discovery File and printer sharing.

In the Tab all networks Check Share public folders.

Uncheck Password protected sharing.

All that has already been done.

Are you using the same Microsoft account on your desktop and laptop.

Test

If that fails, try the procedures below one by one.

Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters.

If the AllowInsecureGuestAuth entry does not exist, right-click and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it AllowInsecureGuestAuth.

Set the value of AllowInsecureGuestAuth to 1.

Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

If it fails, type "Enable or disable Windows features" in the search bar > Search for SMB 1.0 in the list and select "OK." Restart the PC and test.

Credits.: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2189515/windows-11-24h2-and-insecure-guest-logins-settings

On PC-Office, run the command Windows Powershll(admin):

Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters" RequireSecureNegotiate -Value 0 -Force

In EventViewer, I wanted to confirm if the error was occurring on the PC this is sharing. If there is an error denying the connection from the PC-Office to the SMBServer, such as Error 1388, or a code like this.

However, as you already saw the SMBclient error, follow the command above.

Restart the computer and Try

Thanks

Answer 3

Follow these steps on the Windows 11 PC to resolve home network credential issues:

1. Verify the account and password being used
   • Make sure the username and password entered when prompted for network credentials match an account that exists on the target PC or NAS that is sharing the folders.
   • If the other device uses a local account, use that exact username and password.
2. Clear any stored/incorrect credentials
   • Open Start and type credential manager.
   • Select Credential Manager Control panel.
   • Go to Windows Credentials.
   • Remove any entries related to the other PCs or NAS (for example, entries with their names or IP addresses).
   • Reconnect to the shared folder and enter the correct username and password when prompted.
3. Check network connection and sharing
   • Ensure the Windows 11 PC is connected to the same network (Wi‑Fi or Ethernet) as the other devices.
   • If there are issues connecting to shared drives at all, run a network reset as a last resort:
     • Select Start > Settings > Network & internet.
     • On Windows 11, select Advanced network settings > Network reset.
     • Select Reset now > Yes and let the PC restart.
     • After restart, reconnect to the network and try accessing the shared folders again.
   • Be aware that network reset removes and reinstalls network adapters and resets their settings to defaults. VPN clients or virtual switches might need to be reinstalled or reconfigured afterward, and network profiles may revert to Public.
4. If accessing a NAS or older device
   • Ensure the NAS or device is configured to use a supported SMB version and authentication (for example, SMB2/SMB3 and NTLMv2) and that the Windows 11 account or a matching local account exists there with the correct permissions.

If problems persist, repeat step 2 to clear credentials and carefully re‑enter the correct username and password for the device being accessed.

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References:

• Credential Manager in Windows
• Fix Ethernet connection problems in Windows
• Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows
• The System Cannot a domain controller to service the authentication request. Please try again later - Microsoft Q&A