Not Able to Access Network PC

Question

Hi,

I am Useing Window 11 Home Edition and I am not able to Access network PC. Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hi there, Thanks for posting here in Microsoft Community.

May I know what exactly happen when you try to access your network on your PC? also Are there any error message or code that appears when you try to access your network connection? 

Hoping to hear from you soon.

Answer 2

Follow these steps on Windows 11 Home to access another PC on the same network:

1. Confirm both PCs are on the same network
   • Make sure both devices are connected to the same Wi‑Fi or Ethernet network.
2. Set the network profile to Private
   • Select Start > Settings > Network & internet.
   • Select the active network (Wi‑Fi or Ethernet) and set the Network profile to Private so the PC can be discoverable.
3. Turn on network discovery and file sharing
   • Open Settings > Network & internet.
   • Ensure that network discovery and file/printer sharing are enabled for the Private network profile.
4. Share a folder on the target PC On the PC that hosts the files:
   1. Open File Explorer.
   2. Right‑click the folder to share and select Show more options.
   3. Select Give access to > Specific people.
   4. Choose a specific user or Everyone, then confirm.
   This makes the folder accessible over the LAN.
5. Access the shared PC by mapping a network drive On the Windows 11 Home PC that should access the share:
   1. Open File Explorer (Windows logo key + E).
   2. Select This PC in the left pane.
   3. On the ribbon, select More > Map network drive.
      • If not visible, right‑click This PC and select Map network drive.
   4. Choose a drive letter.
   5. In Folder, type the network path to the shared folder (for example, \\ComputerName\SharedFolder) or select Browse to find it.
   6. Optionally select Reconnect at sign‑in.
   7. Select Finish.
6. If the shared PC is visible but cannot be opened
   • Verify that the user account and password used to connect exist on the target PC and have permission to the shared folder.
   • If still unable to connect to shared network drives but internet works, use Network reset as a last resort:
     1. Select Start, type settings, open Settings > Network & internet.
     2. Select Advanced network settings > Network reset.
     3. Select Reset now > Yes, then restart the PC.
     4. After restart, reconnect to the network and try accessing the shared PC again.

Note: After a network reset, VPN software or virtual switches might need to be reinstalled or reconfigured, and network profiles may revert to Public.

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References:

• File sharing over a network in Windows
• Fix Ethernet connection problems in Windows
• Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows