Windows 10 Computer Not Showing Up on the Network? 6 Best Fixes

Most of them are really easy

Some users seem to be running into a network discovery problem after upgrading Windows 10 where one or more computers connected to the network don’t show up. Microsoft removed the HomeGroup function with Windows 10 v1803, and this could be a possible reason for the problem.

The upgrades aren’t the only possible cause, though. An issue with your network settings or adapters can also lead to your computer not showing up on the network. Fortunately, there are a few easy fixes you can try to address this issue.

Turn on Network Discovery

This is the first thing to check. If network discovery is turned off on your computer, your Windows 10 PC won’t be visible to other devices on the network and vice versa.

You can check if network discovery is turned off by clicking onNetworkin the left pane of the File Explorer.

If you see an error message that reads “Network discovery is turned off. Network computers and devices are not visible. Please turn on network discovery in Network and Sharing Center,”network discovery is turned off on your computer.

To turn on network discovery:

Restart the PC and check if you’re now able to see network-connected devices inFile Explorer>Network.

Check if Required Services Are Running

There are a few services that need to be running on your PC for it to appear on the network. If they aren’t running, their startup type is probably set to Manual. You’ll need to change their startup type to Automatic for your computer to show up on the network.

Restart your computer and see if the computer now appears on the network.

Use the Workgroup Wizard

Your computer may also not appear in the network environment if the workgroup settings are incorrect. If this is the reason for your computer not showing up on the network, you can add the computer to the workgroup again using a simple wizard.

You’ll need to restart your computer for these changes to take effect.

Flush DNS Cache and Network Reset

If you still can’t see the computer in the network environment, tryflushing the DNS cacheand resetting the network.

Ipconfig /flushdns

If you want to take a shorter route, you could just run the following commands to reset network and firewall settings after flushing the DNS cache:

netsh int ip reset reset.txt

netsh winsock reset

netsh advfirewall reset

Reinstall Network Adapter

Reinstalling the network adapter resets the network card and reverts it to the default protocol settings. If you still see that your computer is not showing up on the network, give this a go.

When you restart the PC, Windows will automatically reinstall the network adapter. Check if this fixes your computer not showing up on the network issue. If not, there’s a last resort fix.

Enable SMB 1.0 Protocol

This is a last resort fix because SMB 1.0 protocol (Server Message Block) is unsafe. On Windows 10 v1709 and later, the SMB 1.0 Protocol and the Computer Browser service (a service that generates and maintains a list of computers on the network) are disabled by default. Newer versions use the safer SSDP and WS-Discovery protocols.

However, if you’ve tried everything but failed, you can use the Computer Browser service and fix the computer not showing up on the network problem by enabling the SMB 1.0 file sharing protocol.

reg add “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters” /v IsDomainMaster /t REG_SZ  /d True /f

reg add “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters” /v MaintainServerList /t REG_SZ  /d Yes /f

Do You See Your Computer on the Network Now?

Hopefully, one of these fixes worked for you and you’re now able to seamlessly interact with other Windows 10 computers on your network. If you still can’t fix the problem and have some files you want to transfer promptly, consider other ways totransfer files between computers on the same network.

Arjun is a freelance writer based in India. After working as an equity research analyst, Arjun decided to do something that he has been passionate about – tech. He gets excited talking about and explaining how to solve everyday tech problems. His area of expertise is Windows and is a go-to for all things Excel.Read Arjun’s Full Bio

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