How to resolve Shared folders inaccessible in Windows 10 and 11 LAN network

If you’re experiencing issues with accessing shared folders in a Windows 10 or 11 LAN, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to address the problem.

Check Network Connectivity

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Ensure that all the computers are connected to the same local area network (LAN), such as Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable. Shared folders only work on a network, and if the devices are connected to different networks, shared folders will not work.

Verify Wi-Fi Router Functionality

If all your devices are on the same network, check if your Wi-Fi router is functioning properly or experiencing issues.

Check Permissions

If you’re unable to access a shared folder that someone else owns, it’s possible that you may not have permission to access the folder. Ask the owner to modify the permissions for the folder and grant you read/write access.

Enable Folder Sharing and Network Discovery

Ensure that folder sharing and network discovery are enabled on your PC to fix the problem of being unable to access shared folders on your Windows 10 or 11.

Fix the Permission

Open Local Group Policy Editor by searching in Start Menu or going to Run and running gpedit.msc
Then go to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\network\Lanman Workstation
Now Enable insecure guest logons

The “Enable insecure guest logons” setting refers to a policy setting in the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol, which is used for file and print sharing in Windows networks. When this setting is enabled, it allows the SMB client to establish unauthenticated guest logons to an SMB server.

Insecure guest logons are used by file servers to allow unauthenticated access to shared folders. While uncommon in an enterprise environment, insecure guest logons are frequently used by consumer Network Attached Storage (NAS) appliances acting as file servers. Enabling insecure guest logons means that the server logs on the user as an unauthenticated guest, typically in response to an authentication failure.

However, it’s important to note that guest logons don’t support standard security features such as signing and encryption, making the client vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks that can expose sensitive data on the network.

By default, Windows disables insecure guest logons for security reasons. It is recommended not to enable insecure guest logons unless there is a specific need for unauthenticated access to shared folders. Enabling this setting can potentially expose the client to various security risks, including data loss, data corruption, and exposure to malware.

If you encounter issues accessing a shared folder because your organization’s security policies block unauthenticated guest access, you may need to modify the “Enable insecure guest logons” setting. This can be done through the Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor, depending on your system configuration. Please note that enabling insecure guest logons reduces the security of Windows clients, so it should be done with caution and only when necessary.