Can’t See Other PC on Network in Windows 10? Here Are 7 Ways to Fix It (Restart, Network Reset + More)

Encountering the pesky issue of ‘can’t see other PC on network’ in your Windows 10 system can disrupt your workflow and communication. Understanding the root causes and implementing effective solutions is pivotal to restoring seamless connectivity. Dive into this guide to explore seven actionable methods tailored to resolve this specific networking challenge on your Windows 10 device.

How To Fix Can’t See Other PC on Network in Windows 10

Before performing any of the recommended troubleshooting steps listed below it’s best to restart your computer first. This action refreshes the operating system and remove any corrupt temporary data that could be causing the problem.

  • On your computer click on Start then Power button at the bottom of the menu and choose the Shut down option.
  • When your PC has shut down completely, unplug the Ethernet cable from your PC if you are using it to connect to the Internet and let the cable stay unplugged for at least a couple of minutes before plugging it back in. Restart your router and your modem by clicking the Power buttons located on them before you plug the cable back into the computer.
  • Turn the PC on normally by pressing the power button.

Check if the windows 10 can’t see other computers on network  issue still occurs.

1. Enable SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support

can't see other pc on network

SMB 1.0/CIFS is a component of Windows 10 that is needed for it to detect other computers on the network. You should check that it is installed and enabled on your computer.

  • Press the Windows Key + R key combination to open the Run dialog box.
  • Type in Control Panel and click OK in order to open it.
  • Change the view in Control Panel to Category and click on Uninstall a program under the Programs section.
  • At the right side of the screen which opens, click on Turn Windows features on or off and locate the SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support entry on the list. If it is set to disabled, make sure you mark the check box next to it. Click OK to save the changes.

Check if the Windows 10 can’t see other computerson network  issue still occurs.

2. Disable IPv6

Disable IPv6

Sometimes issues can arise when using the IPV6 protocol , such as when your device does not support it or if the local gateway does not support it. To check if this is what’s causing the problem you should disable IPV6 to force your computer to use IPV4.

  • Press Windows Key + R to open Run
  • Type ncpa.cpl and hit Enter to open the networks connections window
  • Right-click on your connection and select “Properties”
  • On the networking tab, scroll down to ‘Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)’
  • Uncheck the checkbox on the left of this property, and then click OK.
  • Restart your computer

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3. Disable the VPN connection

Disable the VPN connection

If you are using a VPN connection then there’s a chance that this is what’s causing the problem. To check if this is the case, you should try to disable your VPN connection.

  • Open the Settings app by clicking the Start menu button and clicking the gear icon at the lower left part of the Start menu.
  • Click on the Network & Internet section in the Settings window and switch to the VPN section.
  • Locate the VPN connection you have running, click on it, and click on the Remove button. Accept any dialog options Windows may throw at you and restart your computer in order to apply the changes. Check to see if you are now able to see and connect to other computers in the network.

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4. Restart the Function Discovery Provider Host service

Restart the Function Discovery Provider Host service

The Function Discovery Resource Publication is a  service that makes sure that devices are discovered in a local computer network. 

  • Use the Ctrl + Shift + Esc key combination in order to bring up Task Manager.
  • Go to the Services tab in Task Manager and click on Open Services at the bottom of its windows, next to the gear icon.
  • Find the Function Discovery Provider Host service by clicking on the Name column in order to sort the services in alphabetical order.
  • Right-click on the service and click on Properties.
  • Go to the Startup type and set it to Automatic but make sure it’s service status is Running or Started.
  • If the status says Stopped you will have to click on the Start button located in the Properties window before proceeding.
  • Click on the Recovery tab, locate the First failure option and choose Restart the Service. This option makes sure that the service will restart automatically if it fails. Do the same for Second Failure and Subsequent failures.

If you get the error “Windows could not start the Function Discovery Provider Host service on Local Computer. Error 1079: The account specified for this service differs from the account specified for other services running in the same process.” you should proceed with the following steps.

  • Use the Ctrl + Shift + Esc key combination in order to bring up Task Manager.
  • Go to the Services tab in Task Manager and click on Open Services at the bottom of its windows, next to the gear icon.
  • Find the Function Discovery Provider Host service by clicking on the Name column in order to sort the services in alphabetical order.
  • Right-click on the service and click on Properties.
  • Go to the Log On tab and click on the Browser… button.
  • Under the “Enter the object name to select” box, type in your computer’s name and click on the Check Names and wait for the name to become authenticated.
  • Click OK when you are done and type in the administrator password in the Password box when you are prompted with it.
  • Click OK and close this window.
  • Navigate back to Function Discovery Provider Host properties and click Start.

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5. Perform a network reset

Perform a network reset

One quick fix to this problem is a network reset which eliminates any connection related glitches.

  • Open the Settings app by clicking the Start menu button and clicking the gear icon at the lower left part of the Start menu.
  • Click on the Network & Internet section in the Settings window and switch to the Status section.
  • At the bottom of the page at the right side, you should see a Network Reset button. Click on it and accept any dialogues that appear. 

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6. Reinstall network drivers

Reinstall network drivers

There’s a possibility that the problem is caused by a corrupt network driver. If this is the culprit you will need to reinstall these drivers.

  • Type “Device Manager” into the search field to open the device manager console.
  • Expand the “Network Adapters” field. This will list all network adapters that the machine has installed. Right click on the adapter you want to uninstall and select “Uninstall”. This will remove the adapter from the list and uninstall the device.
  • Click “OK” when prompted to uninstall the device. This will remove the adapter from the list and uninstall the driver. Repeat the process for all of the network drivers you find. They should all be listed under the Network Adapters section.
  • Search for “Command Prompt”, right-click on it, and select the “Run as administrator” option. Copy and paste the following commands and make sure you click Enter after each.
  • Type ipconfig /flushdns press enter.
  • Type ipconfig /registerdnsipconfig /release press enter.
  • Type ipconfig /renew press enter.
  • Type netsh int ip reset press enter.
  • Type netsh winsock reset press enter.
  • Restart your computer.

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7. Turn on Automatic Setup of Network Connected Devices

  • Press the Windows Key + R key combination to open the Run dialog box. 
  • Type in Control Panel and click OK in order to open it.
  • Change the view in Control Panel to Category and click on View network status and tasks under the Network and Internet section.
  • Click on Advanced sharing settings and, in your current network profile, look for the Turn on Automatic Setup of Network Connected Devices options and uncheck the box next to it.
  • Restart your computer.

Check if the can’t see other pc on network  issue still occurs.

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