Windows  ·  low  ·  Networking & connectivity

Other computers do not appear under Network

Browsing has moved from the old master browser to two services that are off by default on most installs.

What you see

\\pcname works perfectly but the machine is invisible in the Network folder. Common after a feature update, which resets the network profile to Public.

What is actually wrong

The Computer Browser service and SMB1 are gone. Discovery now depends on Function Discovery Resource Publication and the SSDP/UPnP host, both of which are disabled when the network is classified as Public.

Codes and articles

Function Discovery Resource PublicationFDResPubnetwork discovery is turned offWS-Discovery

Fixes (2)

Put the network back on the Private profile
Elevated PowerShell5 minuteslow riskreversible

The profile has flipped to Public — which it does after most feature updates and after any adapter change.

  1. Check what the machine thinks it is on.

    PowerShell
    Get-NetConnectionProfile | Format-Table Name,InterfaceAlias,NetworkCategory

  2. Set it to Private — only on a network you control.

    PowerShell
    Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceAlias 'Ethernet' -NetworkCategory Private

    Public exists to make the machine invisible on hotel and café networks. Setting it to Private on such a network exposes shares to strangers, so this is a decision about where the machine is, not a formality.

  3. Confirm the discovery firewall rules are now enabled.

    PowerShell
    Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup 'Network Discovery' | Format-Table DisplayName,Enabled,Profile
Confirm it workedOther machines appear within a minute or two under Network.
If you need to undo itSet-NetConnectionProfile back to Public.
Start the two services discovery actually uses
Elevated PowerShell10 minuteslow riskreversible

The profile is already Private.

  1. Check the four services involved.

    PowerShell
    Get-Service FDResPub,fdPHost,SSDPSRV,upnphost | Format-Table Name,DisplayName,Status,StartType

  2. Set them to start automatically and start them.

    PowerShell
    'FDResPub','fdPHost','SSDPSRV','upnphost' | ForEach-Object {  Set-Service $_ -StartupType Automatic  Start-Service $_}

    FDResPub is what publishes this machine to others; fdPHost is what discovers them. Fixing only one gives you a machine that can see everybody or be seen by everybody, but not both.

  3. Do the same on the machines that should be visible — discovery is not one-sided.

Confirm it workedThe machines appear in each other's Network folders.
PowerShell
Get-Service FDResPub,fdPHost | Format-Table Name,Status
If you need to undo itSet-Service back to Manual for any of the four.

Where this stops. This write-up was written and checked by hand. It says what each step changes, how to confirm it worked and how to reverse it, and anything destructive is flagged before you reach it. If it does not match what your machine is doing, search the Support Centre for the exact code or message — and when something needs a person, get in touch.