THE SCENARIO
We’ve had a home LAN among three family members since I returned to California 25 years ago.
At some point, I replaced a Windows Home Server installation with Windows Server 2012 Essentials. I maintained this for my brother and elderly Moms until they died between 2022 and 2023. I had to recycle their computers, and re-evaluated my “digital fortress”.
I insisted on keeping two client systems — twins essentially — as recommended by another friend on the East Coast and former neighbor. A third system — using the same processor and chipset as the other two — was deployed as a “Media PC” feeding my Sony Bravia and AVR, and it was also a backup file server. I would synch important personal business files regularly with this third system.
I also have a laptop, and I use it the same way.
When I updated two of these systems (including the Media box) to Windows 11, it was a provisional upgrade, since the processors just precede Coffee Lake — the first of eligible Win 11 CPUs. The remaining desktop was my daily driver under Windows 10 and the October 2025 ESU.
THE PROBLEM — PAST AND PRESENT
Previously, I had temporary difficulties with File Sharing between the Windows 10 system and the Windows 11 Media PC and backup file repository. I also had the same problems with the laptop and the Media PC. These problems seemed to involve NTLM authentication, and in both cases I resolved the problem. I just don’t remember EXACTLY how, but apparently Windows 11 uses an SMB protocol 2 and 3, replacing SMB 1. I didn’t want to switch up, and made sure the proper tweaks enabling SMB 1 were made to Programs/Features-> . . . Windows Features-On/Off for SMB 1.0 /CFS File Sharing Support.
Now that I’ve upgraded the last system — daily-driver — to Windows 11, I have again discovered this network sharing access problem.
The other twin to the daily driver has the same build 25H2 of Windows 11, and no problem sharing with (a) the Media PC and (b) accessing shared files on the daily driver. But this latter system, while it “sees” the other two computers, is not granted access to the shared folders on either.
ANY ADVICE OR GUIDANCE ON THIS WILL BE APPRECIATED — AND I WILL PRAY TO GOD FOR ANYONE WHO PROVIDES A RESOLUTION FOR ME. I’m a bit reticent about implementing SMB 2/3 on the other systems — I don’t want to lose connectivity altogether.
I’ve read about the vulnerability under SMB 1.0, and would like to secure my systems, but I MUST have File Sharing among these desktops and my laptop.