File Sharing
By Richard Rost
29 days ago
Step-by-Step Guide to Sharing a Folder on a Network
In this video, we will walk through the essential steps of setting up basic Windows file sharing on a wired network, including creating a dedicated local user account, configuring shared folder permissions at both the sharing and security levels, enabling necessary network settings, mapping a network drive on the client computer, and testing access. We will also discuss a troubleshooting checklist for common issues that can prevent network sharing from working properly. This lesson applies to sharing documents, backups, or application data between Windows computers, and provides foundational skills necessary for multi-user scenarios.
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TechHelp Windows, WindowsLearningZone.com, Windows network file sharing, setup shared folder, map network drive, local user account, folder permissions, network discovery, file sharing troubleshooting, NTFS permissions, Ethernet network, share Access database, SQL Server connectivity, Windows Defender Firewall
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Intro In this video, we will walk through the essential steps of setting up basic Windows file sharing on a wired network, including creating a dedicated local user account, configuring shared folder permissions at both the sharing and security levels, enabling necessary network settings, mapping a network drive on the client computer, and testing access. We will also discuss a troubleshooting checklist for common issues that can prevent network sharing from working properly. This lesson applies to sharing documents, backups, or application data between Windows computers, and provides foundational skills necessary for multi-user scenarios.Transcript Trying to share a folder on your network, but Windows refuses to cooperate. Welcome to another TechHelp video brought to you by WindowsLearningZone.com. I'm your instructor Richard Rost.
Today we're going to talk about basic Windows Network file sharing and how to set up a shared folder that other PCs on your network can actually connect to. This is one of those foundational skills you need, whether you're sharing documents, spreadsheets, backups, or something bigger, like a multi-user Microsoft Access database.
Today we're going to talk about basic Windows Network file sharing. This is one of those foundational skills that applies to a lot of different situations. You might just want to share documents, videos, backups, or whatever across your network, and that's perfectly fine. But many of you watching this come from my Microsoft Access training and one of the most important requirements for running a multi-user access database is having a properly shared folder on your network that everyone can access, no pun intended.
So before you can split your database, before you can connect the front ends, before any of that works, you first need reliable Windows file sharing in place, and that's what this video is about. But don't worry, if you're not an access user, this video will still help you get your files shared on your network.
Now we're going to walk through how to set this up, sharing between your Windows PCs, step by step. This works in both Windows 10 and Windows 11, and honestly the process hasn't changed much in years, so once you learn it, you're set for the long haul.
Before we get started, there are a couple of assumptions. We're going to be working with a wired network environment. Both computers are physically connected using Ethernet cables, and those cables connect back to the same switch, hub, or router on your network. We are not covering wireless networking here. File sharing can work over Wi-Fi, but if you're sharing large files, especially something like a Microsoft Access database, wireless connections are not recommended. So for this video, I'm focusing strictly on wired peer-to-peer file sharing.
So what are we going to talk about today? First we're going to create a dedicated local Windows user account that we will use specifically for network file sharing. This keeps permissions clean and makes troubleshooting much easier. Next, we'll create the shared folder itself and configure both levels of security. There's network security and folder security.
After that, we'll make sure network discovery and file sharing are enabled so the computers can actually see each other on the network. Then we'll map the shared folder to a network drive letter, which makes it easier for users to access the same share consistently. Yes, I like drive letters. I'm old school.
Once the host machine is ready, we'll move over to the client computer and connect that to the shared folder using the credentials we create. We'll test file access to confirm everything is working properly. Finally, we'll wrap up with a troubleshooting checklist walking through the most common reasons Windows file sharing might not work and how to fix them.
By the end of this video, you'll have a fully functioning shared folder that other computers on your network can access.
Today we're going to set up basic Windows file sharing so one computer can host a shared folder and another computer on the network can open and use it. This is a core Windows networking skill that applies whether you're sharing documents, videos, backups, application data, or a database.
Now we're going to keep this lesson completely generic. We're not focusing on any one program. The goal here is to understand how Windows machines see each other on a network and how permissions work when you share a folder. Later on, we can build on this foundation for things like a shared Microsoft Access database or multi-user applications, but none of that matters if basic network sharing isn't working.
I've got two computers, one will act as the host. You might hear me sometimes call it the server. It's not an actual real Windows server. These are just two machines running Windows 11, but one will be the host or server. The other will be the workstation or the client. The host machine contains the shared folder and the client will connect to it. Most of the stuff that I do on the host machine you will also do on the client machine.
Before we start sharing folders, we need to talk about user accounts. You can use a Microsoft account for file sharing and in some cases it works perfectly fine automatically, but it can also introduce credential and authentication confusion, especially in small peer-to-peer networks. So for teaching and testing and for this video, I'm going to recommend creating a simple local Windows account just for shared folder access. It keeps permissions predictable and makes troubleshooting much easier.
If you're comfortable using your existing Microsoft log on and you don't want to lose all your settings and everything you've got right now, you can try that later. But for this video, we're going to create a clean local account so everyone is starting from the same place.
So first we're going to right-click on the start button and go to settings. This will bring up the Windows settings. I recommend that you pin that to your taskbar. I always leave settings down here pinned so I don't have to keep going to the start button.
Now we're going to click on accounts and yes my name is Anna Kerr. It's a long story. We're going to come down now to find other users right here. Click on that. Next we're going to click on add account and you're going to get this Microsoft window that pops up. Now Microsoft is going to do everything that they can to get you to sign up with a Microsoft account. We're not doing that. We're going to click on "I don't have this person's sign-in information" right there. They make it easy to miss.
And again, they want an email. No, no email addresses. "Add a user without a Microsoft account." Click on that.
Next we need to create a username and password. I'm going to call this host user and then for the password, use whatever you want, one, two, three, four, five, ABC. Type it in again, one, two, three, four, five, ABC. In case you forget your password, put in these security questions. I'm just going to pick them and I always just put like one, two, three in here. One, one, two, three, and then pick the next one. You should actually type in the real answers, but for class I'm just picking these and typing in one, two, three.
Next, now we're going to click on that host user account right there. You can ignore the DB user and all that. Just click on this guy.
Now we're going to click on change account type. See what we got here. We got standard user. That's fine. Leave that alone. I want to make this an administrator. We're only going to be using this for shared file access. You don't want these people having complete rights to your computer. So hit OK.
Now we can close settings. We've got the user account set up that we're going to use for sharing.
Next we're going to create the file folder that we're going to use for sharing our files. So open up File Explorer. I suggest you put this on your C drive. Don't put it somewhere like a Google Drive or a Dropbox or a OneDrive, especially if you're going to be sharing Microsoft Access databases. Those do not like being in these shared drives. So go right to your C drive.
We're going to right-click in here. Go to New Folder and we'll call this "shared folder."
Next, we're going to right-click on this and go to properties. Then we're going to go to the sharing tab. Now click on advanced sharing. Click on "share this folder." Leave it as shared folder, that's fine. Now click permissions.
Now we're going to remove everyone. Otherwise, everybody on your network can see what's in this folder. You might want that if you want to leave read access for everyone, that's fine. You can make a second folder too, called "public." I do that a lot of the time and put stuff in there that you want everybody on the network to see. But for now, to keep things secure, we're going to remove everyone.
Now we're going to add that local account that we just created. So type in the name we just created, "host user," and then hit check names. There it is. Found it. Now hit OK.
Now we're going to give permissions to host user. By default, he's got read access. I'm going to also add change. Do not allow full control. Change allows a user to open files, create new files, edit existing files, and delete files in the folder. Read just allows you to read the folder contents. You don't want to give everybody full control though. Full control allows the user to change the folder's permissions, take ownership of the folder, and modify who else has access. In other words, they grant themselves or someone else administrative control over the share. In a typical peer-to-peer network, that's unnecessary and it introduces extra risk. We want users to work with the files, but not manage the security of the folder itself. So "change" and "read" is all you need. You don't need to give them full control.
Hit OK. Hit OK again to close advanced sharing.
Now click the security tab. Now what we have to do next is set the second layer of permissions. Windows file sharing actually has two security gates. The first gate is the share permissions, which we already did. That controls who can access the folder over the network. The second gate is the folder's security permissions, also called the NTFS permissions, which control what users are allowed to do inside the folder once they get in.
Think of it like a building. Share permissions unlock the front door. NTFS permissions determine what rooms are allowed to go in and what you can do inside. Both permissions sets must allow access. If either one blocks the user, they won't be able to open the folder from another machine.
So even though we just granted access at the sharing level, we also need to grant access at the folder security level. So now click on edit to edit permissions. We're editing the permissions of the shared folder object.
Hit add. Type in your name again. What was it? "host user." Check names. There it is. Hit OK.
Here you can see it's a slightly different list of permissions here. The other ones were permissions for the share. These are permissions for the folder. Again, leave full control off. Click modify. You want read and execute. You want read, write, list folder contents. These are all Windows permissions now.
Make sure all those are checked. Leave special permissions unchecked and leave full control unchecked. Hit apply. Hit OK.
Hit close now. Now we're back at our File Explorer.
Now we're going to test it. Come over here on the left side. Find network. Click on that.
You get this thing here. It says network discovery and file sharing are turned off. Network computers and devices are not visible. Click to change. Go ahead and click to change that. Now it's going to say turn on network discovery and file sharing. Go ahead and do that.
Next, it's going to say do you want to turn on network discovery and file sharing for all public networks? Say no. Make the network that I'm connected to a private network.
Public networks are basically when you're at Starbucks or the airport and you're on their Wi-Fi. You want all that traffic blocked. But this computer is sitting in your private network in your office or your home, wired. We want to make this a private network.
Look at that. Oh, I'm seeing other stuff now. These are other devices on my wired network. Don't worry about those. I name all my computers after Star Trek characters. Most importantly, Kirk is the machine that we're on. This is the actual machine that I'm on right now.
Double-click on Kirk. Oh, look at that. There's shared folder. I set up database earlier. I set up a different one. Don't worry about that guy. Open up shared folder. It's going to spin for a second.
Can't access shared folder. Now here's what's happening. Even though this is a folder you created, it's on your hard drive, you're trying to get to it through the network. Whatever you're logged on as right now, I'm A Kerr, you could be your name or whatever, you're not logged in as host user because we just created that account. That's the only account that has access to that folder through the network.
Let's hit cancel.
Here's what we're going to do. I like using mapped drive letters. I know it's a little old school, but I like having everybody on the network get the same folder with the same drive letter. That's just how I like to do it. You can use these universal UNC paths, like backslash backslash Kirk, whatever. That's fine if you want to, I'm going to go with mapped drive letters. That's my preference. When we map a drive letter, it's going to ask us for a username and password.
Here's what we're going to do. Right-click on shared folder, go to map network drive. Pick a drive letter. Usually I go with Z, but I already have Z set up for my network. So I'm going to drop this down and pick X. We're going to use X for class. That's going to be my class network drive.
Now there's the folder. It's Kirk shared folder, that's fine. Reconnect at sign in, yes. Now we're going to click on "connect using different credentials" because we need the credentials of that host user that we set up a minute ago.
Click finish. It's going to ask for your credentials. Enter your credentials to connect to Kirk, that's your PC's name. In the username, type in Kirk\\host user. Then your password. One, two, three, four, five, ABC. Remember my credentials so you don't have to keep typing them in. Hit OK. There you go. There's your X drive. The folder is empty. You're in now.
If you go to your network, double-click on Kirk. Double-click on shared folder. You're in through the network. Our shared folder is all set. That's all good to go.
In fact, what you could do is you could even take this shared folder, right-click, drag and drop a shortcut to it right here on your desktop. There's your shared folder. If you want to rename it, just click on it and put X drive in here or whatever.
Now our host is all set. What about the client?
The host PC is all set. Now what about getting people connected to it? Go to your client PC. Now I'm logged into the other computer that's on my network. We're going to make this one the client. Yes, these are black Labradors swimming with penguins. I have two black labs, Carter and Cooper, and we love penguins. So I made this little picture. It's cute.
On the client PC, you don't have to set up a shared folder like we did. You don't need to set up a separate user account like we did. We already have one user account that's all set for sharing across the network. If you want to give people different logins and stuff, you can. That's up to you. That's beyond the scope of today's video. Basically, on this PC, open up File Explorer.
This PC already is connected to my network. You can see I have lots of different network shares on here. When I go to the network tab right there, you can see I'm already seeing Kirk. If not, when you browse for the first time, you'll see that little bar up here that says turn on network discovery. Just say yes, set it to private just like we did a few minutes ago and then you should be able to see Kirk.
I'm going to open up Kirk. I'm going to open up the shared folder, or let's right-click on it and go map network drive. Map it to your X drive again. Connect using different credentials. Hit finish. This one's got DB user one, which is something I set up for a different class. We're going to come down here and pick more choices. Use a different account.
Now what we're going to type in here is the same thing we typed in over there. It's going to be Kirk\\host user because we're using the host user account on Kirk. We don't have a host user account on this machine. Spock doesn't have one. Password one, two, three, four, five, ABC. "Remember my credentials" and then hit OK. You should get in in just a second here.
There we go. Now Spock has access to the X drive, right there, the X drive on Kirk. Now you can share your files and folders here. If I right-click and say new text document, I can say "hi from Spock." Made a new file here, open it up, opens up Notepad. Oh, my Notepad is really big. Let me resize this. "Hi, captain." We're going to save it, close it.
Now I'm going to go back over to Kirk. Yes, I'm using some remote desktop software. Now I can go into the X drive over here, and oh, look there, this "hi from Spock." That's going to try and show a preview.
What I just showed you was ideal conditions. There are a lot of times when you're going to have just some weird reason why your computers won't connect. Trust me, I've been doing this for 30 years. I used to do networking. I used to pull cables through walls and set up servers and all that stuff. I've seen everything. I've seen networks not connect because someone pulled the actual Ethernet cable over some fluorescent lights and the lights were interfering with the cable. I've seen all kinds of weird stuff.
Assuming your hardware is fine, we're not getting into hardware problems today. Let's talk about some reasons why this might not work.
First of all, I'm assuming you're connecting through a wired network. Both computers are physically plugged into cables and those cables are both plugged into the same switch or hub or whatever you're using to connect them together.
The next thing on the checklist is make sure you have a valid IP address on each machine. How do you check that? Go into settings. Go to network and internet. Make sure your Ethernet is connected. This indicates that it's connected to the internet. If you don't have internet access, then something's really wrong.
Click on Ethernet. Make sure you're on a private network like we talked about. Scroll down and make sure you have an IP address right there. If it starts with 192.168.whatever after that, you're fine. If it starts with 169, you're probably not connected to a network. Check this on both machines.
What you can do is you can actually ping each other. Ping is a little utility you can use to see if the machines see each other. This is the IP address on Kirk. Write that down. Copy it to your Notepad or whatever.
Go back to the first machine. I'm back here on Spock now. I'm going to open up a command prompt. I keep these down here. I keep everything pinned on my taskbar that I use all the time. If you don't know how to open up a command prompt, click on the start button and type in CMD for command. You'll see it right there, command prompt.
In here, we're going to type in ping, and then that IP address 192.168.2.108. Hit enter, and it should say "reply from," it'll say it four times, and this indicates that you guys are physically talking to each other. Your computers are networked together, at least at the TCP/IP layer. There are different layers of networking, it's a long story. If you can't see this, if it says "request timed out," then you're not talking to each other.
The next thing to check is to make sure that network discovery and file sharing is on. We did that in that one step, that was that yellow bar across the top, but sometimes that doesn't work 100 percent. Sometimes you might have done stuff on one machine years ago that you forgot about if you're using multiple machines. Go to your control panel. Again, I have this on my taskbar. If you don't have control panel, start, and then just type in control. There's your control panel. Pin it down here, you'll use it a lot.
Go to network. Network and sharing is under advanced sharing settings. Under private networks, which is your current profile, you want to make sure that network discovery is on so your PC can find and be found by other devices. Make sure that file and print sharing is on. Come down under all networks and make sure password-protected sharing is on. Only people who have a user account and password on this PC can access shared files. That's that user account that we set, that host user.
If you've got all this set up and you're still having problems, reboot both computers. Reboot the host, reboot the client. You might need to reboot your LAN, your hub, your switch. Sometimes those need a physical reboot, I've seen that happen too. I'm trying to think of everything in my 30 years of doing this that can cause problems, because I'm trying to prevent forum posts. The more stuff that I don't address in the video, the more forum posts I get.
Here's another one that you want to check. Back in your control panel under network and sharing, go to change adapter settings, find your Ethernet adapter, right-click on it and go to properties. That'll bring up this window. Make sure that you've got "Client for Microsoft Networks" and "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" checked. Make sure your IP, your Internet Protocol, is checked, at least version 4. You don't need version 6. Version 6 is that weird, long one. You at least need version 4. That's the 192 dot whatever dot whatever one. Sometimes these get turned off, so that's another thing to check.
Let's make sure you get the right services running. There are two services, there are Windows services called Server and Workstation. You have to make sure both of those are running. Run System now. When you hit Run, I want you to also pin that too. I got Run over here pinned.
In here, type in services.msc. That's going to run this guy. Be careful while you're in these things, don't go clicking on random stuff. Scroll down this list and find Server. Make sure that is running. Start it if not. Where's Workstation? There's another one called Workstation, find it. If either of these aren't running, see where it says "running," then start them. Right-click properties. Make sure the startup type is automatic for both of those. Those have to be running for networking to work.
These things should all be running by default, by the way. This is all stuff that happens if maybe you changed a setting in the past or someone else was goofing around on your machine.
Let's make sure your firewall is working. Your firewall is what prevents other people and other stuff from getting into your computer from outside. Sometimes it can be overly aggressive, especially if you installed some third-party virus scanners and all that. You don't need any of that stuff. All you need is what comes with Windows. Windows Defender is fine. Don't be tricked into buying third-party software for this stuff unless you've got a specific need.
Again, control panel, which we've pinned down here now. We're going to find the Windows Defender Firewall. Here's a shortcut. Come up here in the search box, type in Defender. There it is, Windows Defender Firewall. Over here where it says "allow an app or feature through the firewall," click on that. In this big long list, you're going to find "file and printer sharing." Find that in the list. Make sure that is checked. Make sure Private is checked over here. Don't check it for public, just for private. Remember, public is like you're sitting at Starbucks. If that's not checked, check it.
It goes without saying, if you've got third-party virus protection or scanning, turn it off. Or I can't help you. Turn it off.
As a last resort, you can do a network reset. Go into settings, network and internet, come down to advanced network settings and then do a network reset. It'll reset all the network adapters to factory settings. It's right there. I'm not going to click on it because my stuff is set up properly, but if you're having issues and you've tried all of these things, do the network reset. It will reset your adapters for you.
If it's still not working, the next step after this is doing a Windows reinstall, but you don't want to do that either. Hopefully, some of this stuff will help. Of course, after every step, reboot your computer. Don't just do a shutdown. When you hit this thing here, don't just do a shutdown. You want to do a restart because a shutdown, especially with this quick startup stuff they have nowadays, doesn't actually restart Windows. It just puts it in like a sleep mode. Do an actual restart of the computer.
Now that your shared folder is set up and your computers can connect to it properly, and you can share documents and spreadsheets and all that stuff, let's talk about what comes next depending on what you're working on.
If you're one of my Microsoft Access students, you are now ready to split and share your database. That means placing your back end database file, the one with the tables, in the shared folder on the host machine. Then you distribute individual front end copies to each of your users on their local PCs. You do not share the front end. The front ends will link back to the tables across the network using the shared drive we just set up. All of that is covered in my split database video. There's the host machine here and everybody's connected to it. Go watch this video.
For my SQL Server students, this is also your foundation. Next we're going to configure SQL Server for network connectivity, enabling the services and protocols required so other machines can connect to it. Then we'll link our Microsoft Access to SQL Server across the network as part of the beginner series. I'd refer you to a video, but I haven't finished it yet. That's one of the reasons I recorded this because if you don't have proper file sharing setup and your network isn't working and you can't connect to it with Microsoft Access, you're not going to be able to connect to it with SQL Server either. Make sure this is working first. Then we'll get to setting up your SQL Server across the network in a beginner level 1 series video that's coming up very soon.
Bottom line, whether you're staying in Access or moving up to SQL Server, this file sharing step is the first step that everything else builds on. So today you learned how to set up basic Windows file sharing so one computer can host a shared folder and other machines on your network can connect to it reliably.
If you found this helpful, post a comment down below and let me know how you plan to use file sharing in your setup, especially if you're working with Access or moving to SQL Server.
That is going to be your TechHelp video for today, brought to you by WindowsLearningZone.com. I hope you learned something. Live long and prosper, my friends. I'll see you next time. Thanks for watching.
If you want me to post more videos about Microsoft Windows, then be sure to like this video, subscribe to my channel, and post a comment down below. Let me know that you want more Windows videos. About 90 percent of what I teach is Microsoft Access database design, but I love teaching Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and all those other topics too. But of course, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. So if you want more Windows training, make some noise.
You can watch my entire Microsoft Windows beginner level 1 course absolutely free on my website and on my YouTube channel. It's over an hour long and covers all the basics. If you like level 1 and want to learn more about Windows, visit my website at the link shown and you can get level 2, which is another complete hour long course for just 1 dollar. Level 2 goes into a lot more depth and teaches you how to get the most out of Windows. Visit my website today for more information.Quiz Q1. What is the main benefit of creating a dedicated local Windows user account specifically for network file sharing?
A. It keeps permissions clean and simplifies troubleshooting
B. It allows all users to have administrator rights
C. It automatically synchronizes files across devices
D. It forces users to use Microsoft accounts
Q2. Why is wired networking recommended over wireless for sharing large files or databases?
A. Wired networks are generally faster and more reliable
B. Wireless networks do not support file sharing
C. Wired networks are required for internet access
D. Wireless networks always require administrator accounts
Q3. What is the first step before setting up file sharing between two Windows PCs?
A. Ensure both computers are connected to the same wired network
B. Install third-party antivirus software
C. Format both hard drives
D. Purchase a Windows server license
Q4. When setting folder share permissions for network access, what should you avoid granting unless absolutely necessary?
A. Full control
B. Read access
C. List folder contents
D. Change permission
Q5. What do NTFS permissions (folder security) control in the context of shared folders?
A. What users can do inside the folder after entering via the network
B. Whether or not the folder appears on the desktop
C. The color and theme of the folder
D. The order in which files appear
Q6. Why must both share permissions and NTFS permissions allow access for network sharing to work?
A. Both act as security gates, and either one can block access
B. Only one is needed for guest access
C. NTFS permissions only apply to administrator accounts
D. Share permissions override all other security settings
Q7. What is the role of 'map network drive' in Windows file sharing?
A. It assigns the shared folder to a drive letter for easy access
B. It changes the folder's ownership to the client computer
C. It encrypts all traffic between host and client
D. It enables folder sharing over wireless networks exclusively
Q8. What credentials should be used when mapping a network drive to a shared folder with a local user account?
A. The username and password of the account created on the host PC
B. The client's Microsoft account credentials
C. Any password, Windows will prompt to reset
D. The administrator account on the client PC
Q9. What should you do if network discovery and file sharing are turned off and you want to enable sharing on your private network?
A. Turn on network discovery and file sharing for private networks only
B. Turn on sharing for public networks only
C. Disable the firewall completely
D. Delete all existing network profiles
Q10. Which of the following should NOT be stored in a cloud-synced folder if sharing a Microsoft Access database?
A. The Access backend file
B. Simple text documents
C. PDF manuals
D. Images
Q11. What is the primary reason for NOT giving 'full control' permission to users on shared folders in a peer-to-peer network?
A. It allows users to change permissions and take ownership, increasing security risks
B. Users will not be able to write files to the folder
C. It disables read access for network users
D. It prevents the folder from being mapped as a drive
Q12. Why might you want to perform a network reset in Windows?
A. To restore all network adapter settings to their defaults if troubleshooting steps fail
B. To reinstall Windows from scratch
C. To remove all shared folders from the network
D. To upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11
Q13. What command do you use in Command Prompt to test if two computers can communicate over the network?
A. ping
B. connect
C. share
D. tracert
Q14. When troubleshooting file sharing issues, which two Windows services must be running?
A. Server and Workstation
B. Print Spooler and Windows Update
C. DHCP Client and DNS Server
D. Task Scheduler and Remote Desktop
Q15. What protocol version must be enabled in the network adapter settings for typical local networking?
A. Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4)
B. Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) only
C. AppleTalk Networking
D. NetBIOS exclusively
Q16. What setting must be enabled in Windows Defender Firewall to allow file sharing?
A. File and Printer Sharing on private networks
B. Remote Desktop on all networks
C. File and Printer Sharing on public networks only
D. Guest account access for all users
Q17. Which scenario describes when you would use the username format HOSTNAME\\username for network access?
A. When logging in to a shared folder on another computer using a local user account
B. When accessing your own local files
C. When sharing files with public access enabled
D. When using a cloud-based storage provider
Q18. After creating a shared folder with the correct permissions, what is the recommended next step to make it easily accessible for users?
A. Map the folder to a drive letter on the client machines
B. Install additional third-party network tools
C. Move the folder to OneDrive
D. Create a backup of the entire hard drive
Q19. After making changes to network or sharing settings, what type of restart is recommended for changes to take effect?
A. Use the Windows 'Restart' option instead of 'Shut down'
B. Shut down and turn the computer back on
C. Switch users and log back in
D. Log off the current user and log in again
Q20. What is the foundation step before moving your multi-user Microsoft Access database to a shared environment?
A. Having reliable Windows file sharing working
B. Disabling the firewall and antivirus
C. Migrating all data to cloud storage
D. Creating complex user passwords
Answers: 1-A; 2-A; 3-A; 4-A; 5-A; 6-A; 7-A; 8-A; 9-A; 10-A; 11-A; 12-A; 13-A; 14-A; 15-A; 16-A; 17-A; 18-A; 19-A; 20-A
DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.Summary Today's video from Windows Learning Zone covers the essential skill of setting up Windows network file sharing. I'm going to teach you how to share a folder that other computers on your network can access reliably. This is a foundational task whether you want to exchange documents, videos, backups, or run something more advanced like a multi-user Microsoft Access database. For those of you building databases, having a well-configured shared folder is absolutely required before you can split your Access database or connect multiple front ends together.
This lesson will be useful even if you're not an Access user. My goal is to get your files visible and accessible to others on your network. The steps I share apply to both Windows 10 and Windows 11, and the process has remained consistent for years, so once you learn these steps, you're set.
I'm making a few assumptions before we start. This tutorial is designed for a wired network setup. Both computers should be physically connected with Ethernet cables to the same network switch, hub, or router. I am not focusing on Wi-Fi in this video, as wireless connections are not always reliable for tasks like sharing a Microsoft Access database or large files.
Here's what we'll be covering: first, we'll create a dedicated local Windows user account specifically for sharing. This simplifies permissions and troubleshooting. Next, I'll show you how to create and share a folder, and configure both the network security and the folder security permissions. After that, we'll check that network discovery and file sharing settings are enabled, so the computers can see each other. Then, we'll map the shared folder to a drive letter, which I find to be the most consistent way of managing network shares. Once that's done, we'll move to a client PC to connect and test everything using the new user account. Finally, I'll walk you through the most common troubleshooting steps in case Windows sharing is not working as expected.
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to set up reliable file sharing between two Windows PCs on your network.
Let's get started. The main goal is to understand how permissions and networking work between Windows machines. I'm keeping this lesson generic so that it applies no matter what type of files or data you want to share. This understanding provides the groundwork for more advanced tasks later on, such as shared Access databases or networked application data.
I have two Windows computers set up for this demonstration. One will be the host (sometimes called the server, though it's not a true Windows server), and the other will be the workstation or client. The host holds the shared folder, while the client connects to it. Remember, most steps performed on the host are also needed on the client at some stage.
First, let's discuss user accounts. While it's possible to use your Microsoft account for sharing, in small peer-to-peer networks this can sometimes cause authentication confusion. To avoid this, I recommend creating a local Windows account specifically for shared folder access. This makes permissions more predictable and troubleshooting much easier.
You are welcome to try your existing Microsoft login later if you prefer, but for the purpose of this lesson, we'll set up a new local account so we're all on the same page.
To begin, open Settings through the Start menu and pin Settings to your taskbar for easy access in the future. Locate the Accounts section, then go to the "Other users" category. When adding a new user, you'll be prompted to use a Microsoft account, but instead, select the option to add a user without one. Provide your preferred username and a password (for this example, I used "host user"), and set up the recommended security questions. For class demonstration, I just used simple placeholder answers, but in practice, you should provide your real answers to these questions for security.
After creating the user, set the account type to "Standard user." You do not need to make this an administrator since it's only used for file sharing and not for full system access. This keeps your computer secure while still allowing file sharing across your network.
With the account set, it's time to create the shared folder. Open File Explorer, and I recommend creating the folder directly on your C drive, rather than in a cloud-synced location like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox. These services do not play well with Microsoft Access databases or certain multi-user scenarios.
Once you've created a folder called "shared folder," right-click it and open Properties, then go to the Sharing tab. In Advanced Sharing, share the folder, then click Permissions. Remove the "Everyone" group to avoid exposing your files to the whole network. If you want a publicly accessible folder for everyone, you can always create a separate one. For now, keep things secure by adding just the local account you made earlier ("host user") and grant it "Change" and "Read" permissions. Do not allow "Full Control," as this gives users full administrative access, including the ability to change security settings and add other users, which is unnecessary and risky in most peer-to-peer environments.
With share permissions set, move on to the Security tab, which sets NTFS or folder-level permissions. Both sets of permissions (share and NTFS) must allow access for sharing to work. If either set restricts access, sharing will not function properly. Add the "host user" account again here and provide "Modify," "Read," and "Write" permissions, but do not grant "Full control."
With both permissions gates properly set, turn on network discovery and file sharing from the Network section in File Explorer. Set your network to "Private," not "Public," so other devices on your home or office network can see the shared folder. Public networks should always remain tightly locked down, such as those at coffee shops or airports.
Once your network is set to private and network discovery is on, you should see other devices on your local network, including the computer you're working from. Double-check you can see your own shared folder under the host computer's name.
Now comes the mapped drive setup. Although modern systems can use UNC paths, I still prefer assigning drive letters to shared folders. It's simpler for everyone to access the shared resource with a consistent drive letter. Map the folder on the host to a drive letter (often "X" or "Z") and connect using the credentials for the "host user" account.
After entering the username (remember to format this as computername\\username) and password, and saving those credentials, you should have access to the shared folder as the mapped network drive.
Making a shortcut on your desktop to this shared folder provides easy future access.
On the client machine, the process is a bit simpler. You do not need to create another shared folder or set up a new user account. Open File Explorer, navigate to the Network section, and look for the host computer and shared folder. Enable network discovery if prompted, and set the network to private. Right-click the shared folder, map it to the same drive letter as on the host, and connect using the credentials for the account you created on the host. Once connected, try creating or opening a file to test write access.
If everything is working correctly, any files created or modified on the client will appear in the shared folder on the host, confirming that permissions and file sharing are both set up properly.
Now, let's talk troubleshooting. If sharing does not work, start by ensuring both machines are physically connected to the same switch, hub, or router via Ethernet. Verify each machine has a valid IP address, typically starting with 192.168. If an address starts with 169, there's a network connection problem.
You can use the ping command in Command Prompt to ensure the computers can see each other on the network. If not, double-check cables, switches, and routers.
Next, ensure network discovery and file sharing are enabled, and that the network is set to private. In Control Panel, under Network and Sharing Center and Advanced Sharing Settings, make sure all necessary options are checked for private networks, including password-protected sharing.
Sometimes, a restart of both computers or even the network equipment is needed if changes do not take effect. Also, check your Ethernet adapter properties and make sure "Client for Microsoft Networks" and "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" are both enabled. Confirm Internet Protocol Version 4 is checked as well.
Additionally, verify that the Windows services called "Server" and "Workstation" are running. These are crucial for network file sharing to operate.
Lastly, check that Windows Defender Firewall is allowing file and printer sharing on private networks; this can be done from Control Panel. Avoid third-party firewall or antivirus software until you have everything working on the standard Windows Defender setup.
If everything fails, a network reset from the advanced settings can restore network adapters to their factory defaults. As a last resort, consider a Windows reinstall, but that is rarely necessary.
Once the shared folder works, where you go from here depends on your needs. If you're planning to split and share a Microsoft Access database, place the backend file in the shared folder and distribute copies of the frontend to your users. Each frontend should link back to the backend through the shared network drive. For SQL Server, this is also your first step before configuring SQL Server for network use and linking your database.
Whatever your final plans, basic file sharing is the essential building block. Now that you know how to do it, you can build more advanced setups on top.
If you found this walkthrough helpful, I'd love to hear how you intend to use Windows file sharing in your environment, especially if you're working with Access or planning to move to SQL Server.
For a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything I covered here, visit my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List Creating a local Windows user account for sharing
Setting up a dedicated shared folder on the C drive
Configuring advanced sharing permissions for the folder
Granting NTFS security permissions to a user
Removing the 'Everyone' group from shared permissions
Enabling network discovery and file sharing in Windows
Choosing private vs public network profiles for sharing
Mapping a shared folder as a network drive letter
Connecting to a shared folder using specific credentials
Testing access and sharing between host and client PCs
Verifying and troubleshooting IP addresses on both machines
Using the ping command to check computer connectivity
Adjusting advanced sharing settings in Control Panel
Ensuring Client for Microsoft Networks is enabled
Verifying File and Printer Sharing protocol settings
Checking required networking services (Server and Workstation)
Configuring Windows Defender Firewall to allow sharing
Performing a network adapter reset as a last resort
Understanding differences between share and NTFS permissions
Rebooting computers and network devices for troubleshooting
Creating desktop shortcuts for shared network foldersArticle If you are struggling to set up a shared folder on your Windows network and finding that other computers cannot connect, you are not alone. Setting up Windows network file sharing correctly is a fundamental skill for any home or small office network. Whether you are looking to share documents, media files, backups, or working with an application like Microsoft Access in multi-user mode, a properly shared folder is essential. In this article, I will walk you through the entire process for Windows 10 and 11, step by step, and cover troubleshooting tips to help you resolve the most common causes of problems.
As an overview, you will learn how to create a dedicated local Windows user account for sharing, set up the shared folder with correct permissions, enable network discovery, map the shared folder as a network drive, and confirm access from a different PC on the same network. I cover all this using wired (Ethernet) connections, which are recommended for reliability, especially when sharing large files or databases. The instructions here revolve around peer-to-peer networking, where any regular PC can act as the host for sharing.
To avoid permission headaches and make troubleshooting easier, the best practice is to use a dedicated local user account on the host computer for network sharing. While you can use your usual Microsoft account for file sharing, it can get confusing if you mix accounts or use different credentials across PCs. So, I recommend you create a simple local account to use for sharing.
To do this, right-click the Windows Start button and open Settings. From there, go to Accounts, then find the option for Other Users. Click Add Account. At this point, Microsoft will prompt you to sign in with a Microsoft account, but you want to skip this and click the link for 'I don't have this person's sign-in information.' On the next page, it will again prompt for an email. Instead, click 'Add a user without a Microsoft account.' Name your user something recognizable, like 'host user,' and choose a password (for example, 12345abc, though you should select a secure one for real setups). Fill in the security questions with answers you will remember. Once the account is created, click it in the list, and verify that the account type is Standard User. There is no need to make this an administrator; in fact, that gives more rights than needed for file sharing.
Once the user account is set up, the next step is to create the shared folder itself. Open File Explorer and navigate to your C: drive (avoid cloud-sync folders like OneDrive or Dropbox for shared databases). Right-click in the directory, select New > Folder, and name it something like 'shared folder.'
Right-click your new folder and select Properties, then go to the Sharing tab. Click Advanced Sharing, check 'Share this folder,' and keep the default name or enter something you will recognize. Then click Permissions. Remove the 'Everyone' group for security (unless you specifically want everyone to have read access, but for privacy, it's better to keep things locked down). Next, click Add. Enter the name of the local account you just created (such as host user). Click 'Check Names' to verify, then click OK. Grant this user 'Read' and 'Change' permissions. 'Change' allows creating, editing, and deleting files, which is what you typically need. Do not enable 'Full Control,' as that lets users alter the permissions of the folder.
Now you have set the so-called 'share permissions.' Windows folders, however, have a second level of permissions called security or NTFS permissions, which also control how users can interact with the folder. Still in the folder's Properties, switch to the Security tab. Click Edit, then Add, and add your local network user (for example, host user) again. Make sure to check 'Modify,' 'Read & Execute,' 'List Folder Contents,' and 'Write.' Leave 'Full Control' and 'Special Permissions' unchecked. Click Apply and OK to finish.
Next, you need to ensure that Windows network discovery and file sharing are enabled on your PC so that other computers can see it. In File Explorer, go to Network. If you see a message saying 'Network discovery and file sharing are turned off,' click it to turn them on. When prompted, choose to enable discovery and sharing for Private networks (not Public). Only enable file sharing on public networks if you are absolutely certain about security, such as a password-protected guest network at the office, but for typical home or small office use, always select Private.
Now, from another PC (your client), open File Explorer and go to Network. If network discovery is not already activated, you will see a message at the top prompting you to turn it on (again, for Private networks). Once both machines are set, you should see the name of your host computer appear. Double-click it, and you should see the 'shared folder' you created.
The simplest way to access the share is to map it as a network drive. On the client PC, right-click the shared folder, select 'Map network drive,' and choose a drive letter (like X: or Z:). Check 'Reconnect at logon' if you want this connection to persist for future sessions, and check 'Connect using different credentials' so you can specify the local user account you created for sharing. When prompted, type the host machine's name, a backslash, and the username (for example, Kirk\\host user, assuming Kirk is your computer's name), and the password you set up earlier. Save credentials if you wish. Now you have drive letter access to the folder, just like any local drive.
To test that everything works, try creating a new text file or copying files into the shared folder from the client. Then, look at the folder on the host computer and verify that the files appear there. This confirms that both sharing and access permissions are configured correctly.
If you run into problems, there are a few common troubleshooting steps to try:
Check that both computers are on the same wired network segment, with cables plugged into the same router, hub, or switch. Wireless connections can work, but wired is more reliable, especially for databases.
Confirm both PCs have valid IP addresses. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Ethernet and look for the IP address. It should typically start with 192.168 for most home or small office networks. If it starts with 169, it probably means no proper network connection.
Use the ping command in Command Prompt (CMD) to test connectivity. For example, ping 192.168.1.10 replaces the address with the actual IP of the opposite computer. If you get replies, the computers are communicating.
Check that network discovery and file sharing are enabled for Private networks. In Control Panel, go to Network and Sharing Center > Advanced sharing settings, and ensure Network Discovery and File and Printer Sharing are both enabled in the Private zone. Under All Networks, ensure Password Protected Sharing is on, so only users with accounts and passwords on the PC can access the share.
Reboot both PCs and, if needed, your networking hardware. Always use the Restart option, not just Shutdown or Sleep, as fast startup can prevent a full reset.
Check your network adapter settings. In Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings, right-click on your Ethernet adapter, go to Properties, and ensure 'Client for Microsoft Networks' and 'File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks' are both checked, as well as 'Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)'.
Ensure essential Windows services are running. Open the Services console (type 'services.msc' in Run), then scroll to 'Server' and 'Workstation.' Both should show as Running and set to Automatic startup. If not, right-click to start and set the startup type.
Review your firewall settings. In Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall, allow 'File and Printer Sharing' through the firewall, at least for Private networks. If you are also running third-party antivirus or firewall software, temporarily disable it to rule it out as the problem.
As a last resort, you can use Network Reset in Windows Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset. This will remove and reinstall all network adapters and set everything back to factory defaults, but note it will disconnect you temporarily.
With this foundation in place, you are ready for more complex multi-user setups. For example, if you are using Microsoft Access and want to split your database so many users can share data, the backend file (with the tables) should be placed in your newly created shared folder, while each user gets a separate copy of the frontend. The frontend then links to the backend tables via the mapped network drive. If you plan to run SQL Server, basic Windows file sharing and network connectivity is also the first step.
Mastering basic Windows network sharing is the first building block for any collaborative environment. Now you know how to create shared folders, set permissions securely, enable discovery, map drives for easy access, and what to do if things do not work as expected.
File sharing is about making collaboration safe and convenient. Whether you are moving files, working on a shared database, or just sending photos between PCs, these steps will help you get connected reliably and keep unauthorized users out. If you decide to expand into more advanced networking, having these basics well-understood will make your future projects much easier.
If you found these instructions helpful and want to learn more about Windows networking or related topics, continue exploring additional lessons at WindowsLearningZone.com or on our YouTube channel. Good luck with your Windows network setup! |
