A network drive that won’t connect is usually caused by configuration, permission, or connectivity issues — and most can be fixed with settings, services, or a simple command. If you’re struggling with Network drive not working in Windows 10, this article walks through the common causes and exact fixes so you can restore access.
You’ll learn why mapped drives fail, how to test the connection, and step-by-step solutions — from checking services and credentials to fixing SMB and firewall settings.
Key Takeaway
The most effective single approach is to confirm connectivity (ping by IP and name), verify correct credentials, ensure required services and SMB protocols are enabled, and then remap the drive using net use; this sequence resolves the majority of Windows 10 network-drive failures.
Quick Fix Guide
Quick Fix Guide
| Reason for the Problem | Quick Solution |
|---|---|
| Network discovery / file sharing turned off | Turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing in Network and Sharing Center. |
| Wrong or stale credentials | Remove saved credentials in Credential Manager and reconnect with correct username/password. |
| Incorrect share path or syntax | Verify path and use the correct UNC path: \server\share or \192.168.1.10\share. |
| SMB protocol mismatch (SMB1/SMB2) | Enable required SMB version (prefer SMB2/3); only enable SMB1 if necessary and aware of risk. |
| Required Windows services stopped | Start Function Discovery Provider Host, Function Discovery Resource Publication, and Workstation services in services.msc. |
| Windows Firewall or security software blocking | Allow File and Printer Sharing through Windows Defender Firewall or temporarily disable third-party AV/firewall. |
| Remote machine offline or unreachable | Verify remote PC/server is powered on and reachable by IP; restart if needed. |
| Drive-letter conflicts or stale mappings | Delete conflicting mapping (net use X: /delete) and remap with an unused letter. |
| Share or NTFS permissions issues | Check share and NTFS permissions on the server; add the user or group with proper rights. |
| DNS / name resolution problems | Use IP instead of name or fix DNS: ipconfig /flushdns, check hosts file if needed. |
| Windows update or cached token issues | Sign out/in or reboot; delete cached creds and remap after updates. |
| Network profile set to Public | Change network to Private under Settings > Network & Internet or adjust sharing settings. |
Detailed Fixes for “Network drive not working in Windows 10”
1) Network discovery / file sharing turned off
Why this causes the problem:
If network discovery or file and printer sharing is off, Windows won’t advertise or see shared resources on the network.
Step-by-step solution:
- Open Settings > Network & Internet.
- Click Status then Network and Sharing Center (link at bottom).
- Click Change advanced sharing settings on the left.
- Under the active profile (Private or Guest/Public), enable Turn on network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing.
- Optionally enable Allow Windows to manage homegroup connections if present.
- Save changes and retry accessing the share.
Tip: If the network is Public, switch it to Private first (see step in reason 12).
2) Wrong or stale credentials
Why:
Windows caches credentials. If they change or are incorrect, access will fail even if network is fine.
Solution:
- Open Control Panel and go to Credential Manager.
- Select Windows Credentials.
- Find entries for the server (e.g., TERMSRV/server or \server) and click Remove.
- Reconnect to the share; when prompted, enter the correct domain\username and password.
- To map with specific credentials: open Command Prompt (admin) and run:
net use Z: \server\share /user:domain\username password /persistent:yes
Security note: avoid storing plain passwords in scripts.
3) Incorrect path or mapping syntax
Why:
A wrong UNC path or spelling error will prevent connection.
Solution:
- In File Explorer address bar, try both formats: \server\share and \192.168.1.10\share.
- To map a drive: right-click This PC > Map network drive, choose a letter, and enter \server\share.
- Use net use to test and view:
- net use \server\share
- net use (lists mappings)
- If server resolves only by IP, use the IP in the mapping.
Tip: Use the server’s admin share like \server\C$ only if you have admin credentials.
4) SMB protocol mismatch (SMB1/SMB2/SMB3)
Why:
Older devices may require SMB1, whereas Windows 10 may have SMB1 disabled for security. Conversely, old NAS devices sometimes only speak SMB1.
Solution:
First try using SMB2/3 if the device supports it (recommended). If you must enable SMB1 (risky), proceed with caution.
Enable SMB1 (if absolutely necessary):
- Open PowerShell (Admin) and run:
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName SMB1Protocol -NoRestart - Restart Windows.
Enable SMB2/3 client (usually enabled by default):
- In PowerShell (Admin) check:
Get-SmbServerConfiguration | Select EnableSMB1Protocol, EnableSMB2Protocol - If SMB2 is disabled, enable with:
Set-SmbServerConfiguration -EnableSMB2Protocol $true
Security note: SMB1 is insecure—update firmware or use an alternative when possible.
5) Required Windows services stopped
Why:
Certain services are required to discover and connect to network shares.
Solution:
- Press Windows + R, type services.msc, press Enter.
- Find and start these services, and set them to Automatic:
- Function Discovery Provider Host
- Function Discovery Resource Publication
- SSDP Discovery
- UPnP Device Host
- Workstation
- Right-click each service > Properties > Startup type: Automatic (Delayed Start) recommended.
- Start the service, then test the mapping.
Tip: If the Workstation service won’t start, check event viewer for errors and restart the PC.
6) Windows Firewall or antivirus blocking
Why:
Firewall rules or third-party security can block SMB ports (TCP 445, TCP 139) or network discovery.
Solution:
- Open Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
- Ensure File and Printer Sharing is allowed on the correct network profile.
- For testing, temporarily disable firewall/AV (not recommended long-term). If it resolves, add a rule:
- Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security, create inbound rules for TCP 445 and TCP 139 for the required profile.
- If using third-party firewall, consult vendor docs to allow SMB traffic.
Security tip: Avoid broad allow-all rules; limit source IPs if possible.
7) Remote machine offline or unreachable
Why:
If the server/computer hosting the share is off, sleeping, or disconnected, the drive will fail.
Solution:
- Ping the server by name: ping servername, and by IP: ping 192.168.1.10.
- If ping fails but IP works, check DNS (reason 10).
- Ensure the server is powered on, networked, and not in deep sleep.
- Check server logs or restart the server if you can.
Tip: For computers that sleep, disable sleep or enable Wake-on-LAN if shares must be available.
8) Drive-letter conflicts or stale mappings
Why:
A drive letter already in use or a persistent mapping that points to a different resource will block new mappings.
Solution:
- View current mappings: net use
- Delete a mapping: net use Z: /delete
- If mapping persists, reboot or remove via File Explorer > This PC right-click mapped drive > Disconnect.
- Remap using unused letter or set persistent mapping: net use Z: \server\share /persistent:yes
Tip: Use letters later in the alphabet (e.g., Z:) for network drives to avoid conflicts.
Why:
Even if network connectivity is fine, lacking share or file-level permissions blocks access.
Solution:
- On the server, right-click the shared folder > Properties > Sharing > Advanced Sharing > Permissions; ensure the user or group is added with correct access.
- Then check Security tab to set NTFS permissions accordingly.
- Use server’s computer management or SMB management tool to verify effective permissions for the user.
- If using domain accounts, ensure the client user is logging in with a domain account and not a local account.
Tip: Share permissions and NTFS permissions are combined — the most restrictive applies.
10) DNS / name resolution problems
Why:
If the client cannot resolve the server name to IP, mappings using names fail.
Solution:
- Test name resolution:
- nslookup servername
- ping servername
- If name fails but IP works, flush DNS: ipconfig /flushdns
- Check C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts for overrides.
- If using a local DNS server, verify DNS records or add a DNS host (A) record.
- As a quick workaround, map by IP: \192.168.1.10\share
11) Windows update or cached token issues
Why:
Updates can change authentication behavior, or cached tokens may expire and prevent reconnection.
Solution:
- Sign out and sign back in; reboot if necessary.
- Remove and re-create the mapping:
- net use Z: /delete
- net use Z: \server\share /user:domain\username /persistent:yes
- If issue started after an update, check Windows Update history and consider uninstalling the problematic update or applying vendor hotfixes.
12) Network profile set to Public
Why:
Public profile applies stricter firewall and sharing rules preventing discovery and file sharing.
Solution:
- Open Settings > Network & Internet.
- Click Status > click the active connection (e.g., Ethernet).
- Under Network profile, select Private.
- Return to Network and Sharing Center and ensure sharing settings (reason 1) are enabled.
Tip: On domain-joined machines the domain profile applies; adjust domain group policies accordingly.
Additional section: Useful diagnostic commands and quick tests
Why this helps:
Having a small set of commands and checks speeds up diagnosis.
Commands and quick tests:
- ping servername and ping 192.168.1.10 — checks basic connectivity.
- nslookup servername — checks DNS resolution.
- ipconfig /all — verifies IP configuration.
- ipconfig /flushdns — clears DNS cache.
- net use — lists mapped drives and network sessions.
- net use Z: \server\share /user:domain\username — map a drive from command line.
- Get-SmbConnection (PowerShell) — shows active SMB connections.
- Test-NetConnection -ComputerName servername -Port 445 (PowerShell) — tests SMB port.
Tip: Run PowerShell or Command Prompt as Administrator for some commands.
FAQ
How can I map a network drive automatically at sign-in for a domain user?
Use net use Z: \server\share /persistent:yes in a logon script, or use Group Policy Preferences -> Drive Maps to deploy a persistent mapping for domain users.
Yes — Windows 10 supports SMB. Ensure the server runs Samba with appropriate SMB versions enabled, correct share permissions, and that Windows has compatible SMB settings (prefer SMB2/3).
How do I check which SMB version my client is using?
In PowerShell run Get-SmbConnection; the Dialect column shows the negotiated SMB version (e.g., SMB2, SMB3).
What should I do if I must enable SMB1 but want to minimize risk?
Only enable SMB1 temporarily, update the NAS or device firmware to support SMB2/3, and disable SMB1 as soon as possible. Restrict SMB1 access via firewall rules to trusted networks only.
Is there a way to force Windows to reconnect mapped drives after a network change?
Mapped drives can fail after a network change. Create a small logon script that runs net use /persistent:yes or use Task Scheduler to run a reconnection script at logon with a short delay.
Conclusion
Most issues causing Network drive not working in Windows 10 are resolved by confirming connectivity, correcting credentials and paths, ensuring SMB and necessary services are enabled, and adjusting firewall or sharing settings. Follow the step-by-step checks above, and you’ll restore network drive access in the majority of cases.
