Network Password Is Incorrect - But It Is Correct

Hello Everyone. Long time, no speak. Sorry real life gets away from you and bam. It's years since I've been on here.

Strange issue with Windows 11 Pro.

• Situation: I have a workgroup (non-domain).
• I have a folder shared out over the network.
• To authenticate to this folder on the computer that the folder is shared FROM, I created a local account on that machine. This account is an administrator account.
• The shared folder security settings show that this local account has full access.

This has been working fine until about 3 days ago. Now, when I try to remap the drive, and it does see the other computer and shared folder, it says, "The network password is incorrect." The issue is, it is correct and I have verified it over and over.

Troubleshooting done:

• Ensured Windows is up to date.
• Cleared out Windows Credentials that were saved.
• Made sure that the "Password Protected Sharing" is unchecked. (Previously with this checked it worked so meh)
• Verified both are on the same network.
• Cleared DNS.
• Tried mapping with IP address.

Nothing that I have done has resolved it. It sees the computer, but says it's not the right network password. It's infuriating. Any ideas?

 

When you try to connect are you getting a pop up requesting the username and password? And you're using the username and password (account) on the computer that is sharing... good..
You say mapping.. are you using the command like net use X: \\pcname(or IP)\sharename /user:User Password ?

One more thing when you get the popup to re-enter the info use computername\username - using the info of the PC that is hosting the share instead of just using the account name.

 

Yes, getting popup for username and password. I've used credentials that I created on the destination computer and it's still not working.

Yes I have done that.

Also, I noticed that it is taking a long time for it to try and authenticate. Sometimes 15 seconds or more, so it's thinking about it. I have even created a test share on both machines, and while each computer shows up in the network section on each machine, I cannot map a share at all.

 

UPDATE:

So finally I had to go onsite. I was planning on it anyways. At that point I am thinking there is some physical network layer issue going on, or possibly an OS situation.

I get onsite. I takeout my laptop. Made sure it was part of the same Workgroup name. This is a flat network so I joined up with wireless.

On the computer we are sharing out this folder, I disabled password protection requirement in the Advanced Sharing Settings. From my laptop, I can see the computer in the NETWORK section of the side menu. I clicked on the computer name where the shared folder is, VOILA! Opened right up.

Tried it again from the computer I'm having problems with, no dice. It prompts saying "the network password is incorrect".

From the problematic computer, it shows my laptop on the network. I click it, and I'm browsing my laptop from this problematic machine.

Analysis so far:

• Not a network problem globally with the physical or network layers. If I can bring in my laptop and browse to that share, then it shouldn't be an issue.
• There is something going on with the network configuration inside Windows 11 Pro on this troublesome machine. Not sure what it is, but I'm resetting it.

Will update when it comes up from reset.

 

SO, when you said over the network, you aren't talking LAN? What are you using to connect to the remote network? SMB doesn't work that way... VPN?

 

Yes, this was a LAN. Windows Workgroups.

This issue is now resolved.

When I hooked up my laptop onto this network, the problematic computer could browse to my computer, but not the other computer that they needed to. I could map a drive from my laptop to the source computer, but again, the problematic desktop could not do this.

I reinstalled Windows 11. Problem solved.


Conclusion: Windows folder sharing component was just borked.

 

I think you need to study the nomenclature -

going on site would mean that you are currently accessing the files remotely (WAN or "over the Internet") and have to go to another locale to be on the LAN. But good deal if it is fixed..

 

this is my issue or similar...i bought a stupid Win 11 laptop and everything is weird now
the password as i remember wont work
the site i need was saved on other computer so for now im ok but.....

did the win 10 and win 11 get all mixed up?

like when i look for saved passwords and a box pops up in edge to type in a password

was i hacked and they changed password?

 

I was remote into a computer that was "onsite" meaning, at the physical location where the files were attempting to be accessed.