Windows 10 CMD net view /all returns error 6118 "list of servers not available"

Question

I have been using my home network to share files between devices in my household with no problem, but recently I had to re-install my Windows 10, after that, no devices show under Network in File Explorer. Sure I can ping the devices and I can access them with their ip like \\192.168.1.50 but I can't get a list.

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net view /all returns:

Home network System error 6118 has occurred.

The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available.

What seems to be the problem?

Answer 1

If you really need network discovery, you can enable the (safer) WS-Discovery protocol instead, as per the Microsoft Support article.

1. Start the "Function Discovery Provider Host" and "Function Discovery Resource Publication" services, and then set them to Automatic (Delayed Start).
2. When you open Explorer Network, enable network discovery when you are prompted.

This needs to be done on all Windows computers.

This might not help with net view (?), but should at least enable browsing in Windows Explorer (File Explorer).

Answer 2

I searched around and it seems like a service needs to be enabled called "Computer Browser"

I couldn't find this service in Task Manager -> Services.

Neither in Win+R -> services.msc.

I kept searching and this 6118 error sounds pretty common but the answer didn't help me since I knew firewall was not the issue. But it mentioned SMB so I searched around and found this:

Make sure SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support is installed as a windows feature. Source

Seems like later versions of Windows 10 have this feature disabled by default. So I enabled it and restarted the computer and now network devices show up and net view /all returns the computer names successfully.

WARNING: SMB 1.0 is insecure and you should enable it as a last resort (See Bob's answer), Ransomwares usually spread through this protocol as pointed out by @djsmiley2k and @Bob.

Answer 3

Error 6118 and Net View problem - SOLVED At LAST

My solution involved no changing of P.C. settings, however will only be relevant if you have one or more WiFi Range Extenders in your system.

I have several network wired P.C.'s. They all started to have this problem. Using a Command Prompt window, entering Net View / ALL produced the error, however entering Net View with an individual computer name or IP address worked.

Selecting NETWORK in Explorer resulted in most connected devices not showing under 'Computers', although they did show under 'Media Devices' and 'Storage'.

The contents could be accessed in other ways, but the problem really aggravated me.

I researched the matter for weeks, and tried dozens of offered solutions, all without result. Most revolved around changing P.C. settings, but I soon realised that since the problem was universal to all connected computers, my solution lay somewhere in one or other connected devices.

Making sure DHCP was only enabled in one Router, and rebooting them did not resolve the issue. I then realised I had other Networked items I had not considered.

I have 3 TP-LINK Range Extenders (RE305) in my system, which work very well. More research indicated they may have DHCP options, however try as I may I could not access them.

So I removed all 3 from the system. Went to the P.C., and all my devices had appeared again using Net View and Explorer.

I was concerned that I would not be able to use the Extenders, but decided to continue slowly. I plugged in the first, then the second as well, no Network problems. All devices showing on P.C.

I plugged in the last Range Extender, and Error 6118 was back. The solution was to just Setup the device again. I used all the same settings. Network devices showing and accessible on all my P.C.'s again.

So there we are. I would still turn of DHCP on all but one Router if there are several, but in this case the culprit was definitely a WiFi Range Extender.

QUICK UPDATE Yesterday the 6118 problem was back, all P.C's on the Network. I discovered I could not log on to one of the Range Extenders. Unplugged it (powered down) and plugged it back again. Re-booted Computers and all Network Devices showing again. I could also log on to it. I did nothing else.

The networked devices may not all appear immediately, and can take up to 10 minutes for all of them to get 'registered'.

Nearly all the solutions tend to point to things that need to be done to an individual P.C.. Sometimes that might be the cure, HOWEVER if you find that more than one P.C. on your system develops the problem, do not be immediately tempted to change the Computer's settings.

This anomaly with my range extender is a pretty good indication that the 6118 error is being caused by some other unit on the LAN. Investigate those first.