Guides, Tech-Info

Why Windows 11 24H2 is Blocking Your Old Network Shares (and How to Fix It)

Posted on by Chris Harvey
Fix SMB Network Error in Win11 24H2
27
Aug

If you’ve just updated to Windows 11 24H2 and suddenly can’t connect to your home NAS, old file server, or shared drive that used to “just work” — you’re not alone.

Microsoft has tightened up SMB (Server Message Block) security in this release. SMB is the protocol Windows uses for file and printer sharing, and it’s been a common target for ransomware and network attacks. To keep devices safer, Windows 11 now enforces secure defaults by:

  • Requiring SMB signing by default – all file-sharing traffic must be digitally signed for integrity.
  • Blocking insecure guest logons by default – anonymous access to shares is disabled.

These changes are great for security, but they break compatibility with a lot of older NAS devices, Samba shares, and legacy servers that don’t support SMB signing or require guest access.

The Fix (if you still need to connect)

If you trust the device you’re connecting to (for example, your own home NAS), you can restore the old behavior:

1. Allow unsigned SMB connections

Run PowerShell as Administrator and enter:

Set-SmbClientConfiguration -RequireSecuritySignature $false

This tells Windows not to require signed SMB traffic.

2. Enable insecure guest logons

Open Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) and go to:

Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Network → Lanman Workstation

Set Enable insecure guest logons to Enabled.

This allows connecting to guest-only shares that don’t require a username or password.

⚠️ Important Security Note

These changes weaken security. Once enabled, your PC could accept connections from less secure devices on your network. If possible, the better long-term fix is to:

  • Update your NAS/Server firmware to support modern SMB protocols.
  • Switch away from guest shares and create proper user accounts.
  • Keep insecure settings limited to trusted home networks — not business environments.

✅ In summary: Windows 11 24H2 is stricter with SMB security to protect users, but if you still need to access older shares, you can re-enable compatibility with the steps above. Just remember — it’s a trade-off between convenience and security.

Chris Harvey