Double-clicking a file in a shared USB opens in a new Edge tab, cannot access the file
I have the same issue as discussed in this closed thread: https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/topic/659462?
This is a brand-new Archer BE230, just installed and replacing a Linksys WRT1900ACS which has provided my USB drive shared hosting for going on nearly 10 years now. I installed the new BE230 today and the internet and network across various devices (iPhones, iPad, Win PC notebook, Brother printer) is working perfectly.
I unmounted and then moved my shared/network USB drive over from the Linksys to the BE230 and can (in Win 11 Pro) see all the folders and files in that drive when accessing via the FTP function. But when I double-click on any file, the only thing that opens up is the default Home Page in the Edge browser (my default web browser is Chrome on this notebook computer). The files themselves (e.g. jpg or .pdf) do not open -- as you would instead expect -- using the Windows "filetype" defaults.
If I turn off the FTP access to USB in the TP-link admin software, and instead turn on SMB(Samba) and try to access the files within the drive starting at \\192.168.0.1, I get a "cannot access drive error"
In accordance with the prior troubleshooing thread I linked to above, I have also turned on "SMB Direct" in Windows Features but that had no apparent effect.
Not sure where to go from here. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated -- thanks.
It's up to your own preference.
If set to ON you need to supply username and password to be able to access the USB storage.
If set to OFF you can access the USB storage without credentials. However, note that Microsoft has disabled anonymous access to network shares in newer versions of Windows by default! In case you haven't already done so, then you need to change this setting like described in this article:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/enable-insecure-guest-logons-smb2-and-smb3?tabs=powershell
That is the correct behavior if "Secure Sharing" is ON in the BE230. The username(s) and password(s) for the "Secure Sharing" should be listed right below the activation slider, like shown in this screenshot.
@woozle Thanks for engaging and trying to help here. Very much appreciated:
Responding to your suggestions, here are some screenshots showing how things are set up and the current result from trying to open a file within SMB/Samba:
This last error message is what pops up when I click on an actual filename (like a .jpg file) that is seen in one of the folders under the SMB/Samba access configuration. All the folders are visible, but cannot open a file.
@Joseph-TP Thanks for your help. I cannot see any firmware download available at the link you provided. The device shows current firmware is "up to date".
@woozle Should "Secure Sharing" be ON or OFF in the router ? (I would prefer to leave it OFF to make access locally as simple as possible.) It was OFF, but now I turned it ON. When I try to access the folder using SMB url \\192.168.0.1, I then get a Windows Security prompt for credentials. I don't specifically recall which Microsoft or Windows "username" and "password" applies for this particular prompt. The Credential Manager shows the following are in use:
It's up to your own preference.
If set to ON you need to supply username and password to be able to access the USB storage.
If set to OFF you can access the USB storage without credentials. However, note that Microsoft has disabled anonymous access to network shares in newer versions of Windows by default! In case you haven't already done so, then you need to change this setting like described in this article:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/enable-insecure-guest-logons-smb2-and-smb3?tabs=powershell
That is the correct behavior if "Secure Sharing" is ON in the BE230. The username(s) and password(s) for the "Secure Sharing" should be listed right below the activation slider, like shown in this screenshot.
@woozle I turned Secure Share OFF in the router config. Trying to keep all this as simple as possible as I am the only one using it.
Then I "Enable[d] insecure guest logons" using the option for Edit Group Policy instructions at the link you provided:
And that seems to have completely fixed the problem. Amazing. Thanks SO much for the help here !!