I can access my files on Mybooklive with one laptop but not on the other one

When you find that you can access your files stored on a My Book Live network drive with one laptop but not on another, the issue usually lies not with the drive itself but with the way the second laptop is configured to connect to your network or handle shared folders. Since My Book Live is a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device, all communication happens over your local network. That means if one computer can access it, the device itself is working correctly. The troubleshooting then comes down to differences in networking settings, user permissions, and security configurations between the two laptops.

The first and most common cause is related to network discovery and file sharing settings. On Windows machines, network discovery must be enabled for the computer to “see” other devices on the same network. If it is turned off on your second laptop, the My Book Live will not appear in File Explorer under “Network.” Similarly, file and printer sharing must be enabled to allow access. You can check these settings in the “Network and Sharing Center” within Control Panel.

Another potential issue is that the second laptop might be connected to a different type of network profile (for example, Public vs. Private). Windows applies stricter sharing restrictions on Public networks for security reasons, which could prevent the My Book Live from showing up. Switching the connection to Private or Home can often resolve the problem.

Firewall and antivirus software also play a role. Some security programs block connections to NAS devices unless you explicitly allow them. If you suspect this might be the case, temporarily disable the firewall or antivirus on the second laptop and try accessing the drive. If that works, you’ll need to add an exception for the My Book Live.

It’s also worth checking whether both laptops are using the same protocols for file sharing. My Book Live primarily uses SMB (Server Message Block). On some newer versions of Windows, SMB1.0 is disabled by default because of security concerns. If your My Book Live is older, it may only support SMB1. In that case, the laptop that works likely has SMB1 enabled, while the one that doesn’t may have it disabled. You can re-enable SMB1 through Windows Features, though you should weigh the security risks of doing so. Alternatively, updating the My Book Live firmware (if still supported) may add compatibility with newer SMB versions.

User permissions are another possibility. If you have set up specific users and passwords on your My Book Live, one laptop may have saved the correct credentials while the other has not. You can try accessing the NAS directly by entering its IP address into File Explorer, like \\192.168.1.xxx, and then provide the username and password when prompted. If this works, the issue is likely stored credentials.

Finally, network configuration differences like static vs. dynamic IP addresses or differences in router DNS handling can also cause access problems. Ensuring both laptops are on the same subnet and have automatic IP settings can often help.

In summary, when one laptop accesses your My Book Live but the other does not, the cause is typically local to the second laptop: network discovery settings, firewall restrictions, SMB protocol mismatch, or saved credentials. Systematically checking these areas will usually restore full access.