Connect Android to SMB / Windows Shares

SMB (Server Message Block) is the protocol Windows uses for file sharing over a local network. Any folder shared on Windows, a NAS, or a Linux machine running Samba is accessible from AnExplorer — no USB cable, no cloud, just your home or office Wi-Fi.

SMB is the fastest protocol for local network transfers (faster than FTP in most benchmarks), and it lets Android work alongside PC, Mac, and NAS storage as though it were all one filesystem.

What You Can Connect to with SMB

Step-by-Step: Add an SMB Connection

1. Open AnExplorer
2. Tap + in the sidebar > SMB / LAN
3. Enter the server address:
   • IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.50) — most reliable
   • Or hostname (e.g., DESKTOP-ABCDEF or synology.local) — works on most networks
4. Enter Username and Password (for password-protected shares)
5. Leave credentials blank for guest/anonymous shares
6. Tap Connect — you'll see a list of available shares on that server
7. Tap a share to browse it
8. Bookmark it (tap the star icon) for quick access next time

How to Share a Folder from Windows

If you want to browse your PC files from your phone:

1. Right-click the folder you want to share > Properties > Sharing tab
2. Click Share… > add Everyone (or a specific user) > set to Read or Read/Write
3. Click Share, then Done
4. Note the share name (e.g., \\DESKTOP-ABCDEF\Movies)
5. In AnExplorer, connect to your PC's IP with the username from your Windows login

Find your Windows PC IP: Open Command Prompt and run ipconfig — look for IPv4 Address under your Wi-Fi adapter (e.g., 192.168.1.42).

SMB Versions — SMB1, SMB2, SMB3

AnExplorer uses SMB2/3 by default. If you're connecting to a very old NAS or router and see "connection refused", check if the device supports SMB2 — some older devices only have SMB1 (which AnExplorer, like Windows 10/11, doesn't enable by default).

NAS Setup by Brand

Synology

1. DSM > Control Panel > File Services > SMB
2. Enable SMB service, set minimum SMB version to SMB2
3. Create a shared folder: File Station > Create > Create Shared Folder
4. Set permissions for your user
5. Connect from AnExplorer: IP 192.168.x.x, username/password = your DSM account

QNAP

1. Control Panel > Network & File Services > Win/Mac/NFS > Microsoft Networking
2. Enable Microsoft Networking (SMB)
3. Shared Folders: FileStation > right-click folder > Edit Shared Folder Permissions
4. Connect from AnExplorer with QNAP IP and credentials

Western Digital My Cloud

WD My Cloud NAS devices have SMB enabled by default. Connect with:

• Host: wdmycloudXXXXXX.local or the IP from your router's DHCP table
• Username: admin (or your My Cloud user)
• Password: your My Cloud password

SMB Transfer Speeds

SMB over Wi-Fi achieves real-world speeds of:

• Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) — 30–80 MB/s depending on signal strength and distance
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) — 50–150 MB/s under good conditions
• Ethernet-to-phone (USB Ethernet adapter) — 80–110 MB/s (near Gigabit)

Compared to USB MTP (Android File Transfer), SMB is generally faster and doesn't require a cable or driver. For large transfers (photos, video libraries), SMB is the recommended approach — see transferring files from Android to PC.

Troubleshooting SMB Issues

"Host not found" / can't discover server:

• Make sure phone and computer are on the same Wi-Fi network (not one on 2.4GHz and one on 5GHz if they're isolated)
• Try IP address instead of hostname
• Windows Firewall may be blocking SMB discovery — check Windows Defender Firewall > Allow an app > File and Printer Sharing

"Access denied" with correct password:

• Windows requires a user account that has access to the share — guest sharing may be disabled on Windows 10/11
• Try creating a dedicated Windows user with a simple password for this purpose

Connected but share is empty:

• The share may exist but have no read permissions for your account
• Check folder sharing permissions on Windows: right-click > Properties > Security > add your user

"SMB version not supported":

• Some older NAS devices only support SMB1; upgrade NAS firmware or enable SMB1 in the NAS settings (not recommended if you can avoid it)

SMB vs FTP for Home Networks

For home and office LAN file access, SMB is the better protocol. For remote access, use FTP or SFTP.

Related Guides

• Connect Android to NAS (Synology, QNAP, WD)
• FTP client for Android
• Transfer Android files to PC
• Transfer Android files to Mac

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