How to Check SMB Connections in Windows 11

Monday, September 21, 2026

Learn how to check SMB connections in Windows 11 using PowerShell, identify connected servers and shares, and troubleshoot network access.

Knowing how to check SMB connections in Windows 11 can help you understand how your PC is currently connected to shared folders and network resources. Unlike SMB session information, which is commonly examined from the computer hosting a shared resource, SMB connection information can show connections made by the Windows SMB client.

This is useful when a Windows 11 computer is accessing folders on another PC, NAS device, or file server and you want to determine which server and share are being used.

Windows includes PowerShell commands that can display SMB connection information without requiring third-party software. In this guide, you will learn how to check SMB connections, identify connected servers and shares, view the SMB dialect being used, filter connections, and troubleshoot common SMB connection problems.

What Is an SMB Connection?

SMB stands for Server Message Block. It is a network protocol used by Windows and other operating systems to access shared files, folders, printers, and other network resources.

When your Windows 11 PC opens a network path such as:

\\ComputerName\SharedFolder

the computer can establish an SMB connection to the remote computer hosting that share.

For example, if a computer named FILESERVER shares a folder named Projects, you might access it using:

\\FILESERVER\Projects

The SMB client on your Windows 11 computer handles the connection to that remote share.

SMB Connection vs SMB Session

SMB connections and SMB sessions are related, but they are not the same thing.

An SMB session is commonly used to describe an authenticated relationship between an SMB client and server. An SMB connection provides information about the client-side connection to a particular server and share.

This distinction is useful when troubleshooting because you may want to know whether your Windows 11 PC is currently connected to a specific network share, which SMB dialect is being used, and which server is providing the resource.

For the server-side view, see How to Check SMB Sessions in Windows 11.

Why Check SMB Connections in Windows 11?

Most users do not need to inspect SMB connections during normal operation. However, the information can be useful when diagnosing network file-sharing problems.

You may want to check SMB connections when:

A mapped network drive stops working.
A shared folder opens slowly.
You want to confirm which server is providing a network share.
You need to identify the SMB dialect being used.
A network share appears disconnected or unavailable.
You are troubleshooting access to a NAS device.
You have several network shares open at the same time.
You are investigating SMB compatibility problems.

Before Checking SMB Connections

First make sure your Windows 11 computer is actually accessing a network share.

You can open File Explorer by pressing:

Windows + E

Then enter a UNC path such as:

\\ComputerName\SharedFolder

or:

\\192.168.1.20\SharedFolder

Open a file or browse the folder so that Windows has an active reason to establish the SMB connection.

After that, you can use PowerShell to inspect the connection.

Method 1: Check SMB Connections with PowerShell

The easiest way to view SMB connections from the Windows 11 client is to use the Get-SmbConnection cmdlet.

Open Windows Terminal or PowerShell and run:

Get-SmbConnection

The command retrieves SMB connections established by the client.

The output can contain information about the server, share, user, dialect, and other properties associated with the connection.

A simplified example may look like this:

ServerName   ShareName   UserName        Dialect
----------   ---------   --------        -------
FILESERVER   Projects    DOMAIN\User1    3.1.1
NAS01        Media       DOMAIN\User1    3.1.1

The exact columns and values can vary depending on the Windows version and connection.

How to Read Get-SmbConnection Results

Several fields are particularly useful when troubleshooting.

ServerName

ServerName identifies the remote SMB server associated with the connection.

This can help you determine which computer or network device is providing the shared resource.

ShareName

ShareName identifies the SMB share being accessed.

For example, the remote server might contain shares named Documents, Projects, or Media.

UserName

UserName can identify the account associated with the SMB connection.

This is useful when troubleshooting authentication or access problems, especially on networks where different credentials are used for different resources.

Dialect

The SMB dialect indicates the SMB protocol version or dialect being used for the connection.

Modern Windows systems commonly use SMB 2.x or SMB 3.x rather than the older SMBv1 protocol. SMBv1 is deprecated and is not installed by default on modern Windows versions.

Check Whether a Specific Network Share Is Connected

If you have several network shares open, you can filter the results to focus on a particular share.

For example:

Get-SmbConnection | Where-Object ShareName -eq "Projects"

This displays connections associated with the Projects share.

Replace Projects with the actual share name you want to inspect.

Check Connections to a Specific SMB Server

You can also filter SMB connections by server.

Get-SmbConnection | Where-Object ServerName -eq "FILESERVER"

This can be useful when a Windows 11 PC connects to multiple computers or storage devices.

For an IP-based connection, you can filter using the server value shown in your own PowerShell output.

Display Selected SMB Connection Information

If the default output contains more information than you need, select specific properties.

Get-SmbConnection | Select-Object ServerName, ShareName, UserName, Dialect

This creates a simpler list that is easier to read when troubleshooting several network shares.

You can also include additional properties if needed:

Get-SmbConnection | Select-Object *

This displays the available properties returned for the connections on your system.

Check SMB Connections from a Mapped Network Drive

A mapped network drive can also use SMB to access a remote shared folder.

For example, suppose drive Z: points to:

\\FILESERVER\Projects

When the mapped drive is actively connected, Get-SmbConnection can help identify the corresponding SMB server and share.

Run:

Get-SmbConnection

Then look for the server and share associated with the mapped drive.

This can be useful when the drive letter is visible in File Explorer but you are not sure which server or share it represents.

Check SMB Connections After Opening a Network Folder

If Get-SmbConnection does not show the connection you expected, first make sure Windows has actually accessed the remote share.

Open File Explorer.
Enter the UNC path of the shared folder.
Open the folder.
Open or copy a test file if appropriate.
Return to PowerShell.
Run Get-SmbConnection again.

This can help create an active SMB connection that can then be inspected.

Check SMB Connections to a NAS

SMB is commonly used to access shared folders on network-attached storage devices.

For example:

\\NAS01\Documents

After accessing the share, run:

Get-SmbConnection

You can then check the server and share information returned by the SMB client.

If the NAS supports multiple SMB protocol versions, the Dialect information can also be useful for troubleshooting compatibility.

How to Check the SMB Dialect

The SMB dialect is one of the useful pieces of information available when inspecting SMB connections.

Run:

Get-SmbConnection | Select-Object ServerName, ShareName, Dialect

You may see values such as:

ServerName   ShareName   Dialect
----------   ---------   -------
FILESERVER   Projects    3.1.1

The actual value depends on the SMB client and server and the protocol version negotiated for the connection.

Why SMBv1 Matters When Troubleshooting

If an old device cannot connect to a modern Windows 11 computer, you may encounter discussions about SMBv1.

SMBv1 is an older protocol version and is deprecated. Modern Windows systems do not install it by default.

Microsoft has also documented SMBv1 connectivity issues after Windows updates in 2025, while noting that deployments using SMBv2 or SMBv3 are not affected by that particular issue.

For this reason, do not assume that enabling SMBv1 is the correct solution for an old device. First determine which SMB version the device supports and whether its firmware or software can be updated.

Check SMB Connection Information Alongside SMB Sessions

SMB connections are easier to understand when you compare client-side and server-side information.

On the Windows 11 client, run:

Get-SmbConnection

On the computer hosting the share, you can inspect active sessions with:

Get-SmbSession

This gives you two different perspectives of the same file-sharing environment.

The client-side command helps you see which remote shares your computer is connected to, while the server-side command helps identify clients connected to the host.

Check SMB Open Files When a File Is Locked

If your problem is that a file cannot be renamed, deleted, or modified because another computer is using it, SMB connection information alone may not be enough.

On the SMB server, use:

Get-SmbOpenFile

This can help identify files currently opened through SMB.

You can then relate the open file to the SMB session and identify the client computer and user.

For a detailed guide, see How to Check SMB Sessions in Windows 11.

Check SMB Multichannel Connections

Some Windows environments can use SMB Multichannel to establish multiple network connections between SMB client and server interfaces.

Microsoft provides the Get-SmbMultichannelConnection cmdlet to retrieve SMB connections between client and server network interfaces.

To inspect SMB Multichannel connections, run:

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection

To include connections that were not selected for use, run:

Get-SmbMultichannelConnection -IncludeNotSelected

This is more advanced than the normal SMB connection check and is primarily useful when troubleshooting performance or multi-interface SMB configurations.

Check SMB Client Configuration

Windows also provides a command for viewing SMB client configuration.

Get-SmbClientConfiguration

This can show client-side SMB configuration properties, including settings related to SMB behavior and Multichannel.

For a focused check, you can select a specific property:

Get-SmbClientConfiguration | Select-Object EnableMultichannel

This can be useful when investigating SMB Multichannel behavior.

SMB Connection Troubleshooting

If an SMB connection does not appear or a network share cannot be opened, work through the problem systematically.

Confirm that the remote computer or NAS is online.
Confirm both devices are connected to the expected network.
Test the remote computer's IP address.
Verify that the shared folder exists.
Check Network Discovery when device discovery is required.
Check File and Printer Sharing settings.
Check Windows Firewall configuration.
Verify the account and folder permissions.
Check the SMB dialect if an older device is involved.
Run Get-SmbConnection after attempting to access the share.

Microsoft's Windows file-sharing troubleshooting guidance also recommends ensuring computers are on the same network and checking the network profile, Network Discovery, File and Printer Sharing, and related services.

Check the Network Profile

The Windows network profile can affect how network discovery and local sharing behave.

For a dedicated guide, see How to Check Network Profile in Windows 11.

Check Network Discovery

If the remote computer does not appear under Network in File Explorer, Network Discovery may be relevant to the problem.

See How to Check Network Discovery Settings in Windows 11 for the related configuration and troubleshooting steps.

Check File and Printer Sharing

File and Printer Sharing settings are another important part of Windows network file sharing.

See How to Check File and Printer Sharing Settings in Windows 11 for the dedicated guide.

Check Windows Firewall

If the SMB server is reachable but the connection cannot be established, firewall configuration may need to be checked.

Use How to Check Windows 11 Firewall Settings to inspect the relevant Windows Firewall settings.

Useful SMB Commands in Windows 11

Command	Purpose
`Get-SmbConnection`	Shows SMB connections from the client.
`Get-SmbSession`	Shows SMB sessions on an SMB server.
`Get-SmbOpenFile`	Shows files opened through SMB.
`Get-SmbShare`	Lists SMB shares on the computer.
`Get-SmbShareAccess`	Shows permissions assigned to an SMB share.
`Get-SmbClientConfiguration`	Shows SMB client configuration.
`Get-SmbMultichannelConnection`	Shows SMB Multichannel connections.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check SMB connections in Windows 11?

Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run Get-SmbConnection. The command displays SMB connections established by the Windows SMB client.

How do I see which SMB shares my PC is connected to?

Run Get-SmbConnection and review the ServerName and ShareName information in the results.

How do I check which SMB version is being used?

Run Get-SmbConnection and inspect the Dialect property. The value indicates the SMB dialect negotiated for the connection.

What is the difference between Get-SmbConnection and Get-SmbSession?

Get-SmbConnection is useful for examining SMB connections from the client side, while Get-SmbSession is used to retrieve SMB sessions on the server side.

How do I check SMB connections to a NAS?

Open a shared folder on the NAS and then run Get-SmbConnection. Look for the NAS server and share name in the results.

Why does Get-SmbConnection show nothing?

There may be no active SMB connection at the time you run the command. Open a network share first and then run the command again.

Can Get-SmbConnection fix an SMB connection problem?

No. The command is primarily diagnostic. It helps you inspect existing SMB connections and gather information that can be used when troubleshooting.

Related Windows 11 Networking Guides

Final Thoughts

Checking SMB connections in Windows 11 is a useful diagnostic technique when working with shared folders, mapped network drives, NAS devices, and Windows file servers.

The Get-SmbConnection command provides a quick way to inspect the SMB connections currently established by the Windows client. You can use it to identify remote servers and shares and examine information such as the SMB dialect.

For deeper troubleshooting, combine this information with SMB sessions, open files, share permissions, NTFS permissions, Network Discovery, File and Printer Sharing, and Windows Firewall settings.

Using these built-in tools gives you a structured way to understand Windows 11 SMB connectivity before making configuration changes.