To find shared folders on a Windows computer without logging in, what type of network message are you looking for that tells you what's being offered?

To find shared folders on a Windows computer without logging in, the type of network message you are looking for that tells you what's being offered is the browse list, provided through the NetBIOS Browsing Protocol. This protocol operates as a component of the Server Message Block (SMB) and Common Internet File System (CIFS) suite, which are fundamental for file and print sharing on Windows networks. A specific computer on the network segment is elected as the browse master. This browse master is responsible for compiling and maintaining a centralized catalog of all available servers that are offering shared resources. Windows computers with shared folders periodically send server announcement messages, which are types of NetBIOS datagrams, to this browse master to register their presence and indicate they are offering services. When a client computer wants to discover shared folders, it sends a Get Browse List Request message to the browse master. The browse master then responds with a Get Browse List Response message. This response message contains the browse list, which enumerates the names of the active servers that can potentially provide shared folders. This browse list is the network message that tells a client which computers are offering shares before any direct connection or authentication to a specific server's shared folder is attempted.