How to Map a Network Drive
Open Computer to display your connected drives., Click Map Network Drive., Select a drive letter., Choose the folder that you want to connect to.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Open Computer to display your connected drives.
Click the Start menu and then click Computer.
This will open a window displaying all of your drives.
To open Computer in Windows 8, type "computer" while on the Start screen and click Computer in the search results. -
Step 2: Click Map Network Drive.
This button is located on the right end of the top horizontal menu bar.
Clicking this button will open the Map Network Drive window.
In Windows 8, click the Computer tab, and then select Map Network Drive. , This is the letter that will appear on the network to identify the drive.
Pick a letter towards the end of the alphabet to avoid conflicting with existing physical drives. , You can either type in the location into the field by entering \\computername\path\to\folder\, or you can click Browse… and navigate to the folder that you want to map as a drive.
Your folder must be set to be shared in order to map it as a network drive.
In order to do this, right-click the folder you want and select Properties from the menu.
Click the Sharing tab, and then click Advanced Sharing… In the window that opens, select “Share this folder” and hit OK.
If you are connecting to a shared folder on a network that is not on your computer, you may need to provide login information.
Check the box labeled "Connect using different credentials" and enter your login information.
Check with your network administrator if you don't know the username and password. -
Step 3: Select a drive letter.
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Step 4: Choose the folder that you want to connect to.
Detailed Guide
Click the Start menu and then click Computer.
This will open a window displaying all of your drives.
To open Computer in Windows 8, type "computer" while on the Start screen and click Computer in the search results.
This button is located on the right end of the top horizontal menu bar.
Clicking this button will open the Map Network Drive window.
In Windows 8, click the Computer tab, and then select Map Network Drive. , This is the letter that will appear on the network to identify the drive.
Pick a letter towards the end of the alphabet to avoid conflicting with existing physical drives. , You can either type in the location into the field by entering \\computername\path\to\folder\, or you can click Browse… and navigate to the folder that you want to map as a drive.
Your folder must be set to be shared in order to map it as a network drive.
In order to do this, right-click the folder you want and select Properties from the menu.
Click the Sharing tab, and then click Advanced Sharing… In the window that opens, select “Share this folder” and hit OK.
If you are connecting to a shared folder on a network that is not on your computer, you may need to provide login information.
Check the box labeled "Connect using different credentials" and enter your login information.
Check with your network administrator if you don't know the username and password.
About the Author
Judy Alvarez
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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