Mapping Network Drives


If you often access a particular shared folder, you may want to use the special trick known as mapping to access the shared folder more efficiently. Mapping assigns a drive letter to a shared folder. Then you can use the drive letter to access the shared folder as though it were a local drive. In this way, you can access the shared folder from any Windows program without having to browse the network.

For example, you can map a shared folder named Data on the server named LSERVER01 Files to drive K on your computer. Then, to access files stored in the shared Data folder, you look on drive K.

To map a shared folder to a drive letter in Windows Vista, follow these steps:

  1. Choose Start image from book Computer.

    This step opens the Computer window.

  2. Click the Map Network Drive button located on the toolbar.

    This action summons the Map Network Drive dialog box, as shown in Figure 2-5.

    image from book
    Figure 2-5: The Map Network Drive dialog box.

  3. Change the drive letter in the Drive drop-down list, if you want.

    You probably don't have to change the drive letter that Windows selects (in Figure 2-5, drive Z). If you're picky, though, you can select the drive letter from the Drive drop-down list.

  4. Click the Browse button.

    This step summons the dialog box, as shown in Figure 2-6.

    image from book
    Figure 2-6: Browsing for the folder to map.

  5. Use the Browse for Folder dialog box to find and select the shared folder you want to use.

    You can navigate to any shared folder on any computer in the network.

  6. Click OK.

    The Browse for Folder dialog box is dismissed, and you return to the Map Network Drive dialog box (refer to Figure 2-5).

  7. If you want this network drive to be automatically mapped each time you log on to the network, select the Reconnect at Logon check box.

    If you leave the Reconnect at Logon check box deselected, the drive letter is available only until you shut down Windows or log off the network. If you select this option, the network drive reconnects automatically each time you log on to the network.

    Tip 

    Be sure to select the Reconnect at Logon check box if you use the network drive often.

  8. Click OK.

    You return to the Computer folder, as shown in Figure 2-7. Here, you can see the newly mapped network drive.

image from book
Figure 2-7: The Computer folder shows a mapped network drive.

Your network administrator may have already set up your computer with one or more mapped network drives. If so, you can ask her to tell you which network drives have been mapped. Or, you can just open the Computer folder (My Computer on Windows XP) and have a look.

Here are a few additional tips:

  • If you're using Windows XP, the procedure for mapping a network drive is similar to the one for Windows Vista. Start by opening My Computer and choosing Tools image from book Map Network drive. Then follow the preceding set of steps starting at Step 3.

  • Assigning a drive letter to a network drive is called mapping the drive, or linking the drive, by network nerds. "Drive H is mapped to a network drive," they say.

  • Network drive letters don't have to be assigned the same way for every computer on the network. For example, a network drive that's assigned drive letter H on your computer may be assigned drive letter Q on someone else's computer. In that case, your drive H and the other computer's drive Q refer to the same data. This arrangement can be confusing. If your network is set up this way, put pepper in your network administrator's coffee.

  • Accessing a shared network folder through a mapped network drive is much faster than accessing the same folder by browsing the network. That's because Windows has to browse the entire network to list all available computers whenever you browse the network. In contrast, Windows doesn't have to browse the network to access a mapped network drive.

  • If you select the Reconnect at Logon option for a mapped drive, you receive a warning message if the drive isn't available when you log on. In most cases, the problem is that the server computer isn't turned on. Sometimes, however, this message is caused by a broken network connection. For more information about fixing network problems such as this one, refer to Chapter 19.




Networking For Dummies
Networking For Dummies
ISBN: 0470534052
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 254
Authors: Doug Lowe

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