Mapping basically allows users connected to a particular network to have access through the shared computer. The data entered on the network drive is protected and users need security permissions to access it. A company's database can be stored on a network, allowing specific users to access their own folder where specific data is stored. Network drives are also useful on college campuses where student and college data is stored in their own separate folder. They need permission or security clearance to access it. It should also be noted that the administrator can change the users who have access to a particular directory.
Network drives are independent for each user account. It is only accessible from that user account, from which it was created. Or in other words, it's not available to those who have user accounts on the same device.
They can be called hard drives, indicated by names / letters / numbers followed by directory paths, separated by the symbol "".
Example: A: directory path folder
Steps to map network drives in Windows 10
The mapping is simple and is almost similar to previous Microsoft operating systems. The steps you need to follow to map your network folder are:
Open "File Explorer". Go to this PC.
You will find it Network drive at the top of the Team tab. This is the ribbon menu.
After clicking on it, a dialog box appears. Provide the letter you wish to have for your disc.
TIP: It is best to choose a letter from the last of the alphabets, to make sure there is no collision with other network drives, which may have the same alphabet as yours. This will reduce the chances of conflict.
Find the folder you want to map. You can also provide the directory address in the box directly without browsing.
The folder must be shared before it can be mapped. You can check this by right-clicking on the folder and selecting Properties. Below that, you will find the Advanced Sharing option under the Sharing tab. After clicking on Advanced Sharing, a new box pops up where you need to make sure the “Share this folder” option is checked or not. If not, select it and click OK.
After that, make sure the Reconnect at login option is checked. If not, do it. This allows automatic connection to this network the next time you log into this PC.
Note: If you are trying to connect to a shared folder, which is not available on your computer, you will need to check the "Connect using different credentials" box. Here you can enter your login information, which includes username and password. Contact your network administrator if you don't have login credentials.
Click the Finish button.
Now in Network locations, check if the chosen network appears or not. The x mark on the unit indicates unavailability. If so, check your network connections.
If you want to disable this connection, you can right-click and then click the Disconnect option.
So now you can easily get your shared files from this network drive. It works exactly like your hard drive, from which you can read and write files by accessing that particular drive.
Note: When you have connections such as LAN or WAN, the host computer must be online to ensure the availability of the mapped drives on the network.
Now we think network mapping is easier for you. It is not so?
