Buzz
This Mytour provides instructions on configuring a network drive on both Windows and Mac computers. A network drive facilitates shared folder access among multiple computers on the same network.
Instructions
For Windows Users
Ensure all your computers are connected to the same network. To access the network drive from multiple computers, they must all be connected to the same network.
Activate network discovery.Commence
Click on This PC. This option is situated on the left-hand side of the File Explorer window. Doing so will launch the This PC window.
Tap on the Computer tab. Locate this option in the upper-left corner of the window. A toolbar will appear near the top of the window.
Click on the Map network drive icon. This option is situated in the 'Network' section of the toolbar. Ensure to click on the icon resembling a flash drive, not the text Map network drive.
Select a drive letter. Click the drop-down box labeled 'Drive', then select a letter from the drop-down menu. This will assign a letter to your network drive for identification purposes later.
Press Browse…. This option can be found on the right side of the window. A pop-up window will appear.
Choose a folder for your drive. Click on the computer where you want to create the drive, then locate and select the desired folder.
To successfully proceed, press the OK button. This particular option resides at the bottom section of your window screen.
- If an error message pops up, it indicates that the chosen folder isn't shareable. This could be due to it being in read-only mode.
To complete the process, tap on Finish. It's located at the bottom part of your window. By doing this, you'll successfully create your network drive and activate it for all network-connected computers.
- If your computer switches to a different network channel, you'll need to reconnect the network drive.
Gain access to the drive on other computers within your network. As long as network discovery and file sharing are enabled on other computers within the network, you can access the drive by navigating to This PC and double-clicking the network drive folder located under the 'Devices and drives' section.
For Mac users:
Ensure that all your computers are connected to the same network. For the network drive to appear on any computer other than the one where it's created, all computers must be connected to the same Internet network.
Activate network discovery.Navigate to the Apple menu.
Access the Finder. Click on the icon resembling a blue, face-like figure located in your Mac's Dock.
Pick out a folder. Select a folder displayed on the left side of the Finder window to open it, then choose a folder you wish to designate as the network drive.
Access the File tab. Located at the top of the screen, this prompts a drop-down menu.
Hit the Get Info option. Found within the File drop-down menu, this action opens a window displaying the folder's details.
Grab the folder's location. Simply highlight the text next to 'Where:' to select the folder's location, then hit ⌘ Command+C to copy the location.
- This location typically reads something like 'System/FolderName' or similar.
Navigate to Go. This option resides at the top of your screen, summoning a drop-down menu.
- If Go isn't visible on the menu bar, open a new Finder window to reveal it. Alternatively, click on the desktop.
Click on Connect to Server. Located towards the bottom of the Go drop-down menu, this initiates a pop-up window.
Input the computer's name followed by a slash. This action takes place in the 'smb://' (or 'ftp://') text field positioned at the top of the Connect to Server window.
- If your computer is dubbed 'Rhonda', for instance, input Rhonda/ here.
Paste the folder's address. Utilize ⌘ Command+V to execute this action. Subsequently, the text field should display your computer's name followed by the folder's address.
Press +. Located to the right of the address bar, this action adds the folder's address to your Mac.
Tap Connect. This blue button resides at the bottom of the window.
Provide your login credentials when prompted. Your login and password will differ based on your network, so consult your system administrator if you're unsure how to proceed.
- Upon successful login, a flash drive icon bearing your folder's name should appear on the desktop.
Helpful Hints
-
Ensure the computer housing the network drive folder remains powered on and connected to the internet for other computers to access it. Consider updating the computer during off-hours to minimize disruptions.
-
If you prefer not to utilize a folder on your computer as the network drive, you can connect an external hard drive to your router using an Ethernet adapter (or a USB connection if supported), then select ROUTER in the network drive Browse window. This approach enhances stability since routers are less prone to changes or disconnections compared to computers.
Cautions
- If the computer hosting the network drive goes offline, access to the network drive from other computers will be unavailable until the main computer reconnects.
