How to Access a Computer with an IP Address
All computers on a local, TCP/IP network have an IP address. The IP address is the numerical value that is unique to the computer. Data packets sent from a source computer use the IP address to locate the machine on the network and deliver the information. Although most computers are assigned a friendly name, you can also use the IP address to map a drive and access the computer. On a Windows computer, this can be accomplished using the network browsing capabilities and using the drive mapping dialog box.
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Instructions
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Double-click the "Network" icon on the desktop. For older Windows operating systems, the icon is labeled "Network Neighborhood." This opens a window with a list of network options.
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Double-click the icon for the computer you wish to access. This opens a window that displays all the network-shared folders on the computer. If none are listed, they are either hidden or not shared.
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Right-click the folder and select "Map Network Drive." A dialog box is opened that asks you to set a drive letter. Select a letter and press the "OK" button.
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Enter a username and password if you are prompted. If no username and password is assigned to the network share, you are automatically shown a list of files and directories on the machine. This gives you access to the files and folders on the computer.
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Tips & Warnings
The root of the hard drive on a network computer is automatically named "C$." You can browse and map this directory by typing "\\computername\c$" into the Windows navigation text box. Replace "computername" with the IP address or friendly name of the network machine.
You can also map a networked printer on the machine by right-clicking the shared printer and selecting "Connect."
