How to Map to a Computer
By Brent Watkins
Networked computers have the advantage of sharing resources. No longer do you have to use discs or flash drives to move data from one computer to another. Mapping drives on your computer is a feature Microsoft Windows offers to allow you access to files from another computer over a network. Mapping a network drive allows you to treat a hard drive located on another computer as if it were on your own computer. With a mapped network drive, you can easily share data with every other computer on the network.
Step 1
Click the "Start" button and select "Computer" from the system menu of the computer containing the hard drive you want to share on the network.
Step 2
Select the folder you want to share.
Step 3
Right-click with your mouse and select "Properties" from the menu.
Step 4
Select the "Sharing" tab.
Step 5
Click the "Advanced Sharing" button.
Step 6
Check the box next to "Share this folder."
Step 7
Note the default name of the shared folder. Click the "OK" button, and then click the "Close" button. This folder is now available to share on the network.
Step 8
Click the "Start" button on the computer you will use to access the shared folder. Select "Computer" from the system menu.
Step 9
Select "Tools" and "Map network drive" from the menu.
Step 10
Select a drive letter you want to assign to the shared folder using the pull-down menu from the "Map Network Drive" window.
Step 11
Click the "Browse" button to locate the name of the computer where you created the shared folder. Click on that computer name and select the shared folder name as it appeared in Step 7. Click the "OK" button. You will now see the folder shared from the other computer available on your computer using the drive letter you selected in the previous step.
References
Tips
- Even though Windows uses the term "folder," the term also applies to selecting the entire hard drive.
- Use the "Permission" tab in the Advanced Sharing dialog box of the folder properties window to select which users on the network can access the shared folder.
Writer Bio
Brent Watkins works as a writer, producer and production technologist for film and television. He began writing for "Church & Worship Technology" magazine in 2002. With more than 25 years of industry experience, Watkins is passionate about digital media and emerging production technologies. A graduate of the University of Iowa, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications and theatrical arts.